From War to Justice: A Pragmatic Analysis of Bush’s 9/11 Speech and Obama’s Bin Laden Speech

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Author: Ahmed Khudhair Abbas, N. Solomon Benny

Keywords: Metaphor; Conceptual Metaphor Theory; Pragmatics; George W. Bush; Obama.

Abstract: This study examines the role of metaphors in two major U.S. presidential speeches: George W. Bush’s Address to the Nation on September 11, 2001, and Barack Obama’s announcement of Osama bin Laden’s death in 2011. Using Conceptual Metaphor Theory (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980/2003), metaphors were categorized into structural, ontological, and orientational types, with attention to their pragmatic functions in crisis communication. The analysis identified 12 metaphors in each speech. Bush relied mainly on structural metaphors of war and defense, framing terrorism as an enemy to be defeated and mobilizing citizens for resilience. Obama, while also invoking war imagery, used more ontological and orientational metaphors, such as justice as an agent and light versus darkness, emphasizing closure, unity, and reassurance. The findings show that metaphor choice reflects broader pragmatic goals: Bush sought mobilization, while Obama stressed resolution, illustrating how metaphors shape national perception and political legitimacy.

Article Info: Received: 15 Sep 2025; Received in revised form: 12 Oct 2025; Accepted: 16 Oct 2025; Available online: 19 Oct 2025

DOI: 10.22161/ijeel.4.5.13

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