L02 Assignment.docx - Part I Analyzing the Rhetorical...

Part I: Analyzing the Rhetorical Situation in Ronald Reagan’s Challenger Address
My understanding of critical listening is evaluating the power of the speech as a speech
by asking if the speech demonstrated the principles/techniques of public speaking. A good you
want to ask yourself when evaluating a speech is; what was strong or weak about the speech and
how can the speaker improve their speech. Speeches are usually delivered in a specific context.
For example, lets evaluate the Ronald Reagan speech “the challenger”. Instead of doing a report
on the state of the union on live television, he gave a ceremonial speech about the challenger
disaster that happen in 1986. The space shuttle “Challenger” exploded, leaving seven families
agonizing the death of their loved ones. “Your loved ones were daring and brave, and they had
that special grace, that special spirit that says, ‘Give me a challenge, and I'll meet it with joy”.