Analysis and Comment on “back to School”

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Obama is using plenty of rhetorical questions, to get his audience to think and puzzle, and maybe even act after the speech is done. A rhetorical question is often used to get the listener to reflect and try to answer, what exactly he asked about, and how they would answer it. ”So today, I want to ask you, What’s your contribution going to be? …What problems are you going to solve?” (P.5, L.158-159)

Barack Obama is very carefully trying to infuse self confidence in the student’s minds. As a reader I get the feeling, that I could become anything by the words Obama is using, but only if I work hard as he is repeats plenty of times. ”Every single one of you has something you’re good at. Every single one of you has something to offer.” (P.2, L.36-37).

The style is relatively simple, and is aimed at the group he is talking to. Obama does not use comparisons or metaphors, because the younger audience wouldn’t catch it, and if they had to catch and understand the metaphor, it would probably be a bit childish, and he would lose some of his older audience. He is repeating himself a lot of times throughout the speech, and proves his intention very clear. In every section of the speech, these “small messages” should stay in the mind of the recipients. ”Every single one of you has something you’re good at. Every single one of you has something to offer.” (P.2, L.36-37).

So what is his intention with this speech?

First of all, he wants to motivate and inspire all of the American school students, to do better in school for their own sake, and for Americas. Second of all, the Obama government was working hard to get more educated children out in the system, and to climb the social rank. This is a sort of expression that the Obama leading government is standing for. I think Obama reaches the audience, and the speech did an impression on me. Maybe I will change to a new future me, and maybe a new future them?

Who knows?...

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