Rosa Parks was a lead activist in the civil rights movement. She has been influential in the United States and kickstarted events in history. A statue of her was put into the National Statuary Hall in 2013 to remember her. In Obama’s address he uses anecdotes, simplistic diction, and repetition throughout his speech to convey his message that Rosa Parks was a leader and is a symbol for change. He also uses a pronoun shift to personalize his audience.
In the beginning of his speech, Obama tells a story about Rosa Parks to the audience. He mainly describes her bus boycott and arrest and the impact it had on the community. “A little known pastor […] stood with her - a man named Martin Luther King, Jr. So did thousands of Montgomery, Alamama, commuters.” This quote really shows the effect Rosa Parks had on her community. The rhetorical choice to tell an anecdotal story about the history of Rosa Parks gets the audience engaged because people love stories. It personalizes his speech to his audience. In addition, mentioning Martin Luther King, Jr. makes the
…show more content…
He states, “Walking for respect, walking for freedom.” This quote expresses the simplicity of the action of walking. We walk everyday and don’t think anything of it. The act of walking in this situation has a purpose. People are walking for the purpose of respect and for the purpose of freedom. In the end of the passage Obama further proves his message by saying “She reminds us that this is how change happens” Throughout the speech Obama has repeated the words change and leadership. He ends his speech by saying, “And that is why this statue belongs in this hall - to remind us [...] just what it is that leadership requires.” By repeating these words, Obama is solidifying his overarching theme that Rosa Parks is the symbol for both leadership and change in the United