A Presidential Inauguration is a ceremony in Washington, DC at which a President-Elect is sworn-in. The Inauguration occurs every four years in the United States on the 20th of January following a Presidential election (McMahon, 2014). On this day, the newly sworn-in presidents usually give a speech referred to as an inaugural address. On January 21, 2013, President Obama delivered his Second Inaugural Address from the steps of the U.S. Capitol. The speech was 2,137 words long and took 15 minutes to deliver. (Secretary, 2013). His speech embodied the visions of Martin Luther King as well President Lincoln. President Obama opened his speech by addressing the different kinds of people present. He acknowledged his primary audience, to which he …show more content…
President Obama’s address uses pathos, the emotional or motivational appeals, vivid language, emotional language, numerous sensory details (Bean, 1998), logos, the logic used to support a claim (Bean, 1998), ethos, the source's credibility (Bean, 1998), and also integrated present events in a historical context that he bases on a central metaphor to influence the audience. As the speech unfolds, numerous rhetorical techniques are exhibited establishing the basic two-part structure of his speech. First, a variety of rhetorical techniques are used, such as symbolizing the past, hoping for the future, and the using metaphorical language supporting his convictions/views. Throughout the speech other techniques, such as syntheton/repetition, powerful imagery, and the disputation of assumed contradictions are …show more content…
He makes promises and pledges to the public how he, as a leader of this Nation, will fulfil his goals/duties. Instead of addressing the issues in the present tense, Obama reflects on important issues like homosexual rights, abortion, and the economy in matters that took place in the past. He speaks about the “never ending journey,” in which he is referring to prevailing through the Civil War as a free nation, constructing a modern economy, and caring for the poor and oppressed in our society. He constructed powerful imagery by continuously mentioning the “future of our children” for coming “generations” as people who will uphold his visions and continue the journey with the intentions of capturing the audience’s emotions. This rhetorical appeal exemplifies the use of pathos in the speech, an emotional appeal causing the audience to believe his words allowing him to successfully convey his message to the audience in an appealing