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Obama Second Inaugural Address Rhetorical Analysis Essay

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Tim Davis Mrs. Hampton AP English 11: A4 19 January 2017 Obama Rhetorical Analysis In President Obama’s Second Inaugural Address delivered on January 20th, 2013, he eloquently adopts several rhetorical devices for the purpose of looking forward on a “journey”. Excerpts from our Constitution also help him to achieve his purpose. Obama began his address by acknowledging the audience at the Inauguration. By doing this he showed respect to the holders of office, and showed that he was part of the people. This is very similar to what Lincoln and Kennedy did in their respective speeches. The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States are often said to be the greatest pieces of political prose. Obama quoted them when he read the opening sentence of the Declaration of Independence, spoke about upholding the Constitution by holding the inauguration …show more content…

The first time he alluded to the closing of the Gettysburg Address, the second time he quoted directly from Lincoln’s 1858 House Divided speech. Many politicians and orators often quote Lincoln’s House Divided speech, because we must stay united as one country. Obama says that we must work to make it through the challenges set before us. He spoke of how we made it through the Civil War united, and we built up a country that cares for the vulnerable. This is the beginning of the “never-ending journey” he speaks of. He later says that the journey is an incomplete one. This too is similar to what Lincoln and Kennedy did in their speeches. Lincoln had “high hope” and Kennedy spoke about progressiveness as a nation. Obama rarely used the words you and I, but utilized "we" and "we the people". This goes to show that he thinks that there is no individual person, but we are one nation and must stay united. It also shows that Obama is not above the people, but he is one of them and will work with them on this long

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