stylistic devices speech michelle obama

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Five techniques that made michelle obama's speech emotionally appealing.

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Michelle Obama ’s speech at the Democratic National Convention is earning high marks for its “emotion.” The word—“emotional”—appears in about half a million links to articles about the speech . There are several ways that speakers can incorporate emotion into their presentation, and Michelle Obama used every one of them.

The speech is short. It’s very hard to transfer emotion in lengthy speeches or presentations because people get bored and tune out. Michelle Obama’s speech is only 14 minutes, which is an ideal amount of time to transfer emotion to an audience without overstaying your welcome. There’s a reason why some of the most famous speeches in history fall within the 15- to 20-minute range. TED Talks, for example, are 18 minutes. TED organizers found that 18 minutes is an appropriate time to get your point across without putting people to sleep.

Gallery: Never Give A Boring Presentation Again

The speech is easy to read and easy to deliver. Michelle Obama’s speech has a readability score of 83.6, which means the sentences are short, the words are simple and it’s written in conversational English.

The speech is personalized with stories. Storytelling is the best rhetorical tool we have to make an emotional connection with one another. Michelle Obama told several personal stories about her husband, the democratic nominee Hillary Clinton , and her daughters. For example,

During our time in the White House, we’ve had the joy of watching them grow from bubbly little girls into poised young women -– a journey that started soon after we arrived in Washington , when they set off for their first day at their new school. I will never forget that winter morning as I watched our girls, just seven and 10 years old, pile into those black SUVs with all those big men with guns. And I saw their little faces pressed up against the window, and the only thing I could think was, “What have we done?” See, because at that moment, I realized that our time in the White House would form the foundation for who they would become, and how well we managed this experience could truly make or break them.”

The speech has time-tested rhetorical devices. My favorite speech tool is called "anaphora," the repetition of the same word in successive sentences. It makes words easy on the ear. Michelle Obama used the device several times. For example,

I trust Hillary to lead this country because I’ve seen her lifelong devotion to our nation’s children –- not just her own daughter, who she has raised to perfection but every child who needs a champion: Kids who take the long way to school to avoid the gangs. Kids who wonder how they’ll ever afford college. Kids whose parents don’t speak a word of English but dream of a better life. Kids who look to us to determine who and what they can be.” When I think about the kind of President that I want for my girls and all our children, that’s what I want. I want someone with the proven strength to persevere… I want a President with a record of public service… And as my daughters prepare to set out into the world, I want a leader who is worthy of that truth, a leader who is worthy of my girls’ promise and all our kids’ promise.”

The speech is delivered passionately. At the 11:30 mark in the speech Michelle Obama is clearly moved (and chokes back tears) when she delivers the paragraph that received the loudest applause. In the following sentences she brings it all together—story, rhetorical devices, simple and emotional word choices, and a passionate delivery:

That is the story of this country, the story that has brought me to this stage tonight, the story of generations of people who felt the lash of bondage, the shame of servitude, the sting of segregation, but who kept on striving and hoping and doing what needed to be done, so that today, I wake up every morning in a house that was built by slaves and I watch my daughters – two beautiful, intelligent, black young women – playing with their dogs on the White House lawn. And because of Hillary Clinton, my daughters – and all our sons and daughters – now take for granted that a woman can be President of the United States.”

Michelle Obama deserves the kudos she’s receiving for the speech. It was nicely constructed and powerfully delivered. Emotion doesn’t just happen in a speech; there’s a structure behind it.

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8 writing lessons from Michelle Obama’s DNC speech

Great oratory magnifies the lessons of great writing. Written for the ear, memorable speeches tend to use certain rhetorical devices — such as parallelism or emphatic word order — in greater measure than less dramatic forms of communication. The language strategies rise to the surface, so you may not even need a pair of X-ray reading glasses to see them.

