In 2009 Barack Obama became the 44th President of the United States. He fascinated millions of people all over the world and even in Germany people recited his motto “Yes we can”. He inspired a nation. Obama and his speeches were so electrifying that a lot of people spoke of a national obsession with Senator Barack Obama.
I wondered how he managed to fill the people with enthusiasm. He was always speaking about the American Dream. So I asked myself: “What is this American Dream; which of its values and ideas are so fascinating that they inspired the nation, and how are they influenced by Obama using them in his speeches? Does Obama just use them for tactical reasons because they are so popular?”
In order to answer these questions it is at first necessary to define the term “American Dream” and to understand the history and meaning of its ideas and values. Then I want to look at Obama's biography, if there are any hints that show his interest in the American Dream and what influence does it have on his interpretation of the American Dream.
For the analysis of his interpretation of the American Dream I have chosen a selection of Obama´s most striking speeches up to April 2009 . These speeches show how he managed to inspire many citizens.
Because I want to illustrate all of the six fundamental concepts of the “American Dream” I scanned the whole collection for striking phrases exemplifying his use of these ideas. They will show his specific interpretation of the American Dream.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The American Dream
2.1 Definition
2.2 History of concepts
2.2.1 The belief in social progress
2.2.2 The belief in individual success
2.2.3 The belief in values and rights of the founding documents and famous reflections on it
2.2.4 The belief in the “melting pot”or similar images
2.2.5 The belief in ever new frontiers
2.2.6 The belief in American Exceptionalism
2.3 The concept of the American Dream since September 11th 2001
3. Biography of Barack Hussein Obama
3.1 Obama´s curriculum vitae
3.1.1 Childhood and Adolescence in Hawaii and Indonesia
3.1.2 Years of Study
3.1.3 Business and Political Career
3.2 Obama´s biography and the American Dream
4. The American Dream in famous speeches of Obama
4.1 Obama´s belief in social progress
4.2 Obama´s belief in individual success
4.3 Obama´s belief in values and rights of the founding documents and famous reflections on it
4.4 Obama´s belief in the ideas of multicultural mixture
4.5 Obama´s belief in ever new frontiers
4.6 Obama´s belief in American Exceptionalism
5. Results
6. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This work examines how Barack Obama integrates the concept of the "American Dream" into his rhetoric, exploring whether he utilizes these traditional values for tactical political gain or if his engagement stems from a deeply held personal and biographical connection.
- The historical evolution and fundamental definitions of the American Dream.
- Barack Obama’s personal history and his rediscovery of the dream's spiritual components.
- The rhetorical application of American values in Obama’s major speeches.
- The intersection of multiculturalism, social progress, and American exceptionalism in presidential discourse.
- The function of the "Audacity of Hope" as a tool for national inspiration and mobilization.
Excerpt from the Book
3.2 Obama´s biography and the American Dream
In his childhood in Indonesia Obama noticed for the first time that there are some people who don't like colored skin. Feeling divided between his black and white worlds, he decided that he belonged to the black world. But now he made the experience that being black meant to be angry, to feel powerless and defeated. He began to take drugs. His mother helped him to stop that. But as a mulatto he still didn't know to which world he belonged. This dilemma was still going on in the first years of his study in Los Angeles and New York. With his black friends in New York he shared a common despair. When he worked as a community organizer in Chicago he felt better because he could help black people.
Obama has grown up a skeptic like his mother. But now in Chicago he felt lonely and was thinking about faith. So he was delighted to find a church where he felt at home. At Trinity United Church of Christ in the late 1980s Obama became a Christian. The pastor of this church was the Reverend Wright, who often had visited Africa. Obama could speak with him about his Afro-American identity.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the research interest in Obama’s fascination with the American Dream and defines the methodology used for the speech analysis.
2. The American Dream: Provides a theoretical foundation by tracing the historical concepts of the American Dream, including social progress, individual success, and American Exceptionalism.
3. Biography of Barack Hussein Obama: Details Obama’s life path and analyzes how his personal experiences with identity and faith shaped his understanding of the American Dream.
4. The American Dream in famous speeches of Obama: Analyzes specific speeches to demonstrate how Obama utilizes historical American ideals to inspire hope and national unity.
5. Results: Synthesizes the findings, confirming that Obama successfully reclaimed a spiritual version of the American Dream to address national despair.
6. Conclusion: Reflects on the synthesis of Obama’s biographical connection to the dream and the potential tactical usage of these ideals in his presidency.
Keywords
Barack Obama, American Dream, Audacity of Hope, Social Progress, Individual Success, American Exceptionalism, Manifest Destiny, Multiculturalism, Identity, Political Rhetoric, Founding Documents, National Unity, Hope, Biography, Leadership.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this publication?
This work explores the intersection between Barack Obama’s personal biography and his rhetorical use of the American Dream concept to inspire the U.S. nation.
Which thematic fields are central to the study?
Key themes include the historical evolution of the American Dream, the significance of the "Audacity of Hope," and how Obama reinterprets traditional values to address contemporary challenges.
What is the primary research question?
The author investigates whether Obama’s frequent references to the American Dream are purely tactical for political success or rooted in a genuine biographical and spiritual connection.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The study utilizes a qualitative analysis of historical concepts combined with a rhetorical analysis of selected, impactful speeches by Barack Obama.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body covers the historical development of American values, a detailed look at Obama’s curriculum vitae, and a chapter-by-chapter analysis of his speeches concerning social progress, individual success, and exceptionalism.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Significant keywords include Barack Obama, American Dream, Audacity of Hope, Identity, Exceptionalism, and National Unity.
How did Obama’s personal background influence his rhetoric?
His experiences as a community organizer in Chicago and his search for roots in Kenya led him to move beyond personal bitterness toward a more communal and spiritual understanding of success.
Does Obama use the concept of American Exceptionalism differently than his predecessors?
Yes, while he maintains the idea of America as a "light to the world," he rejects the justification of violent expansionism, focusing instead on moral standing and leading through values.
How does the book categorize Obama's use of the "melting pot" imagery?
The author highlights how Obama uses "patchwork heritage" and "E Pluribus Unum" to emphasize that the American union is stronger than the sum of its diverse parts.
- Citar trabajo
- David Tebbe (Autor), 2012, Barack Obama and the American Dream as Depicted in Some of His Famous Speeches, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/193467
