It is arguably impossible to understand the modern US political landscape without taking a closer look at Ronald Reagan, the 40th US president. In the Republican Party, his oratorical style is often cited and lauded, with many seeking to emulate his communicative style. (You will most likely hear at least one reference to Ronald Reagan made by Republican candidates for president in this election cycle.) Select one of his speeches given during his two terms as president (1981-1989) and analyse the speech using techniques we have used throughout the academic year (bear in mind that question #12 on the exam will be an analysis of a speech, poem, or letter). I recommend trying to find video footage of the speech to hear it delivered and to get an idea of how Reagan spoke. Bring at least three key pieces of data with you to our next session. (I also recommend looking into who his speech writers were during the time of the speech's delivery.) This link can help: Major Speeches, 1964-1989 | Ronald Reagan (reaganlibrary.gov)
In addition, I'd like you to watch this short, iconic scene of US cinema from the 90s in advance of our next session (it's an intense cross-examination scene between Tom Cruise's and Jack Nicolson's characters, but it tells us a lot about (perceived) political classes in the United States): You Can't Handle the Truth! - A Few Good Men (7/8) Movie CLIP (1992) HD - YouTube
Links of interest:
Voyager - Greetings on the Golden Record (nasa.gov)
Patton (1/5) Movie CLIP - Americans Love a Winner (1970) HD - YouTube
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