Rhetorical devices
President Barack Obama uses several rhetorical devices in his remarks to the people of Israel, most of which are generally preferred by political speakers: direct address, allusions, imagery and repetiti…
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Allusions and references
Obama uses several allusions and references in his speech. Some of his allusions are to religion, which is one of the key areas of conflict in Israeli-Palestine relations: “So just as Joshua carried on after Moses, the work goes on – for justice and dignity; for opportunity and freedom.” (ll. 71-73); “It is a story of centuries of slavery, and years of wandering in the desert; a story of perseverance amidst persecution, and fait…
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Antithesis
Antithesis is used when the speaker combines opposite ideas to express a contrast in a vivid way. For example, he says: “Across the region, you have extended a hand of friendship, and too often have been confronted with the ugly reality of anti-Semitism.” (ll. 26…
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Direct Address
The direct address towards the people of Israel is suggested by the repeated use of the pronoun “you” and of the possessive “your”:
But what I've looked forward to the most is the ability to speak directly to you, the Israeli people – especially so many young people – ab…
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Imagery and metaphors
There are several instances in which Obama employs imagery in his speech. To give you one example, note that imagery is used when he talks about the ritual of the Passover Seder. Through this example, Obama attracts the sympathy of the audience, as he refers to an important Israeli and Jewish holiday, Passover:
Just a few days from now, Jews here in Israel and around the world will sit with family and friends at the Seder table, and celebrate with songs, wine and symbolic foods. After enjoying Seders with family an…
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Irony and humor
Irony and humor are also present in Obama’s speech. For instance, he jokes when he refers to Israel’s culture of “lively public debate” (l. 100) by stating that “lively may even be an understatement” (ll. 100-101). At some point, around 13 minutes into his speech, Obama is interrupted by booing from the audience and he joke…
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Repetition
Anaphora is the repetition of the same words/structures at the beginning of successive sentences. In the following example, anaphora is employed to suggest the common interests of the US and Israel:
Togethe…