Related: The Power and Persuasion of the Spoken Word

Last night I listened to Michelle Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention. It has been widely praised, even by Hillary Clinton’s archrival, Donald Trump . Some commentators ranked it among the best such convention speeches in decades.

What is it about the First Lady’s words that worked for so many? If we can answer that question, we can store those writing strategies in our toolbox.

I am relying on a transcript of the speech published by Vox. Here it is if you prefer to read the whole thing first. If you prefer, follow my lead through some of the most significant parts of Michelle Obama’s speech, beginning with its first paragraph:

“It is hard to believe that it has been eight years since I first came to this convention to talk with you about why I thought my husband should be president. Remember how I told you about his character and his conviction? His decency and grace? The traits we have seen every day as he served our country in the White House.”

Lesson one: Liberate your pronouns. Use first person, second person and third person to create specific effects. Look at all the pronouns in that paragraph — and throughout the speech — each one doing its job. “I” or “me” or “my” makes a personal appeal. “We” or “us” proclaims collective power. “You” makes prose sound conversational. The third person points the camera away from the speaker.

“I also told you about our daughters, how they are the heart of our hearts, the center of our world, and during our time in the White House we have had the joy of watching them grow from bubbly little girls into poised young women.”

Lesson two: Unlock your diction — your word hoard — to choose language most appropriate to your topic and mission. Michelle Obama’s words seem chosen as an antidote to what some have described as Donald Trump’s dystopian vision of America and the world. When he speaks, bats flap their wings in caves. When she speaks, little birds chirp and alight on her shoulders. Every key word here has a positive connotation: daughters, hearts, center, world, joy, grow, bubbly little girls, poised young women.

“I will never forget that winter morning as I watched our girls, just 7 and 10 years old, pile into those black SUVs with all those men with guns.”

Lesson three: Find a visual image to help you tell the story. This anecdotal image moves the speech closer to narrative and imprints itself on the memory of the audience. The juxtaposition of elements — little girls with noses pressed against the glass in a scary car filled with men with guns — creates a tension that can be vicariously experienced.

“How we urged them to ignore those who question their father’s citizenship or faith. How we insist that the hateful language they hear from public figures on TV does not represent the true spirit of this country. How we explain that when someone is cruel or acts like a bully, you don’t stoop to their level.”

Lesson four: Unleash the power of three. Notice how often the speaker relies upon a pattern of three to make her point. This is one of the oldest tricks in the orator’s book. In literature, three is always the largest number. “Of the people, by the people, for the people.” Four examples or 40 become an inventory. Three encompasses the world, creating the illusion we know everything we need to know.

“Our motto is, when they go low, we go high.”

Lesson five: Express your best thought in a short sentence. This is one of the best lines in the speech for a number of reasons. It’s a short sentence, only seven words. Each word is a single syllable. There is parallelism between “they go low” and “we go high,” emphasized by the repetition of the word “go.” The sentence is complex, that is, it begins with a subordinate clause “When they go low,” which describes the opponent’s weak move, followed by a main clause that gives greater weight to the speaker’s values.

“Kids like the little black boy who looked up at my husband, his eyes wide with hope, and he wondered, Is my hair like yours?”

Lesson six: Find a focus. Stick with it. In the story “The Lottery,” by Shirley Jackson, the winner of the town’s annual lottery gets stoned to death. It is a surprise ending, but there are several mentions of the word ‘stones’ as foreshadowing — never “rocks.”

If I had to choose one word to describe the speech, it would be “kids.” It is repeated five times on a single page. She also uses words like children, sons and daughters, but the informality of kids draws you in: “So, how are the kids?” There is a significant literature in African-American culture about the issue, the problem, the glory of hair. Of “good” hair, and “bad” hair. It feels almost daring for Michelle Obama to refer to this incident, to turn a taboo into a parable and a blessing.

“Somebody who knows this job and takes it seriously. Somebody who understands that the issues of our nation are not black or white. It cannot be boiled down to 140 characters. Because when you have the nuclear codes at your fingertips and the military in your command, you can’t make snap decisions.”

