The analysis I made was based on Douglas McGray’s article “Lost in America”. You did a great job starting your introduction in a creative way using a question as attention-grabber. It is an effective strategy to grab the reader’s attention. You briefly summarized the article’s main points; it provides readers a brief explanation of what will be further analyzed. You also established a very solid thesis statement with a purpose, audience and rhetorical device being analyzed.
Quality by Device During a speech delivered the day after the Pearl Harbor attack, FDR says, “Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States was suddenly attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan”. On December 7, 1941, the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japanese military forces. This was an act intended to intimidate the United States, and scare them from entering the war. But, in his January 6, 1942 State of the Union Address, FDR utilizes anaphora and flag waving to amplify the American spirit and effectively reassure the American people.
In her 2013 “Bowie State University Commencement Speech”, found in They Say/I Say, Michelle Obama, the current First Lady of the United States, uses several rhetorical strategies, including historical references and appeals to emotion and history, in order to drive her central message of the importance of education and the responsibly of her audience to deliver the legacy of education to the next generation. Throughout the piece, Obama relays a historical analysis of the progress made in education for African Americans, including an exploration of the toil and sacrifice made over the decades so that that progress could come to pass. She concludes by calling the graduating students to action to carry on the legacy of educational excellence that
The Sandy Hook shooting in Newtown Connecticut resulted in the death of twenty school children and six adults. Following the shooting, President Obama delivered a speech that moved citizens all over the country. President Obama became notorious for his subtle diction and natural body language that conveys sincerity and truthfulness along with the direct implication of his true thoughts. In this speech he effectively identifies himself not as a Democrat or Republican, but as a parent who wanted nothing more than to protect the children of our country. To do this, he uses vivid diction, open body language, controlled facial expressions, and a somber tone to deliver a speech that made the American people waiver.
During a funeral for Reverend Clementa Pinckney, a Charleston shooting victim, President Obama delivered an influential eulogy. This eulogy turned out to be so powerful that it traveled throughout the internet and became known as one of Obama’s best speeches from the duration of his presidency. The speech resonated so well with many citizens because of its relatable content and connections to passionate issues in today’s society. The delivery of the eulogy played a gigantic part in its effectiveness to Americans as well. President Obama’s eulogy contained beyond relatable content and various connections to the issues racking society’s bones today.
James Baldwin wrote “A Talk to Teachers” in the early 1960s for the purpose of publicizing the “current”, “very dangerous…menace” that plagues our country - our educational system. As Baldwin develops his argument, he utilizes various historical prejudices that have been criminally ignored in the classroom and the effects that these lies have had on our society as a whole. To him, hiding our country’s scars threatens our nation as the majority of that generation grows up ignorant and complacent - a generation that “will simply obey the rules of society”. History has shown that if people fail to fight for the truth and fail to fight for change, then our “society [will] perish.” Through various examples, Baldwin illustrates that the only way
The 2010 speech “Back to School” by president Barack Obama used certain rhetorical techniques, while keeping a more casual tone. The use of logos gave insight to the effect of education already in America. Ethos used many personal examples of his family. While pathos gave the audience a connection to him and his own experiences as a student. Although, the motivational aspect of this speech would only apply to a certain type of student, it was effective in the area it was intended.
At the beginning of his speech, he conveys emotion through telling his own story and putting the audience in his shoes. He states “On the one hand he is born in the shadow of the stars and stripes and he is assured it represents a nation which has never lost a war. He pledges allegiance to that flag which guarantees "liberty and justice for all. " He is part of a country in which anyone can become President, and so forth”. This shows the audience how African American children feel when living in a country made on the premise of equality, but feeling anything but equal to their Caucasian peers.
This is a good rhetorical appeal because everyone knows about Martin Luther King Jr., Obama connects with us emotionally by using the fact that Dr. King enrolled into this college at the age of 15, he used his passion to study harder, and with the help of his college, Martin Luther King Jr. is able to thrive towards his dreams. Another example of pathos is when Obama says, “ I was raised by a heroic single mom, wonderful grandparents…”(Obama 8). Obama uses the fact that he did not grow up with the dream family, the family with two supportive parents. No, he specifically said that he grew up with a “heroic” mother and no father figure in his life. Since almost half of the United States lives with two parents, many people will take on pity
The Rhetorical Elements of Barack Obama’s Speech President Obama uses rhetorical appeals throughout his speech. These rhetorical appeals help prove that each an every student should try their best in school. President Obama stated in his 2009 “Address to America’s Schoolchildren” that each student must take responsibility for his or her own education. President Obama uses many examples of ethos, logos, and pathos in his speech. In Obama’s 2009 “Address to America’s Schoolchildren” he has examples of ethos.
(Obama 18). In these two statements that Obama made to support his claim, he is trying to say that what environment you are in, what situation you are in should not affect your future and your education because just what you are going through does not directly affect your effort or determination to make your future different from what your future is if you give in to those hardships. Obama’s use of the rhetorical appeal of pathos helps with the supporting evidence for his claim that going to school is a benefit for student’s future, because when he uses pathos that causes emotions in the reader of his speech that of other people can go through many hardships and still get a proper education then they can do it to. It helps them believe that they can do whatever they put their mind
We’ve heard about the phrase “The Other America.” This phrase was most impactful when black activist and rhetorical speaker Martin Luther King Jr. used it when advocating for his Poor People’s Campaign. As an articulate speaker, he was able to make a long-term impact in his community, spreading awareness on social problems that were heard of but never taken action towards– still equivalent today. Whether it was about civil rights, racism, or what his “The Other America” speech talked about – economic inequality and the unfair education system of those in the low-income diversity. In his speech, King argues that poverty is a common but ignored issue that demands attention as it’s taken away from the people.
The 44th and first African American President, Barack Obama, in his Inaugural Address, promotes a call to action. Obama’s purpose is to express his gratitude for his opportunity to become president and discuss his plans for economic advancement. In order to reach the American people of the U.S., Obama adopts a serious and thought-provoking tone to urge them to support his plans for advancement. During this time of economic crisis, Obama clearly conveys to the American people through his use of metaphor, allusion, and anaphora, that it is time to take a stand and make a change in America.
In order to attain this goal, Obama attempted to speak to every demographic, “It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled.” This connected him with not just one person, but the entire country. Although, Obama stood as a candidate, he portrayed himself and the citizens as “one people” that “will begin the next chapter in America’s story.” Consequently, this depicted the nation; a nation that will make change united and not
Barack Obama’s win for President in 2009 was a historical moment for the United States. His inaugural speech was much anticipated, because this was going to set the tone for his presidency. His speech told the American people that improving the economy is one of his priorities, but there were also other areas he would like to improve like healthcare and the education system. This was a speech that was meant to persuade the American public to take action for them to rise as a nation again, and for them to put their trust into him. His message addressed a couple of specific points like his gratefulness to the American people, the different crises America is facing, how America will overcome these crises, replying to his cynics, addressing the world, and then he reminded America again to be brave like they’ve always been to overcome the hard times (5 Speechwriting Lessons from Obama's Inaugural Speech, (n.d.).
