An Introduction to the Rhetoric of Trump’s “Battle”

Abstract

In 1939 Kenneth Burke released an astute and foretelling essay analyzing Hitler’s Mein Kampf (published only four years prior in 1925) entitled The Rhetoric of Hitler’s “Battle.” He identifies four main persuasive ornaments Hitler used that explain the communication in which he came to power: inborn dignity, projection device, symbolic rebirth, and commercial use. I use Burke’s essay to parallel the development and successes of Hitler’s rhetoric with President Trump’s rhetoric and media presence in order to encourage using Burke’s sheer perceptiveness to foreshadow and protect against similar swindle in United States leadership.