Lesson seven: Let the shark swim under the surface. Remember “Jaws?” Remember how long it took for you to see the shark jump out of the water? Until then, you only heard creepy music and saw the consequences of humans being attacked.

In the “Harry Potter” series, we don’t often get a direct look at the Dark Lord, the evil Voldemort. Wizards fear to speak his name. The weird-coiffed Donald Trump looks nothing like the reptilian Voldemort, but there is a bit of “He Who Shall Not Be Named” in this critique, as if even uttering his name would pollute the language and meaning of her oration.

“This is the story of this country. The story that has brought me to the stage tonight. The story of generations of people who felt the lash of bondage, the shame of servitude, the sting of segregation, who kept on striving, and hoping, and doing what needed to be done. So that today, I wake up every morning in a house that was built by slaves. And I watch my daughters — two beautiful intelligent black young women — play with the dog on the White House lawn.”

Lesson eight: Place the emphatic words at the end. This, for me, was the dramatic climax of the speech, a moment of catharsis. It brought a tear to my eye, when I first heard the speech, and again the next morning when I watched highlights.

I feel the mojo in this paragraph. The alliteration. The triple use of three examples: story, story, story; lash, shame, sting; striving, hoping, doing. Two powerful sentences follow, one which ends with a great passive construction, “a house that was built by slaves”; the next placing the wonderfully familiar (girls playing with dogs) up against the symbolically majestic (the White House lawn).

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A Stylistic Analysis of Verbal Parallelism in Michelle Obama’S Speech at Hillary for America Campaign in New Hampshire

A STYLISTIC ANALYSIS OF VERBAL PARALLELISM IN MICHELLE OBAMA ’S SPEECH AT HILLARY FOR AMERICA CAMPAIGN IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Attainment of a Sarjana Sastra Degree in English Literature

MAULIDA FITRIYANTI 12211144027

ENGLISH LITERATURE STUDY PROGRAM ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT FACULTY OF LANGUAGES AND ARTS YOGYAKARTA STATE UNIVERSITY 2017

It isn’t what we say or think that defines us, but what we do.

-Jane Austen-

This thesis is fully dedicated to my parents.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Alhamdulillahirabbil’alamin. Praise be to Allah, the Almighty, for all the blessings without which I would never have finished this thesis. In writing this thesis, I also received so much support, assistance, guidance, love, and prayers from people. Therefore, I would like to give my gratitude to the following parties: 1. Titik Sudartinah, M.A, my first supervisor, who has always been patiently guiding and encouraging me during the process of writing this thesis, and Nandy Intan Kurnia, M. Hum., my second supervisor as well as my academic consultant, who offered her continuous advice, patience, support, and guidance throughout my academic years; 2. all the lecturers and staffs of English Education Department who have shared their valuable knowledge; 3. my parents and my sister, who have always been by my side not only during the process of this thesis writing, but also in my whole life, and constantly given me their endless support and prayers; 4. my grandmother, and the members of my extended family for their continuous support and prayers; 5. all my friends in English Literature 2012 for every amazing time, friendship and unforgettable experience; 6. my very supportive classmates in Sasing K 2012, Ajeng, Citra, Tarry, Mega, Ocep, Bundi, Dea, Anggun, Galih, Anaz, Kak Rusdi, Thio, Zaky, and Nia, who shared the same experience in our academic years; 7. my beloved friends, Olif, Sulis, Susilo, Mbak Lita, who have always become my companions and loyal supporters even when the distance separates us; and 8. many people whom I cannot mention one by one, who have mentally and physically helped me along the whole process of finishing this thesis. Although I have done my best in finishing this thesis, I realize that it is still far from being perfect. Therefore, any constructive comments and suggestions to

improve this thesis are much appreciated. I really hope that it will be useful for everyone who is interested in linguistic study.

