Analysis of Obama's Victory Speech

'This is your victory,' says Obama
4 Nov 2008 at Grant Park, Chicago
CHICAGO, Illinois -- Sen. Barack Obama spoke at a rally in Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois, after winning the race for the White House on Tuesday night. The following is an analysis on the rhetorical devices detected in the transcript of Obama’s victory speech.
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Barak Obama: Hello, Chicago.
If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.
(Hypophora – asking questions and immediately answering them)
(Anaphora – who still … who still …who still …)
It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference.
(Hypophora – explaining “the answer” - told by lines …)
(Anadiplosis – different (what difference?) their voices)
It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled. Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states.
(Hypophora – explaining “the answer”- spoken by young …)
(Contrast – rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white …)
(Repetition – collection)
(Metonymy – red states and blue states)
We are, and always will be, the United States of America.
(Pleonasm – we are and always will be)
It's the answer that led those who've been told for so long by so many to be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.
(Hypophora – explaining “the answer” – that led to …)
(Anaphora – repetition of “It’s the answer”)
It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment change has come to America.
(Parallelism – on this date / in this election / at this defining moment )
A little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Sen. McCain.
Sen. McCain fought long and hard in this campaign. And he's fought even longer and harder for the country that he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader.
(Repetition – fought ………. fought even longer and harder)
(Climax - from campaign to brave and selfless leader)
I congratulate him; I congratulate Gov. Palin for all that they've achieved. And I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.
(Anaphora – I congratulate)
I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart, and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on the train home to Delaware, the vice president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.
(Synecdoche – on the streets of Scranton)
And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years the rock of our family, the love of my life, the nation's next first lady Michelle Obama.
(Parallelism – my best friend / the rock of our family / the love of my life / the nation’s … )
Sasha and Malia I love you both more than you can imagine. And you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the new White House.
And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother's watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight. I know that my debt to them is beyond measure.
(Anaphora – I know)
To my sister Maya, my sister Alma, all my other brothers and sisters, thank you so much for all the support that you've given me. I am grateful to them.
And to my campaign manager, David Plouffe, the unsung hero of this campaign, who built the best -- the best political campaign, I think, in the history of the United States of America.
(Anadiplosis – the best – the best )
To my chief strategist David Axelrod who's been a partner with me every step of the way.
To the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.
(Anaphora – using the word “To”)
But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you.
(Hypophora – asking question – who this victory …… and he answers them )
(Anadiplosis – truly belongs to - It belongs to you)
I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington. It began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston. It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $5 and $10 and $20 to the cause.
(Litotes – never the likeliest candidate)
(Parallelism – in the halls of Washington, backyards of des Moines, living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston)
(Antithesis – “not hatched in the halls of Washington….in the backyards of Des Moines…… and front porches of Charleston”)
It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep.
(Alliteration & Assonance – little pay and less sleep)
It drew strength from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on doors of perfect strangers, and from the millions of Americans who volunteered and organized and proved that more than two centuries later a government of the people, by the people, and for the people has not perished from the Earth.
(Anaphora – It drew strength …..)
(Allusion – a government of the people ……..from the earth)
This is your victory.
And I know you didn't do this just to win an election. And I know you didn't do it for me.
(Anaphora – And I know you didn’t do ..)
You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime -- two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.
(Hypophora – You did it because ………..)
Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us.
(Contrast – deserts of Iraq … mountains of Afghanistan)
There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after the children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage or pay their doctors' bills or save enough for their child's college education.
(Alliteration – will…fall…they’ll…bills…college education)
There's new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build, and threats to meet, alliances to repair.
(Parallelism – new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build)
Parallelism – threats to meet, alliances to repair)
(Anaphora – new energy …new jobs…new schools…)
The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term.
(Rhyme – one year … one term)
But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.
I promise you, we as a people will get there.
(Epistrophe – will get there)
(Climax – from road ahead --- we will get there)
There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can't solve every problem.
But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And, above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it's been done in America for 221 years -- block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.
(Anaphora – I will ….)
