The Audacity Of Hope Rhetorical Analysis

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Carson Stapleton Mrs. Talarico English 2 Honors 6 December 2017 “The Audacity of Hope” Rhetorical Analysis Essay “…My father got a scholarship to study in a magical place; America… (Obama Paragraph 2).” This is a line, from former President Obama’s speech entitled “The Audacity of Hope,” this quote helps to establish the idea that Mr. Obama is a product of “The American Dream.” He develops this theme throughout the speech, it presents the idea; that anybody can “make it” if they are willing to put the work in.“The Audacity of Hope” was a breathtaking speech given at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, Obama stated his hopes and dreams for the United States here, and in the process he launched himself onto the national stage. …show more content…

Obama’s delivers his speech because he describes his family’s difficult past. He states the American dream without giving it a specific label, and he draws the audience in and appeals to them with nationalism and his use of pathos. Former President Obama lays down his beliefs in a more modernized American Dream, he explains what the American dream meant to his family, he then proceeds to explain what the American dream can mean for Americans today. He charms Americans using nationalism, he also describes his story and the ways in which it embodies the fantasy that America was for his parents. He then talks about what his parents hoped for America and their son, this is one of the many emotional moments throughout the speech. “They would give me an African name, Barack, or “blessed,” believing that in a tolerant America your name is no barrier to success (Obama Paragraph 3),” Obama says. This holds significance because it pulls on the heartstrings of all members of the audience, not stating facts about America, but the hopes that the audience knows what he says is true. He relates his story to the beliefs of the nation, citing the Declaration of Independence and declaring that this is what makes the United States exceptional. He pulls his viewers into his story by stating their common principles and capitalizing on the energy that this creates in the

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