Yogyakarta, July 18, 2017

Maulida Fitriyanti

TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE PAGE ...... i APPROVAL SHEET ...... ii RATIFICATION SHEET ...... iii PERNYATAAN ...... iv MOTTO ...... v DEDICATION ...... vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...... vii TABLE OF CONTENTS ...... ix LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES ...... xii ABSTRACT ...... xiii CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ...... 1 A. Background of the Study ...... 1 B. Research Focus ...... 4 C. Objectives of the Study ...... 6 D. Significance of the Study ...... 7 CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK ...... 8 A. Literature Review ...... 8 1. Stylistics ...... 8 2. Verbal Parallelism ...... 13 a. Types of Verbal Parallelism ...... 14 1) Anaphora ...... 14 2) Epistrophe ...... 15 3) Symploce ...... 15 4) Anadiplosis ...... 16 5) Epanalepsis ...... 17 6) Antistrophe ...... 17

7) Polyptoton ...... 18 8) Homoioteleuton ...... 18 b. Functions of Verbal Parallelism ...... 19 1) Production ...... 20 2) Comprehension ...... 20 3) Connection ...... 21 4) Interaction ...... 21 3. Theme and Verbal Parallelism ...... 22 4. Michelle Obama’s Speech at Hillary for America Campaign in New Hampshire 2016 ...... 23 5. Previous Study ...... 25 B. Conceptual Framework ...... 27 CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHOD ...... 30 A. Types of Study ...... 30 B. Forms, Context, and Source of Data ...... 31 C. Data Collection Techniques ...... 31 D. Research Instruments ...... 32 E. Data Analysis Techniques ...... 33 F. Data Trustworthiness ...... 33 CHAPTER IV FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION ...... 35 A. Findings ...... 35 B. Discussion ...... 37 1. Types of Verbal Parallelism in Michelle Obama’s Speech at Hillary for America Campaign in New Hampshire ...... 38 a. Anaphora ...... 38 b. Epistrophe ...... 40 c. Symploce ...... 42 d. Anadiplosis ...... 43

e. Epanalepsis ...... 45 f. Polyptoton ...... 46 g. Homoioteleuton ...... 47 2. Functions of Verbal Parallelism in Michelle Obama’s Speech at Hillary for America Campaign in New Hampshire ...... 49 a. Production ...... 50 b. Comprehension ...... 52 c. Connection ...... 53 d. Interaction ...... 55 3. Themes in Michelle Obama’s Speech at Hillary for America Campaign in New Hampshire ...... 56 a. Women’s Rights ...... 57 b. Women’s Insecurity ...... 58 c. Opponent’s Misbehavior ...... 59 d. Gender Equality ...... 61 e. Persuasion to Voters ...... 62 CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS ...... 65 A. Conclusions ...... 65 B. Suggestions ...... 67 REFERENCES ...... 69 APPENDICES ...... 70 A. Data Sheet of Types and Functions of Verbal Parallelism, and Themes in Michelle Obama’s Speech at Hillary for America Campaign in New Hampshire ...... 70 B. Surat Pernyataan Triangulasi ...... 94

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES

Table 1 : The Form of Data Sheet of Types and Functions of Verbal Parallelism, and Themes in Michelle Obama’s Speech at Hillary for America Campaign in New Hampshire ...... 32 Table 2 : Types and Functions of Verbal Parallelism, and Themes in Michelle Obama’s Speech at Hillary for America Campaign in New Hampshire...... 35

Figure 1 : The 44th First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama ...... 24 Figure 2 : Analytical Construct ...... 29

A STYLISTIC ANALYSIS OF VERBAL PARALLELISM IN MICHELLE OBAMA’S SPEECH AT HILLARY FOR AMERICA CAMPAIGN IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

