Barack Obama Speech: Back to School

Back to School

Every year the President of The United States gives a speech to American students. That goes without saying that it is given in the very beginning of the school year. The purpose of the speech is to welcome all new students and to prepare all students in the USA for a new year, which will bring them one step closer to their future. This following speech “Back to School” by President Barack Obama is given on September 8th 2009, at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia.

Back to School is a speech given to all students on September 8th 2009. President Obama covers topics such as responsibility toward America, and how to create your own future. All the way through the text, Obama brings up memories from his own childhood, and how he made his way through school and education in spite of the critical conditions in his family, exemplified when he says “My father left my family when I was two years old, and I was raised by a single mother who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn’t always able to give us things the other kids had.” By using himself as an example, he tries to convince all students in America that their current life does not have to be permanent. Where there is a will there is a way. President Obama speaks to each individual and encourages them to keep fighting and not give up on oneself or one’s future. He refers to people in the world, Jazmin Perez, Andoni Schultz, and Shantell Steve, who, in spite of bad conditions, refused to give up. They faced challenges, took responsibility and managed to set goals for themselves. Furthermore, President Obama says that many teenagers believe that success comes without any hard work. He concludes that “The truth is, being successful is hard”
Not only does President Obama want them to fight for their own sake, he wants them to fight for their country. He says, what one make of one’s own future will decide the future of America. Thus, “When you give up on yourself, you give up on your country.” Barack Obama elucidates the heroes of America’s past, and questions who is going to be the heroes in twenty, fifty or one hundred years. He will make sure that students in America have the education America needs to answer this question.
It is the speech of President Barack Obama, as provided by his presidential duty to improve education and raise the curves of graduated students in America.
The sender is Barack Obama who delivers a speech at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia, whose students make up the primary audience. Furthermore, the speech is also shown on TV, which makes all Americans who are watching the secondary audience. Thus, all students in America are the receivers. President Obama’s message is to encourage all students not to give up on school and not give up on themselves. He tries to make them realize the fact, that they will achieve a better life, but also, that it will make a better future for America.
All the way through the speech President Obama is confident in his statements and his tone is down to earth and straight forward. It is clearly marked with hope and optimism.
To convince the audience President Obama tells about his childhood and how he went from rags to riches. Thereby, he came from a poor family and developed to become the president of The United States. By hard work he succeeded in obtaining the American dream and became the most powerful man on Earth. Also, he uses a language which fits the age of the audience, which is exemplified when he uses words such as “Google, Twitter and Facebook” President Obama refers to famous people, who have influenced the generation of whom he is speaking to. That is noticeable on page 10, when he mentions J.K. Rowling and Michael Jordan. To get the audience’s attention, President Obama uses alliterations. An example is when he says; “All across America,” “More fair and more free” and, “The flu this fall.” President Obama also uses figurative language, to emphasize his statements and to draw the audience into the story. An example is when he says; “That your ticket to success is..”, and “Here in America you write you own destiny.”Triads are also well used in this speech, and almost the entire text is marked by them; “Kindergarten, or starting middle, or high school”, “To be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer”and, “Talents, skills and intellect” Triads bring a flow into the speech and the audience observant when the speaker point out three words in a row. Obama repeats himself a few times during the speech to clarify his meaning of his words. He uses the words “I’ve talked”, “I know” and “you won’t” many times. Contrasts such as struggle/succeed, easy/difficult, and believe/give up occur during the speech, which indicate the tough road to success. President Obama uses captatio benevolentiae when he in the very beginning asks the audience ”Hello everyone – how’s everybody doing today” and he finishes his speech by saying “God bless you, and God bless America” The president uses humor to curb the seriousness among the audience, such as: “[…] I’d fall asleep right there at the kitchen table,” and “This is no picnic for me either, buster.” President Obama is ethos, when he uses himself as an example and tries to get the audiences’ sympathy. For instance he refers to himself when he says: “[…] my mother didn’t have the money to send me where all the American kids went to school.” He wants the audiences’ credibility, which is why he tells a lot about his antecedents, such as: “I got a lot of second chances and had the opportunity to go to college, and law school, and follow my dreams.”
He uses famous people as examples to make it more reliable to the audience. Thus, he uses pathos. At first they failed, however, they kept going and reached their dreams – this brings up hope for the American citizens because it shows that people can succeed in spite of what they might have experienced earlier. President Obama refers to logos when he says “But the truth is, being successful is hard”

Back to School is a speech, where Barack Obama illuminates the resistance and the troubles of his own way and other people’s way to earn success. He expects and encourages all students of the USA to do their best. The president says it will make a better future for each individual; however, thereby it will make a better future for America. President Obama’s message is not to give up. Thus, America’s future depends on the students.

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[ 1 ]. Page 9, lines 67-69
[ 2 ]. Page 10, line 122
[ 3 ]. Page 11, lines 148-149
[ 4 ]. Page 11, line 156
[ 5 ]. Page 9, line 91
[ 6 ]. Page 8, line 59
[ 7 ]. Page 10, line 117
[ 8 ]. Page 10, line 120
[ 9 ]. Page 9, line 89
[ 10 ]. Page 7, lines 6-7
[ 11 ]. Page 8, line 47
[ 12 ]. Page 8, line 62
[ 13 ]. Page 7, lines 14-15
[ 14 ]. Page 7, line 16
[ 15 ]. Page 7, line 11
[ 16 ]. Page 9, lines 74-75
[ 17 ]. Page 10, line 122