Rhetorical Analysis - Essay Example

It also informs the audience of the challenges faced by various individuals who went through the school. These people are mostly blacks who sacrificed themselves to the betterment of the society. Obama as the president of the United States made the speech. In the two speeches, Obama claims that Americas are the authors of their own destiny. He also amplifies the notion that no difference that exists between blacks and whites. Moreover, he concurs that no one should be given preferential treatment based on color, but he or she must work hard to have such privileges.

Obama use of ethos is highlighted in the two speeches and amplifies challenges and problems faced by American people. The perfect union speech was made when Obama campaign was in jeopardy. This was due to racial profiling that was taking place in opposing camps and some sections of the media. Moreover, his relationship with Reverend Jeremiah Wright and being part of his election campaign. He had been making speech considered offensive to some of the racial groups. These were mostly done during the Sunday sermons.

For example, he talks of mistreatment of blacks by the whites (Carney and Sullivan 1). However, Obama disengages from the pastor by showing the history of racial differences in United States. He believes that the sentiments of the Reverend are because of what he went through during his upbringing in the fifties. He informs the audience that resentment is a characteristic of both whites and the blacks that may be caused by either missing opportunities in their lifetime. Obama connection with Reverend Jeremiah Wright was a point of concern to the audience.

This is because he could be perceived as offering support to the blacks at the expense of the whites. This meant that most of the whites could note vote for him during the democrat primaries and election that were few days ahead. Moreover, other could have labeled him as a racist and thus not suitable for the unification of the American people. However, the speech broadcast to all Americans helped change most of the perceptions. This reached most of the people who had eligibility to vote. They identified themselves with the challenges Obama was going through.

Consequently, they viewed Obama leadership as likely to be inclusive and not condoning racial profiling. Moreover, Obama strong appeals to ethos are seen as he distances himself from Wright. This occurs as he identifies himself as a person involved in the racial history of America. He considers himself a person of a mixed race background. In fact, he concurs to have been raised by white grandmother. He believes that his life has been surrounded by racial inequality. On the other hand, he is an astute politician with a form of education not achieved by many in the society.

He manages to show that person’s upbringing does not shape his or her destiny. This gives him authority to make claims. He also handles the issue of Reverend Wright without appearing to damage his character. He pleads with black Americans to “embrace the burden of our past without becoming victims of our past” (Jones 1). Obama understands these burdens as he is labeled as a racist during primaries. Moreover, he once heard the white grandmother-talking saying that she was cautious of the Black Americans in their neighborhood.

Moreover, he puts Wrights views on the mistreatment of the blacks into historical context. He did this with