Analysis of Joe Biden's Inaugural Address
Joe Biden's inaugural speech as the 46th President of the United States, delivered on January 21, 2021, was a powerful call for national unity and renewal. The address skillfully blended personal advice, policy ideas, and historical reflection while addressing the pressing issues facing the nation.
Highlight: Biden's speech focused on uniting the country, addressing every US citizen, including those who did not vote for him.
The speech began with a strong opening statement, "This is America's day," emphasizing the collective nature of the occasion. Biden didn't shy away from addressing recent challenges, including:
- The COVID-19 pandemic
- Political divisions and the Capitol riot
- Racial injustice
- Unemployment
- White supremacy
- Domestic terrorism
- Political extremism
Quote: "There is much to do in this winter: much to repair, restore, heal, build and also much to gain."
Biden's rhetoric emphasized the need for unity to confront these issues, repeatedly using the word "unity" as a central theme. He acknowledged the difficulties in achieving the American ideal but expressed optimism that the country could overcome its challenges if enough Americans worked together.
Vocabulary: Rhetoric - The art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the use of figures of speech and other compositional techniques.
The speech also made historical references, notably to Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, connecting it to the progress symbolized by Kamala Harris becoming the first woman elected to national office.
Example: Biden's use of the phrase "uncivil war" to describe political divisions draws a parallel to the American Civil War, emphasizing the severity of current political rifts.
Stylistically, the speech was characterized by:
- High readability, despite sophisticated language
- Frequent use of words like "America," "unity," "is," and "will"
- Stylistic devices such as alliteration and anaphora
- Varied sentence structures, from single words to medium-length sentences
Definition: Anaphora - The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences.