In General Douglas MacArthur’s speech “Duty, Honor, Country”, given on May 12, 1962 to the United States Military Academy at West Point cadets as an acceptance speech for the Thayer Award, he elucidates the deeper meaning behind the words “Duty, Honor, Country” and why the cadets should live by those words. General MacArthur exemplifies his claim by using rhetorical devices such as parallel structure, paradox, and allusion. These rhetorical devices also effectively support General MacArthur’s purpose of providing the cadets at West Point and any men and women currently serving in the United States military with words and ideals to live their lives by. With his use of parallel structure, General MacArthur restates his point and adds a dramatic flair that draws the audience’s attention and makes them listen more closely. In paragraph three General MacArthur uses parallel structure by saying, “Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be.” This supports General MacArthur’s purpose by illustrating what “Duty, Honor, Country” should and will mean in the cadets’ lives in a clear and precise way. Parallel structure is also used to support General MacArthur’s purpose in this way when he says “They build your basic character. They …show more content…
By using contrasting words and phrases such as, “...to be proud and unbending in honest failure, but humble and gentle in success;” and “...learn to laugh, yet never forget how to weep; to reach into the future yet never neglect the past; to be serious yet never take yourself too seriously;” General MacArthur allows the audience think over the ideas presented in different ways that appeal to almost everyone. These examples of paradox use pathos to evoke a sense of pride that makes people want to take action and change their way of