Curriculum  /  ELA  /  12th Grade  /  Unit 4: Famous Speeches  /  Lesson 4

Famous Speeches

Lesson 4
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ELA

Unit 4

12th Grade

Lesson 4 of 16

Objective

Analyze the rhetorical choices Obama makes to develop his argument. 

Readings and Materials

  • Speech: “A More Perfect Union” by Barack Obama 

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Target Task

Writing Prompt

Draft an introduction that provides the rhetorical situation for Obama’s speech.

Draft a brief outline identifying least three rhetorical devices/strategies used by Obama to achieve his purpose.

Key Questions

Speech:

  • What is the purpose of the rhetorical questions in paragraph 14? How do they appeal to ethos?
  • How does he use exemplification in paragraph 18 to support his argument? How does it connect to his own story?
  • (33–35) How does he use Compare and Contrast? Can this appeal to pathos? Ethos?
  • (45–48) How does Obama appeal to logic? How does it develop his message of unity?
  • (49–51) How does the repetition of “This time we want to talk” appeal to logic?
  • What is the message in the final anecdote?

Notes

Background Information

  • In his speech, Barack Obama addresses racial divisions in the United States and argues that they have been a problem for hundreds of years and are not easily solvable by any one person—even the founding fathers. Obama and America are similar—one entity from a union of differences.
  • Below is a list of the rhetorical devices and appeals employed by Obama.
    • Audience: (par 6–8)
      • Explains himself as “non-conventional” candidate but one who shares American values, especially unity
    • Allusion: Ethos (par 1)
      • “We the People” = Preamble to the Constitution
      • Independence Hall (Constitutional Convention)
    • Repetition: Ethos “Same” (par 6)
    • Anecdote of family: Ethos (par 7–8)
      • Share history of all Americans
        • Grandparents are “patriots”
        • “American story”
        • Believes in democracy and American values
      • As someone who believes in democracy and democratic values, he can note disconnect and how Declaration is an imperfect document
    • Strong Diction: Ethos (par 2–3)
      • Stained, original sin: connotations of ruin and moral failing)
    • Compare/Contrast: Logos (par 1–2)
      • Past history with present history (leave it to future generations)
    • Problem/Solution: Logos (par 4–5)
      • Only logical next step and solution was already present within the language of the constitution (at “its core” equal citizenship, liberty, justice)

Instructional Notes

  • It is recommended to frame today’s lesson for students by reminding them that they have practiced explaining the rhetorical situation, identifying devices authors use to create an appeal, and explaining why that appeal was effective given the situation. Introduce that in today’s lesson they will practice the same skills on a longer, modern political speech.
  • One way to summarize what we are doing is that what we are looking for—in any given situation—is what a speaker says, how they say it, and why they say it that way.
  • It is possible that some students may have read this (or other) speeches in this unit previously. In that case, we still recommend using these speeches as student familiarity with the content of the speeches can only serve to aid them in doing the depth of analysis they will conduct in this unit.
  • This lesson may take more than one day, or parts of the lesson can be assigned for homework.

Next

Analyze the rhetorical choices Obama makes to develop his argument. 

Lesson 5
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