nixon

Ideally, I do not want you to spend a long time writing this essay. Read the speech (located in the Week One module) and essay prompt question (below) and gather your thoughts. Then write the essay in one sitting, taking about one hour.

This assignment will show me your skill at writing an essay as we begin the semester. What do you remember from ENGL 1301? This essay exercise will show me that.

You can either type the essay in the text box provided or upload a separate document. If you upload, please make sure your document is either in Microsoft Word or PDF format. 

Prompt Question:

In the assigned article, former president Richard Nixon delivered a speech entitled Resignation Speech to the citizens of the United States on August 8, 1974. In this speech, Nixon uses various rhetorical strategies and tools to persuade his audience of his ideas and values.

Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle has defined rhetoric as: "the faculty of discovering in any particular case all of the available means of persuasion" (American Rhetoric).

Modern scholar Erika Lindemann states, "Rhetoric is a form of reasoning about probabilities, based on assumptions people share as members of a community” (American Rhetoric).

According to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, rhetoric is defined as: “The study of writing or speaking as a means of communication or persuasion” (Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary).

Please compose an organized essay that responds to Nixon’s speech, and answer the following questions in your essay:

· What are the core values of the specific audience of Nixon’s speech?

· Specifically, who is the intended audience of Nixon’s speech? Is there more than one audience?

· What is the purpose of Nixon’s speech? Of what ideas is he attempting to persuade his audience?

· What strategies are used by Nixon in his attempt to persuade his audience?

· Who does Nixon reference to establish, or maintain his credibility with his audience?