Indledning
The debate about racial inequality is at high heat and has not been more significant in the US since the Civil Rights Movement in the ’60s. Racism and especially the systematic parts of it fill Americans’ everyday life via the media.
Even President Biden focuses on that exact topic. This essay will, through a rhetorical analysis, focus on his speech following the Derek Chauvin verdict on the 20th of April 2021 where he talks about the never-ending horrible systematic racism that led to the killing of George Floyd.
Optimer dit sprog - Læs vores guide og scor topkarakter
Uddrag
He keeps repeating the word “change” in many paragraphs (l. 49, 81, 91, 93, 114 & 119). He ends his speech by saying “this can be a significant moment of change”, which underlines his point and message that it is a matter of fact that change must happen.
Biden uses these repetitions and anaphoras to produce a hypnotic effect on the audience leading to more concentration and understanding of certain important parts of his speech e.g. that change is necessary for equality in US society.
Another rhetorical device that Biden uses is allusion where he references something that he believes the audience is familiar with this time being the Civil Rights era (l. 14-15).
This gives the audience something to relate to or think about which could lead to understanding Biden’s message.
Moreover, Biden uses a couple of metaphors. First, he says that the murder “ripped the blinders off for the world to see” (l. 9) and immediately after he says that “the systematic racism is a stain on our nation’s soul” (l. 10).
These metaphors are used to express his message once again that systematic racism isn’t acceptable and must be changed.
When giving a speech it is important to be able to persuade the audience. It is important because you want to get your message through to the audience, which is usually the point of giving a speech.
Skriv et svar