Analysis of Speech by Gerry Adams

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The purpose of this assignment is to analyse the speech written by Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams. It was read out to media in Belfast on Wednesday, 6 April 2005. The speech was directly appointed towards the volunteer soldiers of the Irish Republican Army. His main purpose with the speech was to make the IRA embrace peaceful means. Mr Adams thanked the families of the soldiers who had fought for an independent Ireland. He also in his speech explains that their future politics will be more peaceful than earlier. Actually the IRA eleven years ago ordered a complete cessation of all military activities, which came as a proposal from the Sinn Fein leadership. The cessation has endured though there have been hardships and many rejections. The speech is well structured; first off Mr Adams speaks about the cessation and the proposals from Sinn Fein, hereafter he speaks about their earlier methods and how they can use their determination to fight forward with peaceful means. As and end to it he kind of repeats himself. He comes with his personal appeal to, the volunteer soldiers of IRA. He doesn’t ask them to risk their lives but to step into a peaceful and democratic fight for an independent Ireland. Mr Adams uses different rhetorical elements. He talks directly to the soldiers and their families through pronouns, as an example: “You and your families gave your all in.” this makes his speech very personal for them to hear and shows his, and the rest of the IRA’s appreciation of them. He also makes the ‘struggle for independence’ very collective for them. This unites them in their fight. In the text this quote is also accentuated, where he says: “I am asking you to join me in seizing this moment, to intensify our efforts, to rebuild the peace process and decisively move our struggle forward”. As said he unites them in their struggle for an independent
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