Obamas Inauguration Address - Essay Example

Roll No: Section: Topic: Teacher: Rhetorical Analysis of Obama’s Inauguration Address Introduction Barack Obama after becoming the forty-fourth president of United States of America delivered a lengthy inauguration address in which, he pointed towards several issues and problems, which he would deal in his tenure while being a president. President Obama raised several issues that United States of America is facing nowadays such as financial crisis, educational problems, health issues, peace problems, terrorism, racist and ethnic concerns and much more. The president said, “Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened… Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet” (Associated Press, 2009). Obama indicates the problems that United States of America and its people face and he has succeeded in addressing the emotional and logical needs of his nation. The president employs all the rhetoric techniques of logos, pathos and ethos as he raises emotions in his people by help of reasoning and his persona. This essay analyzes and evaluates the rhetorical aspects of Obama’s inauguration address. Through his inauguration address, Barack Obama has raised patriotic spirit in his audience. He has mentioned about various losses, which the nation has faced and the steps, which they should take to take the country to a more stable and prosperous position. He has talked about equal rights and values, which should be adhered by the American population. He told his nation that America has faced similar problems in history and has dealt with all the problems successfully. He has ensured that American nation has the capacity to fight back against all the problems and can work hard to make the nation and the country an overwhelming spot that will be a worth following country. Obama has informed that they face many problems such as terrorism within the country and outside the state. As a great nation, they have the responsibility to deal with all the problems, which they face along with those countries that depend on their help and support. Obama talked about Afghanistan and Iraq, which are terrorism stricken and needs American help for establishing peace in their lands. He also talked about American soldiers who are busy fighting for their land and establishing peace on other lands. He said that their contribution towards America’s prosperity could not be negated. Obama has instigated hope and positivity in the minds of his listeners by his strong words and expressions. Analysis Obama’s inauguration speech contains all the three aspects of rhetorical speech as it contains logos, pathos and ethos. He speaks with clear logic and reason raising various issues and giving proper examples from history. He is also successful in appealing to the emotions of the audience and ethos can also be found in his speech as he addresses the American audience as the president of United States of America whose words are enough reputed and well formed. The president seems triumphant in persuading his audience to keep trust in his words. When Obama speaks about crisis, which American nation has faced, he is speaking with logic and reason as everyone in the nation is well aware that America is going through a hard time as it is facing financial, educational, health, terrorism and many other problems. The jobs are less, people are homeless, businesses are disturbed and face decline; there are ethnic and racial problems. All these problems require to be solved. When Obama says, “Our nation is at war” (Associated Press, 2009), he speaks logically as he narrates various problems according to which, the nation can be considered at war. Obama says that America is facing “a nagging fear that Americas decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights” (Associated Press, 2009). He speaks about America’s decline with a reason. He has mentioned previously about the wide-ranging issues due to which, America has a threat of decline. He says that America has a number of challenges to face. After narrating the loss and probability of decline, Obama’s rhetoric uses pathos as he appeals to the emotions of the audience that they will face the challenges and will come up with flying colors as he says, “On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord” (Associated Press, 2009). Here, he speaks with surety about his nation’s struggle and strength. As the newly elected president of America, he is well aware of his nation’s capacities and capabilities. By appealing to the emotions of his audience, Obama expresses his love for his nation by saying that his nation is a great nation. He says, “In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned” (Associated Press, 2009). He claims that American nation is a great nation but the greatness, which they have achieved, is through hard efforts and struggle. It is earned not bestowed upon anyone without struggle. They have to maintain their earned greatness by continuous struggle. This is indicative of pathos in his speech. Obama makes use of logos as he talks with logic and reasoning about the people who have participated in the success of the nation as a whole. He has given multiple examples from history and narrated various incidents such as American effort towards establishment of a free land, struggle of men and women towards improvement of their homeland, fighting in various wars for the betterment of the state such as “Concord and Gettysburg, Normandy and Khe Sahn” (Associated Press, 2009). Obama again make use of pathos by arousing emotionalism in the audience’s hearts by ensuring that their nation is the best of all as he says, “We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth” (Associated Press, 2009). Obama makes use of his character and strong personality by claiming that he has a firm belief in future and his people as he informs about various challenges, which his country and people face. His rhetoric contains ethos, the strength of his character and his reputation when he claims, “All this we can do. All this we will do” (Associated Press, 2009). He shows his faith in his people and tells that the country is in need of scientific, economic, educational and technological perfection and he is sure that his nation will work as one unit for the improvement of their state. The president makes use of reasoning when he says, “a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous” (Associated Press, 2009). It is true that equal rights and implementation of law brings prosperity to everyone. A nation can only succeed when its government is true to its people and shows favor to everyone without any concern to anyone’s social status. Obama instigates the emotions of patriotism and self-glory by saying, “America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready to lead once more” (Associated Press, 2009). Here, the president ensures that America as a nation stands for peace and dignity and is friendly for all the nations of the world who shows willingness for peace. Barack Obama uses the unifying sentence for all the Americans and its multiple cultures by saying, “We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth” (Associated Press, 2009). Here, Obama highlights the multiculturalism, multilingualism and multiple religiosities of the Americans as a credit for their nation. According to Obama, America represents the entire world because it accommodates people from different lands, languages and religions. Obama as the president of America highlights the values of Americans which are “honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism” (Associated Press, 2009). Here, Obama makes use of ethos and pathos. He makes use of his character to emphasize the values in which, Americans believe. Pathos is employed as Obama raises the emotions of his people by bringing their positive values before them and instigating them to perform better in their future. Conclusion Obama makes use of ethos, pathos and logos in his inauguration address and his words contain logic and emotionalism. He also makes use of his character as the president to use words in the sense that are helpful in awaking optimism in his people. Obama uses several examples in the lieu of emotionalism as he expresses respect and admiration for those who have worked for the nation and are still busy in working; those Americans include the warriors, strugglers and patriots. He claims that American nation is a great nation and keeps the maximum power and strength as compared to other nations of the world. Pathos is clearly visible in Obama’s words as he repeatedly makes use of emotion instigating techniques. He mentions loss and then solution for the loss. He makes use of his character to ensure that the problems will be resolved with continuous effort and struggle. Obama also rhetorically uses logos as he gives a number of reasoning for various happenings such as civil war and other wars in which, his people participated. Hence, it is quite clear that Obama makes use of all rhetorical aspects of logos, ethos and pathos in his inauguration address. References Associated Press. (2009). Time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit: Text of Obamas speech for his inauguration as 44th president. Accessed on 20th October 2010 from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28751183/ Read More