Prepared Remarks of President Barack Obama: Back to School Event

Do you know that feeling of not being able to do your job efficiently or thoroughly enough? Haunted by the thought of not being in the elite of your class and as you strongly believe that only the best of the best are equipped o serve your country, you cannot even see the purpose in trying. Many young people walk around with this attitude towards their studies and it is alarming that the youth nowadays is so preoccupied with perfectionism as it is a fact that the future relies on every single individual and not just the top-elite.
In the text: "Prepared Remarks of President Barack Obama: Back to School Event", President Obama deals with this issue and tries to convince the students of Wakefield High-school in Arlington, Virginia that every single one of them has a purpose in this world. Every talent, every independent thought is valued and is a brick in the foundation of America's future. Keeping up with traditions, the President of America: Barack Obama delivered his third annual speech in the year two thousand and nine, at a high-school in the beginning of the school year. His words were dedicated to the students "(...) no matter what grade you are in (...)" It is clear from the beginning of the speech that it is spoken by Barack Obama as a private individual and not as the leader of ay political party or the President of the United States. An example of this is that he through the entire speech addresses himself as "I" not "we" as politicians usually do in speeches. This is him speaking to the students as an equal which makes him an easily identifiable and reliable orator. Throughout the speech Obama is strongly emphasising phrases like "(...) I want to talk with you" and "I've talked a lot about your government (...)" These are examples of Barack Obama stressing how serious he is about engaging in dialogue with the student as he presents the government as national property, which everyone has an influence on. several times obama mentions personal memories of his childhood, stating that your social-economic background is never an excuse for not doing your best. It does not matter whether you are gifted in a certain subject or not, as a student you have a responsibility to America, as Obama says: "What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country" What an enormous pressure to place on the shoulders of young students, but probably also an encouragement to keep going. Obama does not show any doubt regarding the existence of talents within the heads of the students at Wakefield High-school as he strongly believes that every single one of them possess some quality which will profit America in the future. Obama brings a lot of his focus to these "second chances" in which he strongly believes where life changing in his own case. He had the opportunity to break the established pattern of society's social stratums and to follow his dream of attending law-school. But those without these opportunities must not be forgotten. As long as you make an effort to do your best you should not be condemned for not being in the top elite of your class. Obama tells the stories of a couple of young people who worked their way through resistance and hardship, who went through the tunnel of darkness and ended up as sunbeam-stories. These stories are most likely included in the speech as another encouragement to the students and as proof of the results of hard work and concentration. Furthermore, the President encourages every student to set an individual goal for themselves. Whether it is finishing all of your homework or enrolling in extracurricular activities, in the end it is an individual feat and should be praised. Because you cannot compare two student's performances, as what to one person may be an everyday matter might as well be an amazing triumph to another person. Obama makes use of the appeal-forms: ethos and pathos. He intends to persuade the students to change their attitude towards their studies and to realise their true potential. Obama includes personal memories of his own childhood and uses a suitable vocabulary which is appropriate and understandable to students. Obama is an identifiable and trustworthy character and he clearly shows that his intentions are in the best favour of the students. The main theme is the free choice to choose your own path in life and the privilege of being the architect of your own future, in addition to serve your country whatever your talent is.