The paper gives a descriptive analysis of Barack Obama’s speech “A More Perfect Union” delivered in March 2008 at the National Constitution Center. This analysis is meant to illuminate on the key elements used in the speech for the purpose of achieving a particular goal. The analysis focuses on a candid description of the purpose, structure, audience and rhetorical devices used in the speech.
Purpose
Obama introduces his speech with a brief description of its purpose at the opening line by using an excerpt from the United States Constitution, which says” We, the people, in order to form a more perfect union” (Obama, 3). Barack’s main intention of using this sentence is to demonstrate the relationship between his speech and the US constitution. In other words, he intends to show that his speech is in line with the prime role and purpose of the constitution. He further adds that the constitution, was “stained by this nation’s original slavery” (Dilliplane, 125), and the perpetuation of social inequality that has overwhelmed the country for many years. He further states that the Constitution gave the “answer to the slavery question….a Constitution that promised liberty, and justice, and a union that could be and should be perfected over time” (Obama, 4). Obama states that such provisions have never been met nor enjoyed by the American people; “And yet, words on a parchment would not be enough to deliver slaves from bondage, or provide men and women of every color and creed their full rights and obligations as citizens of the United States” (Obama, 5). Obama also states his purpose to run for the highest office in the country; “I chose to run for presidency at this moment in history because I believe deeply that we cannot solve the challenges of our time unless we solve them together…” (Obama, 6).
Structure
The structure of President Obama’s speech “A More Perfect Union” can be addressed by focusing on a number of incidences which contribute to the subject of realizing a more perfect union. As cited earlier, the first line introduces the main purpose of the speech and the preceding paragraphs talk about what the American Constitution has achieved and not achieved. In the second and third paragraphs, Obama reintroduces the audience back to the promulgation of the US constitution in 1787 Philadelphia convention “in a hall that still stands across the street.” Obama speaks from the same page with those who “launched America’s improbable experiment in democracy” And combated slavery that had already “divided the colonies and brought the convention to a stalemate” (Obama, 6)
The sixth paragraph provides an explanation for Obama’s intention to run for presidency stating that “we cannot solve the challenges of our time unless we solve them together-unless we perfect our union by understanding that we may have different stories, but we hold common hope”. Obama goes ahead to give a brief background of his origin stating that “I am the son of a black man from Kenya and a white woman from Kansa” (Obama, 12) In bid to explicate his knowledge on the issue of racial discrimination, Obama says,” that in no other country on Earth is my story possible” and “that out of many, we are truly one” (Obama, 17). It is worthy to note that the terms “we” and “one” demonstrates a connection between his family and American people.
In the preceding section, Barrack Obama gives a brief description of how his campaign has been marred with racial discrimination where the media identifies him as “too black” or “not black enough”. He states that the media had shifted its main focus in finding evidence to sabotage and polarize his prospects of running for president of the United States.
On paragraphs, 13 to 25 the speech introduces us into a section of controversy owing to the comments made by Reverend Wright concerning Obama’s affiliation with than black community. Barrack begins his speech at this section bringing onto the attention of the audience that “I have already condemned, in unequivocal terms, the statements of Reverend Wright”, and he further tries to pull the audience onto his side of opinion by telling them that” …I’m sure many of you have heard the remarks from your pastors, priests, or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed” (Obama, 17). Obama presents Reverend as an obstructionist to the common good of the nation by saying that his comments are “divisive at a time when we need unity” to combat “problems that are neither black nor white, Latino or Asian, but rather problems that confront us all” (Obama, 18). In addition, he affirms that the spirit of unity and shared interests is the solution to uniting all Americans.
In paragraphs 26 to 32, Obama takes the center stage to confront issues of racial discrimination that have taken Americans for long “that we have never really worked through,” at the same time giving a warning that “if we walk away now, if we simply retreat into our respective corners, we will never be able to come together and solve challenges…” (Obama, 20). Obama reiterates America’s history of “legalized discrimination” and lack of equal economic opportunities for the black people.
The following section (paragraph 33-52) Obama continues to explore the issue of racism in America stating that the country is where it is as a result of historical divisions and that Americans have a choice to make. He states that “We can accept a politics that breeds division, and conflict, and cynicism…We can do that” (Frank, 173). However, he warns the audience that “But if we do I can tell you that in the next election, we’ll be talking about some other distraction. And then another one. And then another one. And nothing will change” (Obama, 33) Obama concludes his speech by suggesting to the American that “In this election, we can come together and say, “Not this time.”
Audience
The American public is the audience that Obama is addressing in his speech. However, the audience is composed of diverse subgroups to which he directs his sentiments at several occasions in his speech. For instance, Obama first addresses the white people in the audience sensitizing them of the unending agony, discrimination, and oppression towards the black people in the US citing “a legacy of defeat…passed on to future generations” (Frank, 168). He states that the “anger is real” and “powerful”, he adds, “and to simply wish it away, to condemn it without understanding its roots, only serves to widen the chasm of misunderstanding that exists between races. Further, Obama talks to the African-American audience telling them that, “a similar ranger exits within the segment of the white community”( Obama, 35).
When they hear that an African American is getting an advantage in landing a good job or a spot in a good college because of an injustice that they themselves never committed; when they're told that their fears about crime in urban neighborhoods are somehow prejudiced, resentment builds over time ( Obama 35).
In addition, Obama states that “to wish away the resentments of the Americans…widens the racial divide, and blocks the past to understanding” (Frank, 169). By giving the two points of view to the audiences, Obama succeeds in finding a common ground where he can easily unite and bring harmony between the whites and blacks towards having a more perfect union. He further says “For the African-American community, that path means embracing the burdens of our past without becoming victims of our past”. And then: “In the white community, the path to a more perfect union means acknowledging that what ails the African-American community does not just exist in the minds of the black people” (Obama, 39).
Rhetorical devices
Obama uses a lot of rhetorical devices in his speech including allusion, rhetorical questions, parallelism, and enumeration among others. For instance, Obama severally makes use of allusion, drawing past and literature references which tally with his message of perfect union. For instance, at the opening of the speech, Obama makes a contextual allusion be saying “We the people, in order to form a more perfect union...” (Dilliplane, 126) In this regard, Obama is making a reference to the US constitution when he is delivering a speech at the same venue where the Constitution was initially signed in 1787. The allusion is intended to make a connection between the purpose of his speech and the purpose of the US constitution.
Obama then uses rhetorical questions in his speech to make a counter-argument regarding the Reverend Wright controversy; “Did I know him to be an occasionally fierce critic of American domestic and foreign policy? Of course. Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in church? Yes” And then: “Why associate me with Reverend Wright in the first place, they may ask? Why not join another church?” (Dilliplane, 145). By using rhetoric questions, Obama finds it easy to explain to the audience his relationship with Reverend Wright and hopes that the audience will react in the same manner.
Repetition is also used in several instances in Obama’s speech. The word “Constitution” is mentioned multiples times with an intention of emphasizing how critical the document is in attaining a more perfect union. In this regard, Obama wants to present himself as a globally minded and intelligent man who is guided by the constitution.
Works Cited
Dilliplane, Susanna. "Race, Rhetoric, and Running for President: Unpacking the Significance of Barack Obama's" A More Perfect Union" Speech." Rhetoric " Public Affairs 15.1 (2012): 127-152.
Frank, David A. "The Prophetic Voice and the Face of the Other in Barack Obama's" A MorePerfect Union" Address, March 18, 2008." Rhetoric and Public Affairs (2009): 167-194
Obama, Senator Barack. "A more perfect union." The Black Scholar 38.1 (2008): 17-23.
