Introduction
On November 4, 2008, Barack Obama gave his President-Elect Victory Address in Chicago, Illinois, following his election as the nation’s 44th president. The people of the United States, who had elected him as their president, and those from around the world curious about the election results were in attendance for this speech. His address was intended to express gratitude to his supporters, recognize their sacrifices, and instill hope and cohesion among the people of the United States. The speech focused on Barack Obama’s victory and his plans for the future of America. The address had a joyful, upbeat, and optimistic tenor. In Barack Obama’s President-Elect Victory Address, the author skillfully persuades and inspires his audience using rhetorical strategies, including repetition, parallelism, and ethos; he succeeds in bringing the American people together and igniting hope.
Occasion and Audience
The American populace, as well as those around the globe who were curious about the election’s results, were the text’s original audience. It was also aimed at his followers, who had contributed to his victory as the president. The speech was given on November 4, 2008, in Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois, following the announcement of Barack Obama as the victor of the presidential election.
Purpose, Subject, and Tone
The author wanted to address the nation as the President-elect and thank his supporters for their work. After a contentious election, he sought to unify and unite the country. Obama also wanted to foster a sense of optimism and hope for the future of America and its citizens. The article discusses Obama’s victory in the 2008 presidential election and the difficulties the country encountered at the time, including a faltering economy and two active wars. The possibility for change and advancement in America, which Obama vowed to bring about while serving as president, is also discussed in the address. The speech has a joyful but also determined and severe tone. Obama is happy and appreciative of his triumph, but he also recognizes the difficulties and obstacles that America must overcome. He conveys his ideas with conviction and enthusiasm, fostering future optimism.
Body
Throughout his discourse, the author uses repetition as a rhetorical device to stress essential ideas and themes. For instance, he emphasizes that change is possible and that the American people can band together to tackle the issues facing the country by repeating the phrase “Yes, we can” multiple times throughout his speech (Obama, 2008). His audience is brought together and given a feeling of purpose through repetition.
Another rhetorical technique used by the author to foster a sense of harmony and hope among his audience is parallelism. He used parallelism, for instance, in the following statement: “It’s the answer that inspired people who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, scared, and skeptical about what we can achieve to place their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day” (Obama, 2008). To be skeptical, scared, and doubtful is repeated several times, highlighting the difficulties facing the American people, while the term “the arc of history” is used to foster a sense of togetherness and shared purpose.
To develop credibility and foster trust among his audience, the author also makes use of ethos. He acknowledges, for instance, the sacrifices made by Americans by saying, “Young and old, wealthy and impoverished, Democrat and Republican, black and white, Latino, Asian, and Native American, gay and straight, and disabled and not disabled, all give this response. Americans who made it clear to the rest of the world that we are more than just a group of people or a collection of red and blue states” (Obama, 2008). He establishes a sense of trust and trustworthiness by appreciating the diversity of his audience and the sacrifices made by all Americans, which helps to bring his audience together and foster a sense of shared purpose.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Barack Obama’s President-Elect Victory Address is a substantial work of persuasive writing that makes excellent use of various rhetorical techniques, including repetition, parallelism, and ethos, to achieve his goal of igniting hope and cohesion among Americans. In the same way that parallelism fosters a sense of unity and shared purpose, the use of repetition by the speaker serves to bind his audience together. Finally, by appealing to ethos, the speaker establishes his authority and fosters trust among his audience. Overall, Barack Obama’s President-Elect Victory Address is a potent illustration of persuasive writing that continues to uplift the American people and promote cohesion.
Reference
Obama, B. (2008). President-elect victory speech. Americanrhetoric. Web.