Rhetorical Analysis Of Obama's Speech

In response to the controversial sermon given by his pastor and the racial remarks that followed him during his 2008 campaign, then Senator Barack Obama, was inherently forced into delivering a speech that would address the comments and prove to the American people that he did in fact shared their “American Dream” and was not an Anti-America charity case. Obama gave his famous “A More Perfect Union” speech in Philadelphia, where he seized the opportunity to address the controversy as an indication of a much larger issue, race relations in America and introduce his mission of moving the country toward “a more perfect union.” His speech often coined, “the Race Speech”, had several factors play into its success, one factor being the way the speech was delivered, his speech incorporated the jeremiad form and constitutive form of rhetoric, the use of those two forms helped Obama address the issue while at the same time creating an identity that would encompass all Americans who would then come together in this identity and work toward the solution of the race issue and providing the “American Dream” for everyone.

In this part of the speech Obama is using ethos. He is trying to be trustworthy. From line 95 Obama again set himself up as the country father. He explains that there is no excuse for having a bad attitude and also no excuse for not trying hard and giving your best towards education.

In America, we are told that it is the land where everything and anything is possible. For many years, it wasn’t like that for African American. With many hard work, strength, and courage African American manage to earn the right to an education. To the African American community education became more of a need than a want. We’ve learn that education is such a powerful asset that with it you are unstoppable. You can do so much if you put your time and energy to it. Having an education to African American is the one hope for a brighter and better

In his speech, “Remarks by the President in a National Address to America’s Schoolchildren,” Obama effectively argues his claim, that kids should go to school and try very hard to succeed to schoolchildren around the U.S. He effectively argues his claim because he uses supporting details and stories of students that have undergone tough situations, but still overcame those obstacles to succeed and school. Also, he is trying to tell kids that they should do well in school to get a good job and make a difference. He also uses rhetorical appeals to help with the supporting details. One of supporting evidence that he brought up was that if someone wants to become something such as a doctor, or lawyer you will need a good education to do

In the beginning of his speech, Obama discusses his family and their past, how his grandfather served the United States and was a veteran of World War II. He speaks about the name that was given to him, Obama, as being African and how his parents felt that it isnt your name that takes you places and makes you who you are, it your character, strength, and personality. He also descibes his encounters with that he

Though, knowing some of Obama’s background, it seems as if he was trying to get a point across. The point I have mention before, our differences should not separate us but unite us. Obama speech is inspiring, because he mentions how we all come from different backgrounds and we have our racist view points, but these points are simply from the past in which hardly anyone today has lived in. If we could overlook all the bad from the past and the negativity from being from different communities, we could have a better and stronger nation. Obama also uses his own background as a way to show how we can overcome different ethic backgrounds. It may be hard in some ways but as he states in his speech, “These people are a part of me. And they are a part of America, this country that I love.” We are all apart of America, a country that we love, and we are surrounded by the people we love. Yes, we do come from all sorts of ethnic backgrounds, and some may be a mix of many. This is the inspiring part from his speech. Even though he gets many view points from his family and is from a mix of ethnic backgrounds, all that matters is that his family is apart of him and he loves them for who they are not the ethnicity.

Obama’s speech on race was a part of his campaign while he was running for the presidential election in 2009. He speaks to the American people with the purpose to gather them and with spirit of fellowship to creates a unity and patriotism. A unity where everyone stands together and in jointly could make the world a better place for everyone, no matter

Michelle Obama’s argument was to continue to strengthen the legacy that people that inherited. She had cited the historical analogies and historical leaders of the civil rights movements to urge the importance of education. She started with the history of how Bowie State University started to offer its education in black community and continues with civil rights icons such as Thurgood Marshall and Dr. Martin Luther King who kept on fighting despite of hate from many citizens in the United States during the period. By deriving historical facts in the speech, Michelle Obama demonstrated a strong sense of logos. Furthermore, she cited statistics that education is as important or if not more important than it was back when the Bowie State University was founded (291). Then, she constructed a logical argument that “a recent study” had found “African American women with a college degree live average age of six-and-a-half-years longer than those without.” Legacy is also described as something such as property or money that is received from someone who has died. Michelle Obama had linked education to legacy and that education is necessary in living a longer life (291). So, “carry that legacy forward”

