Language
In this section of the study guide, we will focus on the language employed by US President Barack Obama in his remarks on common-sense gun safety reform. We will mainly focus on Obama’s choice of words, sentence structure, and to…
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Choice of words
Barack Obama frequently uses the personal pronoun “we”. First of all, Obama employs “we” when he wants to create a sense of community and to show the audience that all Americans should focus on reducing gun violence together: “We are not inherently more prone to violence. But we are the only advanced country on Earth that sees this kind of mass violence erupt with this kind of frequency.” (ll. 59-62); “But if we love our kids and care a…
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Sentence structure
The sentence structure in Obama’s remarks on common-sense gun safety reform varies in different parts of the speech.
For instance, shorter sentences are employed when Obama talks about specific events, such as his first meeting with Mark Barden:
Mark, I want to thank you for your introduction. I still remember the first time we met, the time we spent together, and the conversation we had about Daniel. And that changed me that day. And my hope, earnestly, has been that it would change the country. (ll. 6-11)
Obama also uses shorter sentences (sometimes only a single word) when he tries to emphasize key points of his spe…
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Tone
Obama’s tone in his remarks on common-sense gun safety reform varies from emotional to serious, and from relaxed to urgent.
Obama’s tone is emotional when he talks about the victims of mass shootings and gun-related incidents. He is particularly moved when he mentions the children who died during the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting; he pauses and cries when he talks about them: “First-graders. And from every family who never imagined that their loved one would be taken from our lives by a bullet fro…
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Anecdotes
Obama uses several anecdotes in his speech. Anecdotes are short narratives that carry a significant message related to the topic of the speech.
For example, an anecdote refers to the “disturbed person in China” (l. 178) who tried to kill some children after the Sandy Hook incident took place. Obama uses this story to show how people with violent mental health problems can inflict less damage if they can’t get hold …
