TOW #20: Ronald Reagan "Challenger Distaster" Speech

In the mid-1960s, a space shuttle was launched. This was a big milestone for America, and a big loss. They'd never lost an astronaut in flight, and it was a tragedy. 73 seconds after the flight launched, the shuttle exploded, and seven astronauts were killed. Ronald Reagan, the president at the time, felt more than compelled to provide the mourning citizens with a speech. The speech lasted a little over two minutes long, and was very well delivered. Reagan used metaphors, references, and collective pronouns in his speech to remind the nation that although there will be struggle and there will be hard times, the lives lost will never be forgotten, and they will motivate the nation to keep moving forward.

   

Several times throughout his speech, Reagan uses metaphors. For example, at one point, he refers to the seven astronauts as pioneers. Not only does this show respect to the lives lost, but it also makes it evident that these people were of high importance. Pioneer represents the beginning of a movement or even the leaders of a ship, and Reagan wanted to make sure the American people understood how influential the astronauts were. 

Reagan also used references in his speech. He made a particularly interesting reference to an episode that had occurred many years before but on the same date; this event was Sir Francis Drake dying aboard ship off of the coast of Panama. Then, he connects the incident to Drake's by saying that the people who dies aboard the shuttle, "Challenger", were just as important as Sir Francis Drake. Because many know that he was, and still is, considered legendary for circumnavigating the earth, the people can realize how enormous of a point that Reagan is making by comparing these people on the shuttle to this man who has made such a difference in the world. Reagan attempts and succeeds to make the nation consider how important these lives were, and how important it is to keep moving forward,

Finally, Reagan uses collective pronouns. This is the most prominent strategy Reagan utilizes because it can be seen in almost every other sentence. His uses of "we" and "us" substantiate the idea that Reagan wants this tragedy to be seen as an opportunity, not as a dramatic ending to the hopes and dreams of the nation's space program. Reagan also directly speaks to a few groups of people; one of these groups being schoolchildren who were watching the shuttle explode on live television. He has to announce that he knows it is difficult to understand. He also addresses the men and women of NASA, and commending them for their work and dedication. The way he goes about speaking to all of these people and creating a unifying feeling for the American people definitely makes his speech recognizable. 

This was a tragedy among tragedies, and at this time period, not many people knew what to do about it. However, through metaphors, references, and the use of collective pronouns, Ronald Reagan made evident that the lives lost were not the ending of hopes and dreams, but possibly the start of a new beginning. He succeeded in letting the people know this, and even in the short time that the speech was given, he may have managed to help many, many people respect the lives of these seven astronauts, and maybe shed a glimpse of light on the hope that the people should still have.