(Synecdoche – America for 221 years)
(Onomatopeia – block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand)
What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn night.
(Antithesis – began 21 months ago …… end on this autumn night)
This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were.
(Alliteration – change we seek, ….the chance for us to make the change.)
It can't happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.
(Anadiplosis – without you, without a new spirit …)
So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.
(Climax – new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice, a new spirit of patriotism)
Let us remember that, if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers.
(Rhythm and Contrast – Wall Street … Main Street )
(Synecdoche – Wall Street … Main Street)
In this country, we rise or fall as one nation, as one people. Let's resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long.
(Contrast – rise or fall)
(Rhythm – one nation, one people)
(Alliteration – partisanship and pettiness …… poisoned our politics)
Let's remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House, a party founded on the values of self-reliance and individual liberty and national unity.
(Allusion – the above refers to Abraham Lincoln)
Those are values that we all share. And while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.
(Assonance – to heal the divides that have held back…)
As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.
(Contrast – not enemies but friends. Passion may have strained, not break our bonds of affection)
And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too.
(Antithesis – not have won…… but I hear your voices)
(Repetition – of the word I )
And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces, to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world, our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.
(Alliteration – Parliaments and palaces …. Stories are singular)
(Assonance – forgotten corners of the world)
To those -- to those who would tear the world down: We will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security: We support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright: Tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.
(Anaphora – To those……)
(Antithesis – tear the world down; we will defeat you….seek peace and security, we support you)
(Antithesis – the true strength…not from the might ….but from the enduring power….)
(Alliteration – beacon still burns as bright )
That's the true genius of America: that America can change. Our union can be perfected. What we've already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.
This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight's about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.
(Example and story – Ann Nixon Cooper)
She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons -- because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.
(Synecdoche – a generation past slavery )
And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America -- the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.
(Parallelism and Antithesis – the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress …we can’t …we can)
At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.
(Parallelism and Antithesis)
(Alliteration – she lived to see them stand up and speak out…)
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.
(Parallelism and Antithesis)
(Alliteration – despair in the dust bowl and depression)
(Anaphora – New Deal, new jobs, new sense)
When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.
(Metaphor – tyranny)
(Antithesis – bombs fall, tyranny threatened the world …. rise to greatness and democracy saved)
(Alliteration – tyranny threatened ….. generation … greatness)
She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes we can.
(Parallelism and Antithesis)
(Metonym – a preacher from Atlanta)
(Allusion and Parallelism –buses in Montgomery, hoses in Birmingham, bridge in Selma, a preacher from Atlanta, and “ We Shall Overcome”)
A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination.
(Climax and Parallelism)
And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change.
Yes we can.
(Epistrophe – Yes we can)
America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves -- if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?
(Repetition – so far…so much… so much more …so lucky )
(Rhetorical Questions)
This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment.
This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.
(Anaphora – This is our …)
(Alliteration – open doors of opportunity for our kids; prosperity and promote…peace)
(Antithesis – we can’t ….. we can)
(Climax – Yes We Can)
(Using the word “we” to bring the speech to a climax.)
Thank you. God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America.
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Glossary

Alliteration the initial consonant letters (sounds) in two or more different words in successive across phrases, clauses or sentences.

Allusion an brief indirect reference to a person, event or idea

Anadiplosis the last word or phrases are repeated at the next

Anaphora the same word or phrase are repeated at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences.

Antithesis the opposite or contrast of ideas or words are positioned in a parallel structure in adjacent phrase, clause or sentence.

Assonance different words with the same vowel sound occur in words close to one another

Climax words or sentences are arranged in order of increasing importance

Epistrophe the same word or phrase are repeated at the end of successive phrases, clauses or sentences.

Hypophora a case where one or more questions are raised and are answered immediately

Litotes an understatement in which an affirmative is expressed negatively opposite

Metonymy one word or phrase that is substituted for another (quite similar to Synecdoche)

Parallelism several parts of a sentence or several sentences are expressed in importance and in the same syntactical structure to add rhythm and balance.

Rhetorical Question a question which needs no answer or whose answer is obvious

Synecdoche a part is used to represent a whole or a whole for a part (quite similar to Metonyym)