Xavier Commencement Address

Xavier Commencement Address

Not everyone is born with a silver spoon. Poverty stricken communities fight every day in order to survive the treacherous world they were born into. No human is immune to death or the imperfections life has in store. When all falls down, miracles provide hope and inspiration in the journey of faith and will. In '' Xavier Commencement Address 2006 '', Barack Obama uses inspiring diction to convey the hardship that life presents and the bright future ahead for every Xavier graduate.

Obama informs the Xavier graduates about the hardships they will face in the "real world". Obama witnessed the after math of Hurricane Katrina as he "walked down New Orleans' battered homes and empty streets and scattered debris. " The poly-synedeton paints an image of destruction, where the battered homes and empty streets, portray how New Orleans' once Jazz filled streets, is nothing more than a mere shell of its past. By adding the extra "and", Obama over emphasizes New Orleans' list of problems, to reveal the long road ahead for the Xavier graduates. Obama then stresses the problem where, '' the White House blames FEMA and FEMA blames the state of Louisiana.'' The anadiplosis in this quote conveys the tendency for humans to blame one another, where nobody is willing to accept the problem and correct it. Unfortunately, the workload of rebuilding New Orleans is left for the Xavier graduates and New Orleans' communities. Later in his speech, Obama compares the states of Iraq and New Orleans in the areas of '' poverty or violence or joblessness or hopelessness. '' Obama's use of poly-synedeton in this quote, foretells the corruptive future New Orleans could suffer just like Iraq, due to the state and governments lack of support and presence. Obama's speech addresses the situation in New Orleans to the US/Louisiana government, before the situation escalates into something that is insurmountable.

Obama praises the Xavier graduates for their effort in giving back to the community, and the copious amount of potential every graduate possesses. Xavier graduates' kind acts of providing a "shoulder you lend... during a time of need" to anybody that is in need, displays the purity within the graduates. Ravenously wanting to help others is priceless and can't be taught. Metaphorically speaking, Obama conveys how far the graduates would go to help others, when they are willing to lend the needy their shoulder. From strangers, to the hopeless, to the unemployed, to family and friends, the graduates treat everyone equal and fair. Obama appreciates the self-less acts, by stating how "America is good because Americans are great." The anaphora is used in this quote because the graduates' repetition of kind acts is the main reason why America is good,