Real Life Political Speech Making

We examined political speeches concerning war and national crisis to attempt to echo the style of address within our trailer. We focussed on the use of language to influence the audience and also how the speech giver was presented within the frame. The speeches we looked in at detail were post 1960s, and in most cases post 20^th century, as our film trailer is set in the near future and we wish to mirror more modern techniques.

Inaugural Address, John F. Kennedy (1691)

Watch the address - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xE0iPY7XGBo

Within his speech President Kennedy used a variety of themes we found central to all American speeches. The idea of celebrating ‘freedom’, ‘a beginning’, ‘renewal’ and ‘change’ is repeated throughout. The nation is attracted to the idea of a fresh start, relies on a sense of hope, and the government is empowered by persuading them that they will provide this. The speech contains Christian ideas and imagery, the praise of ‘Almighty God’, a reference to ‘the command of Isaish” and empowerment through assuming that ‘here on earth God’s work must truly be our own”. Although the speech appeals to its nation’s main religion, most phrases can apply to other religions also.

Another central theme is the idea of American’s ‘power’; contrasted through the juxtaposition of the ability “to abolish all forms of human poverty” and “all forms of human life”. Not only does the nation itself feel comforted by it’s Government’s strength, but it acts as a warning to other nations also. As if to affirm this, the President compares the U.S. to a ‘tiger’ that overpowers those who attempt to ‘[ride] the back of [it]’. The President refers continuously to ‘our ancient heritage”, “that first revolution” and “our forebears”.  Clearly the idea of tradition and pride in their history charms to the American public. There is a contrast use of inclusive pronouns such as “we”, “us” and “this nation”. The audience are also involved in a rhetorical question “Will you join in that historic effort?”. The famous line “ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” Creates a contrast which promotes the idea that this new government have good morals they encourage all to put into practise.

This speech clearly appeals to a religious, patriotic, American society and it is all based around appealing  to them. Next we wanted to explore how an American speaker would attempt to appeal to a British audience, and how different this would be.

Address to the British Parliament, Ronald Reagan (1982)

Watch the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-ETNgf00E0

Within his address the President’s most common repetition was the idea of ‘solidarity’ and ‘cooperation’ between the countries of the West. In order to address a British audience, he highlighted how we have a ‘common cause’ in order to include the public in what he was saying. Other phrases highlighting ideas of globalisation, or at least that of the West, included ‘our sister democracies’, ‘your younger cousins” and “our two nations”. More notably, he focuses on the relationship between the US and the UK, that has a ‘special place in my heart and the hearts of all my countrymen”.  He notes how ‘at home we feel in your house” and how coming to England is like a “homecoming”. It is worth noting how he uses alliteration of ‘h’ sounds to emphasise this.

Another way he appeals to a British audience is uniting them under a cause. He illustrates ideas of ‘democracy’ and ‘free people’. He then goes on to exclude eastern countries, “democracy’s enemies” because they, unlike the US and UK, are “denying human freedom and human dignity”. He says that our mission as democratic Western countries must be to “stamp out the scourge of terrorism”.  This metaphor raises the UK and US above other countries both physically and morally.

This speech’s clear motive is to unite the UK and US under a common cause, using alliteration, metaphor and juxtaposition between the East and the West.

War with Iraq, Prime Minister Tony Blair (2003)

In 2003, the government took the decision to begin British troop’s involvement in the Iraqi war. This speech was controversial, as he was acting against the opinions of many UK citizens. Amid such a controversial decision, he is convincing, persuasive and seems logical. This type of address not only matches our narrative, but is for a British audience, and therefore is the kind of speech we would like to mirror in our film.
His main aim was to gain support for military action. He uses the power of three when describing the British Army, from ‘air, land and sea’. Not only is the power of three a persuasive language phrase, it also involves and recognises the entire Armed Forces. Blair recognises that there are ‘deep divisions of opinion in our country’, but brings the people together, ‘united in sending our armed forces our thoughts and prayers’. To a lesser extent than his American counterparts, Blair involves religion in part of his speech. However the language he uses applies to many religions rather than just conventional Christianity. He commends the army, declaring that they ‘are the finest in the world’, emphasising their ability, and how we as British citizens should be proud of them.
Next, Blair goes on to describe the threat, which is ‘not that of [his] father’s generation’. He uses language such as ‘disorder’, ‘chaos’, ‘brutal’ and ‘destruction’ which directly contrasts to the language he used in the last paragraph to describe the British forces. He talks about the threat to the values a British audience would want to protect, ‘our way of life, our freedom, our democracy’, once more using the power of three. Blair goes on to describe the enemy, their lack of respect for the ‘sanctity of human life’. The perception of terrorists is important to our narrative, and links to one of our tag line ideas ‘One Man’s Terrorist Is Another Man’s Freedom Fighter’. He goes on to say that they ‘delight in destroying’ these values. Here he uses alliteration to emphasise this idea.

Much like the speeches aimed at the American public, the Prime Minister uses patriotic ideas to rally his audience. He reminds the audience that ‘Britain has never been a nation to hide at the back’, as if taking part in the war is a matter of duty. He then describes the consequences of ‘hiding at the back’, ‘the carnage they could inflict to our economies, our security, to world peace, would be beyond our most vivid imagination’. ‘Retreat might give us a moment of respite but years of repentance at our weakness would I believe follow’.
Blair also uses statistics to back up his points, ‘60% of the population dependent on food aid’ , ‘thousands of children die every year through malnutrition and disease’, ‘hundreds of thousands have been driven from their homes or murdered’. These statistics act to shock the audience, and the phrase ‘we are with you’ places the British community together on their side. He finishes his speech in a roundabout way, referring to the army like at the beginning. ‘On the courage and determination of British men and women, serving our country, the fate of many nations rest’.


Conventions of speech making
Use of alliteration e.g. Gordon Brown ‘Now let us fulfil our mandate and our mission’, Tony Blair ‘at our best when at our boldest’
 Use of three e.g. Bill Clinton ‘good values, good vision, good policies’

 Judicious  repetition e.g. Barack Obama ‘Yes we can’

 Patriotic phrasing and language
Use of metaphor
Use of rhetorical questions
 Finishing with a strong, affirmative statement, relating to the first sentence