2013
Our analysis of Barack Obama's 2013 inaugural address is based on the rhetorical pentagram model. We will briefly mention the main elements of the analysis that we will present in the next pages.
You can watch the speech here.
In what follows, we will look at the overall topic of the speech—equality in the United States—and see how it relates to the issues that the speaker explores: the American economy, healthcare, security and foreign policy, gay rights and women’s rights.
We discuss the speaker, Barack Obama, looking at his background as well as how he comes across as credible and reliable in the speech.
Looking at the audience, represented by the American public and international community, we explore the way the speaker targets the audience and makes the issues he explores relevant for them.
We also outline the circumstances of the speech, namely Barack Obama’s re-election as US President and the general domestic and international political climate. We explore how the context relates to the topic and the speaker’s intention which is to convince the American audience to reconnect with founding American values and accept his reform agenda.
Finally, we will analyze those language elements that are used by the speaker to engage the audience and achieve his purposes. Among others, we will discuss how ethos—appeals to trust and authority—gives the speech more weight, and how enumeration and repetition are used to capture and maintain the audience’s attention and to make the speaker’s message about equality memorable.
Read the full analysis of the speech in the next pages!
Further help
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Topic
Barack Obama's inaugural address from 2013 is a political speech which focuses on the topic of equality in American society. In discussing this topic, the speaker focuses on specific areas where more equality and fairness are needed in American society.
From the beginning of the speech, the speaker explores the principle of equal opportunity by citing the Declaration of Independence: “ ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.’ ” (ll. 14-17)
He continues by looking at specific areas where fairness and equal opportunity are important: economy, education, and security. He argues that the country can only move forward by respecting and implementing the principle of equality with perseverance and unity: “For we, …
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Argumentation
Barack’s Obama speech is constructed using open/direct argumentation. This means that the speaker is straightforward about his views concerning equality and gives explicit arguments to support it. Here are a couple of examples of the speaker using direct argumentation: “We believe that America’s prosperity must rest upon the broad shoulders of a rising middle class. We know that America thrives when every person can find independence and pride in their work…” (ll. 84-88); “We, the people, still …
