"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for you are with me" (Psalm 23)


"steel of American resolve"


". . . , I implemented our government's emergency response"


"This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace"


"Today our nation saw evil - the very worst of human nature - and we responded with the best of America"


"Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack . . . "

Choices
parallelism
appeal to ethos
appeal to pathos
contrast
analogy
allusion

1 answer

The excerpts you've provided fall into various rhetorical devices. Here's an analysis of each one:

  1. "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for you are with me" (Psalm 23) - This is an allusion to a well-known biblical passage, which conveys a message of comfort and faith.

  2. "steel of American resolve" - This phrase uses metaphor but can also imply appeal to ethos, as it evokes a sense of strong national character and determination associated with Americans.

  3. ". . . , I implemented our government's emergency response" - This statement suggests appeal to ethos, establishing credibility by referencing the authority of the government in a time of crisis.

  4. "This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace" - This reflects parallelism, as it emphasizes unity by structuring similar grammatical forms.

  5. "Today our nation saw evil - the very worst of human nature - and we responded with the best of America" - This example demonstrates contrast, highlighting the dichotomy between evil and the good qualities of America.

  6. "Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack . . . " - This can be seen as an appeal to pathos, as it evokes emotions related to loss and crisis, resonating with the audience's feelings of vulnerability.

In summary:

  • Allusion: Psalm 23
  • Appeal to Ethos: "steel of American resolve" and the emergency response statement
  • Parallelism: "This is a day when all Americans..."
  • Contrast: "Today our nation saw evil..."
  • Appeal to Pathos: "Today, our fellow citizens..."