Rhetorical Analysis Paper

Emmitt Slocumb

9-13-11

Rhetorical Analysis Paper

Barack Obama’s speech for the “Back to School Event” to school students was first given in Arlington, Virginia on September 8, 2009. In this speech Barack aims to convince his audience, which are the academic students of America, that even though school may seem hard, nevertheless; keep at it and do your best, to set goals for yourselves and challenge yourself in every aspect of your education. Personal anecdotes, ambitions and motivation are things which were skillfully used to deliver a powerful, inspirational and motivational speech.

Obama begins his speech by bringing attention to the anxieties students may have, whether they were just starting, continuing or just finishing school. “I know that for many of you, today is the first day of school. And for those of you in kindergarten, or starting middle or high school, it’s your first day in a new school, so it’s understandable if you’re a little nervous. I imagine there are some seniors out there who are feeling pretty good right now, with just one more year to go. And no matter what grade you’re in, some of you are probably wishing it were still summer and you could’ve stayed in bed just a little longer this morning” (Obama 1).

Obama goes on to talk a little bit about his childhood and how he had some of the same thoughts and feelings as all other students. He recalls a moment in his life when he and his family “lived in Indonesia for a few years” (1) and how his mother struggled day after day not being able to give her son everything the other kids had. Although he could really complain, his mother would not stand for it. In the speech Obama quoted that his mother often told him “This is no picnic for me either, buster”. I imagine he quoted this to sort of get the viewer’s to laugh and thereby creating a more comfortable atmosphere. Anecdotes such as this are entertaining and tend to lighten the mood of the essay. Also, it is quite easy for readers to...