Entrapment and escape: Inventional metaphors in Ronald Reagan's economic rhetoric

Abstract

Ronald Reagan's economic rhetoric reflects his use of inventional metaphors of entrapment and escape, language ideally meshing with the American public's perception of the economy in the first half of the 1980s. Although the combination of a rejuvenated economy and Reagan's rhetoric probably helped sharpen Reagan's image and provided relief for a frustrated American public, Reagan's reliance on the inventional metaphors produced a rigidity in his approach to new situations, ultimately damaging his ability to lead the nation.