Also the harsh, unjust acts we have faced being black, growing up in America. After the passage of Civil Rights Acts, after the Economic opportunity act of 1964, which has paved the way for new rulings, laws, white’s attitudes towards African Americans has improved. This has resulted in providing more opportunities for blacks in America. Even though more opportunities have been open for blacks we still have a lot of progression to accomplish. As stated in the article “high schools in black neighborhoods receive less local, state, and federal support than those in white areas.” This statement supports my point of progression, to improve high schools in black neighborhoods we must gain the support of our community, government, and state to have more interest in educating young African American students. The authors audience seems to be African Americans because he is informing readers of what blacks had to go through as people, and what we must do to continue to improve our people. I feel the authors opinions are valid because he does in fact states opinions I have witnessed myself growing up as an African American in the united states. He expresses how he believes we still have room for progression especially in mostly high populated schools filled with African American students. Majority of schools which are primary dominated by blacks seem to have lower graduations

President Obama, like all Presidents before him, delivered a farewell address to the United States on January 20, 2017. As he stepped down as President he was eloquent and it was as clear as ever that he is a master of oration. Obama will go down in history as the first Black President as well as a strong orator who had the ability to captivate an audience through his use of ethos, pathos and logos amongst other rhetorical devices. His farewell address is a perfect example of Obama’s mastery of discourse as it is chock full of oratorical devices. Obama’s message to the American people and to the rest of the world is that it is essential that we maintain a sense of what it means to have a democracy and that in order to maintain peace and

Former President Barack Obama performed a speech in response to a mass shooting that happened in a community college in Oregon. This speech included other gun related incidents which occurred during his time in office in 2015 regarding Umpqua Community College and Roseburg. After giving his condolences and love to those who felt loss in their hearts, Obama gave a powerful argument regarding gun control and how we, as Americans, should fight and strive for better gun laws. While Obama gave a moving speech, I could not help but feel it fell short in its argument while conducting a thorough critique. Obama appealed to his audience utilizing pathos and ethos with ease but fell short for those in the audience looking for logos or specific facts within his performance. I will be taking this opportunity to delve further into an analysis of this speech and both its heights and pitfalls.

He acknowledges that the resentments of the black and white communities “aren’t always expressed in polite company,” but these resentments are manifested within our society in destructive ways, like racism (Obama, par. 31). The audience feels that he is knowledgeable and credible on the immediate topics affecting our future and our daily lives.

The election of President Obama marks the most noteworthy political accomplishment for African Americans in the United States during the post-civil rights revolution, thus bringing about a change in the country’s social and political landscape that was steeped in racial discrimination since the founding of this great nation. Because social and political conditions are subject to constant change, President Obama’s

On March 15, 1965, former President, Lyndon B. Johnson, gave a speech, “We Shall Overcome” in Washington, DC after the violent march in Selma, Alabama. This speech was Lyndon B. Johnson’s most memorable speech because he spoke about getting congress to ban racial discrimination against African American’s in the voting polls. While voting is now open to people of all races, racism is still very alive in the United States. On March 18, 2008, President Barack Obama gave a speech, “A More Perfect Union” in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. President Barack Obama’s speech was also about the African American race. In President Barack Obama’s speech he addressed the racial inequalities in the United

2009 was for the United States a really important year. Indeed, 2009 is labeled with a big improvement on the struggle of “racial inequality”. For the first time in the United States history, they elected a President of color. After, the fights of many people of color like Martin Luther King Jr., another really significant step was made to achieve racial equality. More specifically, one quote said: "Rosa Parks sat so Martin Luther King could speak; Martin Luther King spoke so Obama could run; Obama ran so children can fly" (Johnson, 2009, p. 209). This quote reveals a strong message saying that each step brings to another step. The Obama’s step is an important step, because it transmits the idea that people without white privileges can access to important job such as being the President of United States. In a Harvard review a child claimed that having a president of color passes him the message that, now, “no matter what your color is, you can do anything,” by studying hard (Johnson, 2009, p. 209). He also said that Barack Obama election will have a positive impact on his education (Johnson, 2009, p. 209). However, other factors influence children education and those factors are, also, really important. In fact, children need to be educated by their caregivers on the issues of race, racism, white privileges and racial inequalities. In other words, there is a need to increase awareness about “race,” racial injustices and racism through education for teachers and students,