Maulida Fitriyanti 12211144027

This research aims to identify the types and functions of verbal parallelism in a speech delivered by Michelle Obama at Hillary for America campaign in New Hampshire, October 2016. This research also aims to describe the themes which can be inferred from the use of verbal parallelism in Michelle Obama’s speech at Hillary for America campaign in New Hampshire. This research applied descriptive qualitative method. The data in this research were in the forms of words, phrases, clauses, or sentences. The source of the data was the official speech transcript taken from the official website of the White House . Meanwhile, the context of the data was the utterances uttered by Michelle Obama in her speech. The data were collected by watching the video of the speech , reading the official transcript of the speech, classifying the data, and transferring the data containing verbal parallelism into the data sheet. The researcher acted as the primary instrument of the research while the data sheet was used as the secondary instrument. The data were analyzed and interpreted in detailed explanations based on the theories used in this research. Triangulation was used to enhance trustworthiness as well as to obtain credibility and reliability of the data. The results of the research are as follows. (1) Among eight types of verbal parallelism, there are only seven types of verbal parallelism found in Michelle Obama’s speech, namely anaphora, epistrophe, symploce, anadiplosis, epanalepsis, polyptoton, and homoioteleuton. Those types of verbal parallelism are found in the speech because the speaker tries to relay the messages she wants to emphasize. (2) All four functions of verbal parallelism based on the theory proposed by Tannen are found, i.e. production, comprehension, connection, and interaction. Production and comprehension serve as the two main functions. The speaker uses verbal parallelism mainly to give the audience some time to comprehend what were being said as the speaker tries to think about what to say next. (3) There are five themes that can be inferred from the speech. The two themes primarily found in the speech are opponent’s misbehavior and persuasion to voters. Those themes are the two main themes since the speaker tends to bring out the opposing candidate’s shortcomings to highlight the difference between both candidates. The speaker also provides the merits of the candidate she supports to persuade the audience to vote her.

Keywords: verbal parallelism, types, functions, themes, Michelle Obama’s speech

INTRODUCTION

This chapter consists of background of the study which includes the reasons for conducting this research and for choosing the speech as the object of research.

Research focus is the next part of this chapter following the background of the study. Then, the remaining parts of this chapter are the objective of the study and significance of the study.

A. Background of the Study

As a means of communication, language plays an important role in society.

Everyone needs to communicate with people surrounding them by using language.

By using language, a person could deliver his or her thoughts, ideas, opinions, and feelings to the others. Moreover, language can be both realized in the spoken and written forms. The spoken form tends to be used for immediate interactions, such as in a daily conversation. Other forms of spoken language commonly realized in news reports or speech. Meanwhile the written language is applied in most literary works such as novels, short stories, and poems. Besides, the written language can also be found in printed media such as newspapers, magazines, leaflets, or brochures.

Individuals express themselves verbally and through written language with their own style. For instance, language style in literary writings is written to yield an aesthetic effect which is particularly more noticeable. Leech (1969:1) states that even the deep examination of literature is not possible if language and

literature are studied separately. The language of literary writings is more difficult to understand than that of common people. Although the basic structure of both types of language is the same, they are different in their working areas.

Each literary writer derives the ideas into many of his or her works by creative use of language. They are being careful in putting the words into their works. Literary writers have unlimited ways to use the language creatively. They enjoy a unique freedom to range over all their communicative sources. Each literary writer’s style of writing is different compared to the others because they serve their own things related to their own interest and purpose. Creative writers have their own techniques to achieve their aesthetic function through the creative use of language. Various stylistic devices are used by the writers such as deviations, parallelism, figurative language, and so on. They use such devices to point out some ideas and give the readers or listeners distinctive emotions while reading the works. They sometimes tend to put their ideas by using some over- regularities or irregularities of a particular choice within the system. One obvious example in applying the over-regularity is called verbal parallelism.

