Scrawny Kid vs Skinny kid with a Funny Name

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Democratic Illinois Senate representative Barack Obama as well as Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger both gave their speeches in 2004 at their political party’s convention. Although Barack Obama and Schwarzenegger each took a different approach as well as emphasized different ideas, both shared a distinctive similarity in the structure of their speeches. Similar rhetorical strategies are found due to their similarity in the structure of their speeches. These similar rhetorical strategies include metaphors and imageries. If both speeches are structurally similar, what sets them apart? The similarity in the structure of their speeches isn’t as noticeable as you’d expect because of their different tone as well as delivery.
It is polite to say, “Thank you”, after being applauded by an audience which both Barack Obama and Arnold Schwarzenegger had the pleasure of doing before their speeches. Barack Obama took a humble approach in his introduction by having his audience learn his background right after thanking his audience once again “let me express my deepest gratitude for the privilege of addressing this convention”. He recalls the struggles of his family namely his father, “He grew up herding goats, went to school in a tin-roof shack.” He ends his recollection of what most would call a sad backstory by expressing his gratitude to his family who are looking down on him with “great pride”. Unlike Obama’s humble introduction, Schwarzenegger addresses his acting career as well as makes a direct remark to the other political party “Speaking of acting, one of my movies was called “True Lies”. And that’s what the Democrats should have called their convention. Similarly he then recalls his past struggle as a child in a part of Austr...

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Structurally speaking, both speeches are similar in almost every way, both recall a struggle of the past, both express the love both respective men share for America, and both advertise their respective presidential candidates. It’s the simple things that set these two speeches apart such as Obama referencing Abraham Lincoln and Schwarzenegger referencing his character in the movie “The Terminator”. Although both criticized, Obama was more implied and directed towards America in a subtle manner while Schwarzenegger was more direct to the other party, the democrats. Both had to deal with being racially different although it’s evident that being racially different was a more difficult task for Barack Obama due to being an African American. Both men in the end tried to impact the lives of their audience the same way their lives were impacted by America.

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