Rhetorical Analysis Of Obama 2nd Inaugural Speech
In January of 2013 Barack Obama addressed the country for his second term as president of the United States of America. Obama graduated from Harvard Law School and first became the 44th president in 2009. During the speech not only did he address the nation, but he also gave them a sense of empowerment. Barack Obama successfully executed a multitude of rhetorical techniques throughout his inauguration speech to certify that the people of our country would be under safe hands. Obama used various examples of anaphora, parallelism, and many other rhetorical techniques. He presented the theme of unity throughout the speech; this was a vital aspect that helped him establish the respect of the listeners. …show more content…
This was done so he could establish a connection with the American citizen on an emotional level. He made sure his audience felt that they were at the same level as he is, thus, helping him solidify his assertion of unity. Obama followed with the use of a polysyndeton when he states, “the colors of our skin or the tenets of our faith or the origins of our names” (Obama). This produced a dramatic effect leading up to the points that followed in the rest of his speech. Obama later goes into the past with an allusion to the Declaration of Independence by quoting “we hold these truths… that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” (Obama). This allusion established more ethos by reminding his audience that the quote of equality is still an important aspect of American society to this
In January of 2013 Barack Obama addressed the country for his second term as president of the United States of America. Obama graduated from Harvard Law School and first became the 44th president in 2009. During the speech not only did he address the nation, but he also gave them a sense of empowerment. Barack Obama successfully executed a multitude of rhetorical techniques throughout his inauguration speech to certify that the people of our country would be under safe hands. Obama used various examples of anaphora, parallelism, and many other rhetorical techniques. He presented the theme of unity throughout the speech; this was a vital aspect that helped him establish the respect of the listeners. …show more content…
This was done so he could establish a connection with the American citizen on an emotional level. He made sure his audience felt that they were at the same level as he is, thus, helping him solidify his assertion of unity. Obama followed with the use of a polysyndeton when he states, “the colors of our skin or the tenets of our faith or the origins of our names” (Obama). This produced a dramatic effect leading up to the points that followed in the rest of his speech. Obama later goes into the past with an allusion to the Declaration of Independence by quoting “we hold these truths… that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” (Obama). This allusion established more ethos by reminding his audience that the quote of equality is still an important aspect of American society to this