Benjamin Black Rhetorical Analysis Essay 1

My father got a scholarship to study in a magical place; America (Obama,

para 2). This line, from President Obamas speech entitled The Audacity of Hope,
establishes the idea that Mr. Obama is a product of The American Dream. However,
it may not be the model of the dream that is familiar to most Americans. He
continuously develops this theme in order to present an updated version of this
much sought-after idea; that anyone can make it if they are willing to work hard.
The Audacity of Hope was given at the 2004 Democratic National Convention,
where Obama laid out his vision for the United States and launched himself onto the
national stage. In 2004, President Obama was a state senator running for the office
of US Senator from Illinois, which he would win. While Mr. Obamas speech abounds
with contextual significance, The Audacity of Hope engages the audience through
the use of rhetorical appeals to grasp the listeners and make logical arguments by
citing personified examples.
The Audacity of Hope is a fascinating combination of words, which is also
the title of Mr. Obamas 2006 book that details his visions and positions. Audacity,
defined as boldness or daring, seems like an odd word to pair with hope, but Mr.
Obama used it to great rhetorical effect in this speech. This audacious hope is that
even a person with his background can succeed in the United States, an example
that can be even further proven in hindsight. He focuses on the modernization of
this idea for the 21
st
century, utilizing rhetorical appeals that are found all
throughout the text. However, President Obama does not arrive at this idea until
the latter half of his speech, beginning instead with an immense appeal to pathos.
Benjamin Black Rhetorical Analysis Essay 2
He remarks how improbable it is that someone with both his past and skin color
was given the chance to address the convention.
The audience empathizes with Mr. Obamas oratory because he appeals
directly to emotion as he describes his familys past. He recites the American dream
without specifically labeling it, drawing the audience in and captivating them with
pathos and pride. He describes his ideas for a modernized American Dream,
explaining what that dream meant to his parents and to him, and then proceeds to
explain what it can mean for Americans today. Here, then-State Senator Obama,
appeals to American nationalism, describing his story and how it exemplifies the
hope and light that America was for his parents. He then launches into his parents
hopes for America and his son, which pulls, still more, upon emotion. They would
give me an African name, Barack, or blessed, believing that in a tolerant America
your name is no barrier to success (Obama, para 3), Obama says. This is significant
because it pulls upon the audiences heartstrings, orating not necessarily facts about
America, but the hopes of the audience that what he says is true. He then relates his
story to the core beliefs of the nation, citing the Declaration of Independence and
declaring that this is what makes the United States exceptional. Mr. Obama pulls the
viewers into his story by revealing their common ideals and capitalizing on the
energy that this creates in the audience.
President Obama combines the constant employment of pathos with words
and phrases that electrify the audience, as can be seen in the recording when the
camera pans towards the people watching. He attempts to marry pathos and ethos
by citing examples of specific people that he has talked to or met with that personify
Benjamin Black Rhetorical Analysis Essay 3
the points he is trying to make. One such example is, (We have) more to do for the
young woman in East St. Louis, and thousands more like her, who has the grades,
has the drive, has the will, but doesnt have the money to go to college (Obama, para
6). Interestingly, he follows this statement with an attempt to dissatisfy one of the
commonplace arguments against liberal policies. Mr. Obama says that these people
do not expect that government will solve all of their problems, but that they are
willing to work hard in order to achieve their dreams. This seems to solidify
Obamas ethos with the audience, especially when combined with the specific
scenarios that he uses to exemplify the need for his policies. The middle section of
the speech is dedicated to the 2004 Presidential Election. Obama speaks on several
topics that were of great interest to the Democrats to whom he was speaking, such
as the Iraq war, foreign policy, education, and health care.
The next section is one of the most interesting, because Mr. Obama uses
pathos more than he has previously, calling on people to perceive someone elses
problem as their setback too. He says, If theres a senior citizen somewhere who
cant pay for her subscription. that makes my life poorer If theres an Arab
American family being rounded up without benefit of an attorney or due process,
that threatens my civil liberties (Obama, para 12). At this point, the audience is
roaring approval, and Mr. Obama rides the momentum. The crowds energy cannot
be gathered from the transcript, but he again utilizes emotions, in this case
excitement, to draw the audience into his oratory. This quotation is followed by a
myriad of examples stating that we are one out of many. Mr. Obama says that there
are no states based upon race or political views, but that there exists only the United
Benjamin Black Rhetorical Analysis Essay 4
States. This connection is powerful because it symbolizes political unity, while
masking the truth that he is speaking to a convention of Democrats.
This particular section is, arguably, the most powerful because the President
pauses to let the momentum settle before launching into the climax of his speech.
Again, he uses specific examples to draw people in emotionally, and then attach
them logically to his ideas. It should be noted here that the transcript does not
include this particular section in its entirety, suggesting that Mr. Obama went
slightly off script. At the end of paragraph fourteen, the audience begins to cheer so
loudly that he stops, and says, HopeHopeHope in the face of difficulty, Hope in
the face of uncertainty: The Audacity of Hope (Obama para 14). This is the climax
of the speech, and it is, rhetorically, extremely effective in captivating the audience
and convincing them that what he is saying is both true and possible.
President Obamas speech is textually rich with rhetorical devices and
engaging writing, but perhaps of even more significance is the context in which he
gave this speech. Mr. Obama was the keynote speaker at the 2004 Democratic
National Convention, and at the time campaigning to become a US Senator. Perhaps
the most important aspect of this setting is that this highly politicized speech was
given to an audience of, generally, like-minded people. Mr. Obamas more recent
speeches are often written so as to not wholly offend the opposing party, or
sometimes even his own, but in this case he was unabashedly liberal and advocating
the election of Senator John Kerry as President.
Additionally, Mr. Obama references many topics that were more commonly
debated in 2004 than in 2013, but also some that remain relevant. In particular, he
Benjamin Black Rhetorical Analysis Essay 5
makes many references to the Iraq war, which had recently begun in 2003, and of
which Mr. Obama had been a staunch and early opponent. Race was also a factor in
his speech, although he was certainly not the first African American candidate for
the Senate, he often referenced the uniqueness of the situation. He described his
fathers side of the family; his grandfather had been a cook in the British Royal
Army, and his father had grown up in Kenya until he came to America for an
education. He also specifically mentions healthcare, education, and veterans affair
in order to appeal to as many people as possible, depending on the issue they are
most passionate about.
President Obama responded to and targeted his Democratic audience,
appealing to their political views, but also reaching out to their more general
tendencies as Americans. He appealed to their sense of nationalism and pride as he
told his familys story, and addressed what he called the true genius of America.
Mr. Obama used these contextual realities effectively alongside a very unique and
lively text to emotionally draw his audience in and allow them to logically connect to
his concepts. Combined with his notable speaking skills, The Audacity of Hope
launched Barack Obama onto the national stage, and sparked his political career.









Obama, Barack H. "Barack Obama's Keynote Address at the 2004 Democratic
National Convention." PBS Newshour. PBS, 27 July 2004. 02 Oct. 2013.
<http://www.pbs.org/newshour/>.