Analysis
Here are the elements which will help you with your analysis of Barack Obama’s “Audacity of Hope” speech.
The rhetorical situation is that the speaker is Barack Obama, an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States. Obama delivered his speech at the 2004 Democratic Convention when he was an Illinois State Senator.
The composition of Obama’s speech can be split into several parts, according to the different issues that he focuses upon.
Obama’s style of language is formal, a choice that mirrors the seriousness of the context in which the speech is delivered. At times, he introduces figurative language which makes his speech more memorable and which strengthens his message.
Some of the rhetorical devices that Obama uses are repetition, antithesis, direct address, and allusions. Obama’s choice of rhetorical devices makes his message more impactful and easier to remember.
Obama relies mostly on ethos and pathos for forms of appeal. He borrows ethos from his political forbears, and he uses pathos to form an emotional connection with the audience.
You can read a full analysis of the speech on the following pages.
