Communication Analysis: Trump's RNC 2016 Speech

Intro

President Trump, since the beginning of his campaign trail, has used the tool of the metaphor more times than most. He uses this tool to attempt to persuade his audience and voters alike. However, he is not always successful in this tact of metaphorical persuasion. In his 2016 Republican National Convention speech, he issues the use of metaphors to convince his listeners that he can truly make a change in the country as opposed to his opponent, Hilary Clinton. In order to determine the President’s strength of persuasive rhetoric, the metaphoric criticism model can be applied. With the application of the metaphor criticism model, Donald Trump’s 2016 RNC speech documented by Politico on July 21, 2016 can be tested today as an effective rhetorical artifact. After determining its success, we can draw some implications from the analysis of the speech. First, we will build the foundation of the analysis by exploring the model, applying the model to the artifact, before drawing some analyzed implications.

Criticism

First, we must build the foundation of the communication analysis of the 2016 RNC speech by exploring the model of use. The model that will be used is the metaphoric criticism model. A metaphor is a non-literal comparison in which a word or phrase from one domain of experience is applied to another domain. There are two parts of a metaphor: the tenor and the vehicle. The tenor is the object being compared, while the vehicle is the mechanism or lens through which the topic is viewed. For example, Jessica is a fierce lion. Jessica would be the tenor, and lion would be the vehicle. These are two things being compared which normally would not be associated with each other. This comparison shows that Jessica is a fierce person capable of possessing strength and courage. The philosopher and great rhetor scholar, Aristotle, thought the use of metaphors was decorated language and transference of a name from an object to which it has no natural application. Metaphors construct reality, and they are the basis by which the process of using symbols occur. Since symbols are used, this can be extremely vivid language and can benefit a speaker if they choose to use metaphors. If a speaker chooses to use metaphors, they want to heighten their language and channel a higher way of speaking in symbols. This can enhance a speech, or it can hinder it in the way it communicates to an audience. If there are too many metaphors that do not weave together, it can leave the speech seeming incohesive and sloppy. In Trump’s speech, we will discover some metaphors that have the potential to enhance his argument. It is important to understand this basis for foundational analysis using the metaphoric criticism model in order to critically consume Donald Trump’s speech at the Republican National Convention in 2016.

Application of criticism

Now that we have a clear understanding of the model we will be using, we can now focus on the artifact and apply the model. The speech was given after the current President was nominated as the Republican candidate for the 2016 presidential election. First, we will focus on the metaphors that Trump uses in the speech, and then we will determine the strength of the model and the President’s use of the literary device. First, Trump has two overarching themes where he applies metaphors. The first is his assertion that he is the voice of America and American citizens. He uses this metaphor to show that he knows what is best for U.S. citizens, and he has the ability to express their concerns and make changes in the governmental system. Trump details that he will restore safety and honor to America because he alone is the person to fix the issues in this country. Because he uses this overarching metaphor that he is the voice of America, he attempts to show a secondary metaphor that the “system is rigged”. The previous administration’s lack of knowledge of the system, he explains, led to all of the issues facing America, and only a change in administration will solve the rigged system. He explains the system is rigged against citizens and certain politicians alike, especially Bernie Sanders. After Trump establishes the use of the voice metaphor, he continues with the second theme that his opponent Hilary Clinton is a puppet strung by the rich businesses of America. Trump explains that her policies are dangerous and radical. He uses the metaphor that her legacy is death, destruction, and weakness. This smaller metaphor adds to the larger scope of her being his corrupt political enemy with an agenda that will destroy America. He uses these two contradicting metaphors, that he is the voice of America, and Clinton is the corrupt puppet to persuade his listeners to join his perspective that he is the sole savior to this crooked governmental system.

Now that we have discovered the primary and secondary metaphors in Trump’s RNC speech, we can now determine their strength in his speech. The two themed metaphors throughout the speech are that he is the voice of America, and Clinton is the corrupt puppet. Trump does well to establish himself as an active member for the people of the United States. By his declaration that he is the voice, this fuels his speech by using vivid and descriptive language. By his actions, he can speak for the people of America. His argument against the previous administration is only enhanced by his statement that they have rigged the system and taken away the voice of America. This metaphor paints a reality where Trump is the hero coming to save the poor weak America from the evil Obama administration. This reality is appealing to audience members because Trump touches on specific past examples of the evil democrats stealing their voices. With this established reality, audience members see Trump as the only person who can make this reality happen. His use of metaphoric rhetoric enhances his argument for himself, but this is not his only metaphor that he used. He also depicts Hilary Clinton as a corrupt puppet strung up by the rich people of America. Trump elaborates on this metaphor and explains that her policies are death, and this paints another picture for his audience. This shows that she is one of the evil democrats rigging the system against the American people. He gives examples of international failures done by Clinton to show her evil motives, and this enhances his argument against her and strengthens the one for him. Through these larger metaphors against Trump’s opponent and the previous administration and himself, this successfully persuades the audience. Because he issues these metaphors often throughout the speech, the themes are apparent and cohesive. Based on the metaphoric criticism model, he established metaphors that painted a distinct reality for his listeners, and this reality compared two domains that normally would not have been associated together. The first primary metaphor was Donald Trump is the voice of America. The tenor is Donald Trump, and the vehicle is voice. These are two things being compared that have no natural association with the other. The second primary metaphor trump uses is Hilary Clinton is the big business, elite media, and major donor puppet, and they pull the strings. The tenor is Clinton, while the vehicle is puppet. This paints a vivid picture of two things that are not normally associated with each other. After we have established Trump’s use of metaphors, we have tested their strength and determined how they have enhanced his speech.

Implications

Now that we have discovered Trump’s use and strength of metaphors using the metaphoric criticism model, we can now uncover some implications from this speech and the realities that Trump has constructed. First some negative implications. Based on these metaphors, Trump successfully persuades his audience members because they show that he is good, and she is evil. It is the basic theme behind his speech, and he successfully establishes this theme. Because he successfully establishes this, it is likely that these audience members will feel connected to Trump or they may disagree completely. However, at this setting, the Republican National Convention, they most likely support Donald Trump. Also this is after he has been nominated for President, so support is high. Either way, these audience members have just been persuaded that Trump is the one to save the governmental system of America from the puppet democrats who have stolen citizens’ voices. The previous administration has ruined everything, and Trump is here to fix it because he claimed he knows the system the best. However, in the future, there is the potential that Trump will fail on some of these promises he has made during this speech, and he will soon discover that making changes in Washington may not be as easy as he thought it would be. This could leave his audience members unsatisfied with Trump’s words and actions. Ultimately, this could lead to his supporters losing trust and confidence in the candidate if he does not follow through on his threats and promises.

Second, some positive implications. Because Trump painted such a negative picture of Hilary Clinton, it shows that Trump sees through the façade that other politicians put on, and this is positive in his audience’s eyes because he really is the one who knows the system and can fix it and recover America’s lost voice. And if he puts her down, then her opposers will obviously side with him. This might paint him as a bully who needs to always degrade someone, but it will most likely enhance his campaign and depict him as a strong candidate willing to take on the challenge of any opponent. Either way, these implications are important to consider after Trump’s establishment of metaphors in this speech.

In conclusion, Trump used two strong metaphorical themes in his speech after being nominated for the 2016 Republican Presidential candidate. He constructed a reality where he was the hero, and Clinton was the enemy, and he successfully issued these metaphors throughout his speech. After testing the candidates’ use of metaphors using the metaphoric criticism, we tested the strength of the persuasive tactics and drew some implications for his speech. Donald Trump may have established these strong metaphors in his speech, but today we can see some of these implications have arisen, despite the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.