In the speech “A More Perfect Union” Barack Obama the author uses a variety of rhetorical devices to convey his point. During the time of the speech, Barack Obama is a current senator who is trying to get the presidential nomination. Obama had been facing a lot of discrimination during his campaign and a lot of his objectors were saying that he only had followers because of his race. Obama's former pastor had said some things about race and he used figurative language to prove that he doesn't stand for what his long time pastor was preaching and speaking about.
Obama used logos in his speech to prove to the public that he has an understanding of what's going on and what this country has done to fight against racism. “Two hundred and twenty-one years ago, in a hall that still stands across the street, a group of men gathered and, with these simple words, launched America’s improbable experiment in democracy.” (Obama) This paragraph is an example of logos because he's using historical facts to prove a point. He's using this example to show that America has been through this once before and it's atrocious that we are going through it again.
The following quote is an example of ethos. Obama used ethos in his speech to give the readers a sense that he has enough experience to have a valid opinion on the subject at hand “I've gone to some of the best schools in America and I've lived in one of the world's poorest nations. I am married to a black American who carries within her the blood of slaves and slaveowners, an inheritance we pass on to our two precious daughters.” (Obama) Obama chose to talk about his education and his family background because it tells the audience that he's experienced almost every aspect of living that someone in America can. Obama's campaign was largely about equal rights and acceptance, so by telling the audience where he lived/went to school and the background of his wife's family it proves that he's lived it all and knows how to work for it.
Pathos is a literary device used to evoke emotion in someone. Obama used pathos in his speech to persuade people to see that he doesn't stand for his pastor and they shouldn't stand for remarks like that as well. “And yet words on a parchment would not be enough to deliver slaves from bondage, or provide men and women of every color and creed their full rights and obligations as citizens of the United States” (Obama) Obama’s word choice sets up the reader to feel something. When you read words like “bondage” it gives you an unsettling feeling, this paragraph is intended to make you feel what people felt when America was originally fighting for equal rights. He wants you to feel a sense of sadness to prove the point that everything we worked towards has failed.
Obama also used rhetorical questions and parallelism in his speech. He used these literary devices to make his point stronger and to get the information across in a more forceful way. “Did I know him to be an occasionally fierce critic of American domestic and foreign policy? Of course. Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in the church? Yes. Did I strongly disagree with many of his political views? Absolutely…” This is an example of a rhetorical question and parallelism because he's asking questions that he doesn't want the answer too, and he is repeating “did I” to prove a point it helps influence the reader because the questions he's asking are ones the public has been answering for him, so when he's asking them now he wants everyone to hear his true answer and no one else's.
Obama’s use of logos, ethos, pathos, rhetorical questions and parallelism made his point stronger and easier to stand beside. He proved that he was credible enough to listen to and used the reader's emotions to make them stand up with him. Barack Obama's speech was clean and well written. Barack Obama used figurative language well in his speech to help showcase the idea that he doesn't believe in what his old pastor was preaching about.
Obama used logos in his speech to prove to the public that he has an understanding of what's going on and what this country has done to fight against racism. “Two hundred and twenty-one years ago, in a hall that still stands across the street, a group of men gathered and, with these simple words, launched America’s improbable experiment in democracy.” (Obama) This paragraph is an example of logos because he's using historical facts to prove a point. He's using this example to show that America has been through this once before and it's atrocious that we are going through it again.
The following quote is an example of ethos. Obama used ethos in his speech to give the readers a sense that he has enough experience to have a valid opinion on the subject at hand “I've gone to some of the best schools in America and I've lived in one of the world's poorest nations. I am married to a black American who carries within her the blood of slaves and slaveowners, an inheritance we pass on to our two precious daughters.” (Obama) Obama chose to talk about his education and his family background because it tells the audience that he's experienced almost every aspect of living that someone in America can. Obama's campaign was largely about equal rights and acceptance, so by telling the audience where he lived/went to school and the background of his wife's family it proves that he's lived it all and knows how to work for it.
Pathos is a literary device used to evoke emotion in someone. Obama used pathos in his speech to persuade people to see that he doesn't stand for his pastor and they shouldn't stand for remarks like that as well. “And yet words on a parchment would not be enough to deliver slaves from bondage, or provide men and women of every color and creed their full rights and obligations as citizens of the United States” (Obama) Obama’s word choice sets up the reader to feel something. When you read words like “bondage” it gives you an unsettling feeling, this paragraph is intended to make you feel what people felt when America was originally fighting for equal rights. He wants you to feel a sense of sadness to prove the point that everything we worked towards has failed.
Obama also used rhetorical questions and parallelism in his speech. He used these literary devices to make his point stronger and to get the information across in a more forceful way. “Did I know him to be an occasionally fierce critic of American domestic and foreign policy? Of course. Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in the church? Yes. Did I strongly disagree with many of his political views? Absolutely…” This is an example of a rhetorical question and parallelism because he's asking questions that he doesn't want the answer too, and he is repeating “did I” to prove a point it helps influence the reader because the questions he's asking are ones the public has been answering for him, so when he's asking them now he wants everyone to hear his true answer and no one else's.
Obama’s use of logos, ethos, pathos, rhetorical questions and parallelism made his point stronger and easier to stand beside. He proved that he was credible enough to listen to and used the reader's emotions to make them stand up with him. Barack Obama's speech was clean and well written. Barack Obama used figurative language well in his speech to help showcase the idea that he doesn't believe in what his old pastor was preaching about.
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