Barack Obama Speech Rhetorical Devices

On November 4, 2008, newly elected President (at the time), Barack Obama, delivered his victory speech for the U.S Presidential Election in Chicago, Illinois. Obama’s speech focuses on major adversities America faces, and the strategies he will undertake to ensure those challenges are overcome, by making an unprecedented development in the lives of the people of America. Evidently, Obama’s use of repetition, imagery and inclusive language is undeniably effective, as it resulted in his presidential victory once, and a second time. The use of these techniques are used to encourage the audience to accept his views, to prompt the audience to envision a better future (as a result of the new presidency), and to sustain the point that everyone has a part to play, respectively. Obama successfully sets an optimistic and emotionally engaging tone, which is a strategically ideal setting to enforce his contention.

The repeated use of the phrase, “Yes we can”, draws out contradictory ideas from the audience’s mind. Furthermore, the frequent use of contrasting concepts such as, “…as they blazed a trail toward freedom through the darkest of nights,” leads the audience to subconsciously compare the two, and anticipate the greater. The frequency of the phrase is also spread out, which creates a greater familiarity of the idea, leading to gradual acceptance. In addition, Obama deliberately begins his sentences with the same couple of words, for example: “We will…”, “We’ve been…” or “That’s…” followed by positive ideas about the U.S, Americans or what the future will bring. This effectively makes his statements stand out greater than they are, and easier to remember. Hence, repetition is utilized to encourage the audience to share Obama’s