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Kikana Hayes

The Power of Persuasion

04/09/2022

Barack Obama-“Yes We Can”

The country owes money to the rest of the world. The majority of civilians are unable to afford their health expenditures. The United States is not a united country; it is a divided one. The country has been in deficit for years, and it is not a tiny deficit; it is a massive burden. The US will experience some obstacles, but as a country, we will overcome them. President Obama, who is the 44th President of the USA, conveyed the message of "Yes We Can" by encouraging people, connecting to their emotions, and establishing credibility by communicating with a divided nation. He appeals to the state's emotions through repetition and images. Although Obama excels in instilling hope, he does warn the people that everything will take time to materialize. This speech was intended to provide a powerful message which would encourage others. Barack Obama performed an excellent job of transmitting a message of optimism in his address "Yes We Can," which inspired a nation.

Many of the renowned leaders of America had been giving speeches or addresses but the ones that had made their way to the hearts of the nation were Martin Luther “I ave a ream”, Jesse Jackson’s “eep ope live” and Obama's mantra on winning the elections of 2008 “es e an”. I want to claim that there is a significant difference between Obama's addresses and the rest in terms of content and, as a result, rhetorical approach. Nonetheless, they have a lot more in common than they have differences in terms of manner, references, approach, theme, and motivation. The speech not only succeeded Everett's expansive eloquence but also substituted it with a new, straightforward manner of delivering that would define American public addressing from then until now.

However, Obama adopts a straightforward "problem-cause-solution" structure throughout his speech, but he rearranges them and therefore does not maintain it in the same sequence. He also contributes to it, such as personal anecdotes and insights, as well as expertise. This aids him in winning the confidence of his listeners because, while explaining the problem and reasons, he shares small experiences or anecdotes along the way that keep the viewers interested while also educating them on the complexity and roots of the situation. , while Obama was referring to his grandma's experiences during one of the USA's trials, he stated, “when there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs, a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can” (Alreza et al, 2018). Obama is employing structural aspects here by providing the audience with a historical experience followed by a national solution, which is close to the current difficulties that the nation is experiencing and the answer that must be established as a state. Here he is very eloquently urging people to take part with him in addressing America's problems by including stories and experiences rather than simply offering solutions to problems, which would dehumanize the situation and eliminate an empathic response. This emotional aspect convinces his audience that now is the moment to make a difference. The phrase "" that Obama employs elicits an emotional response from the audience because when they begin to chant it, they could indeed say it in terms of finding a positive future if they confront obstacles. As Obama pledges his listeners that this "timeless American creed," which itself is "yes we can," along with his followers, can conquer the country's challenges, the explosion in passion persists.

A final appeal, this demonstrates how Obama was using the level of stress he placed on such lines and his speech to elicit emotional support from the audience. This way he persuaded the audience to follow him and support him as compared to other famous speeches.

References

1. Alreza, E. R., Natsir, M., & Valiantien, N. M. (2018). An analysis of illocutionary acts in Yes, We Can speech by Barack Obama. Ilmu Budaya: Jurnal Bahasa, Sastra, Seni dan Budaya, 3(1), 25-34.