Thesis (BA Communication Arts) -- University of the Philippines Mindanao, June 2015

A Rhetorical analysis of the State of the Nation Address (SONAs) delivered by President Benigno S. Aquino III from 2010-2014 is an analysis discussing the type of rhetoric used by President Benigno S. Aquino III in his five State of the Nation Address (SONAs) from the year 2010 to 2014. The study aimed at describing the rhetorical process using Kenneth Burke?s theory of dramatism and to determine the rhetorical character of President Benigno S. Aquino III. To reach this goal , a description of the rhetoric using the Dramatistic pentad with the identification of its five elements (act, scene, agent, agency and purpose), the identification of the predominant ratios of these elements, and the identification of guilt-redemption cycle and identification used in the President?s address were deemed necessary. Kenneth Burke?s dramatism was useful in analyzing the who?s, what?s, why?s and how?s in the rhetorical process. It was found out that the kind of rhetoric President Benigno S. Aquino III had in his five addresses was brought about by the economic and political scene before and after his administration. His main purpose in focusing on the scene and his frequent use of scene-act-agency ratio is to attack the previous administration and his oppositors, to highlight his administration?s achievement sand accomplishments and to evoke sense of nationalism and unity among the Filipino people. It was also found out that SONAs delivered by the President frequently mused victimage through scapegoating and blaming and identification with the Filipino people to enforce and supplement his motive of generating support.