Those stylistic devices including verbal parallelism are studied under the field of stylistics. Leech (1969: 1) states that stylistics is the study of the use of language in literature. Since stylistics concerns with the variation of language use, it belongs to linguistic studies. Language allows any types of lexical and grammatical repetition. However, not all kinds of repetitions take place within the framework of verbal parallelism. Only some certain types of repetition can be categorized into verbal parallelism. However, there have not been many analyses 3

related to verbal parallelism. Verbal Parallelism also has important values, as much as any other stylistic devices, to the writings in defining the language style of the writer. The analysis of verbal parallelism can be applied in many literary works.

Since the advent study of language and style, many linguists have recognized the relationship between language style and non-literary works. Verbal parallelism as one of stylistic devices can also be found in non-literary texts, such as news reports, newspapers, speech, or advertisements. Therefore, this research focuses on analyzing verbal parallelism which is found in speech. By analyzing a certain stylistic device in a speech, it would be possible to establish the characteristics of the speakers, to understand the speaking style of the speakers whether they are political leaders or celebrities.

Both spoken and written communication are addressed to the audience, a speech is not different. However, a speech differs from written communication in that the audience are gathered for some occasion. A speech can be described as effective when it can be understood, remembered and even acted on by the audience. In order to deliver such speech, the organization of the speech needs to be done is a systematic way that it can present the intention of the speaker or orator. The language organization matters a lot to make effective speeches.

Many speeches are delivered these days by many people in many occasions, from wedding speech which is presented in front of family and friends to campaign speech which is delivered in a large number of audiences. One of the most powerful speeches is a speech by Michelle Obama which was delivered in 4

front of the people of New Hampshire as a part of a rally campaign for Hillary

The speech delivered on the 13th of October by Michelle Obama is considered as one of the most powerful speeches she ever presented. The speech is taken as the object of this research for several reasons. First, the speech is delivered by one of the most influential persons of today’s era, Michelle Obama. She is the first

African-American First Lady in the history of the United States. She is also known as a role model for women all over the world. Second, the event in which the speech is delivered can be considered as important. It is an election campaign for Hillary Clinton as the next president of the United States. The United States presidential election is surely regarded as a remarkable event since it marks the term shifting from Barrack Obama to his successor. Third, the topic of the speech itself is considered as powerful. Even though it is an election campaign speech, she ensured that her speech is not only about politics. She said to the audience that her speech is about basic human decency, about women and how they should be treated and valued. The last reason is the media and people’s responses towards the speech. Many mass media, printed or online, give their attention to her speech and regard it as an emotional takedown of Donald Trump , Hillary Clinton’s opponent, who previously talked about sexual assault towards women.

B. Research Focus

Various issues can be identified in the speech given by Michelle Obama at

Hillary for America campaign in New Hampshire since it contains many elements to make the speech appealing to the audience’s emotions. In particular, the 5

language, relates the elements used by the speaker in order to deliver an effective speech. As the speech used as the object of the research is a campaign speech, the language used in the speech is seen as a sharp weapon to convince the audience and to reflect the ideas of the speaker.

The first issue is the grammatical categories found in the speech. The use of compound and complex sentences in the speech comprises the ideas of the speech.

The overuse of complex sentences may be burdensome for the speaker in terms of the audience’s understanding. Sentences which combined excessive ideas into one is rather hard to be understood by the audience. On the other hand, applying too many compound sentences may cause the speech less appealing to the audience.

Therefore, the perfect combination of complex and compound sentences in a speech determines the effectiveness of the speech.

The second issue deals with speech acts. The speaker uses speech acts to express herself by performing actions via language. Speech acts can be used as a way to maintain the politeness in communication with other people through language. The way the speaker acts out her language in front of the audience may lead the speech to be remembered and to be easily understood. Since the object of the research is a spoken communication in the form of speech, the use of speech acts can highly be found.

The third issue is the style of language in the speech, verbal parallelism in particular. The speaker employs stylistic device, namely verbal parallelism to deliver the emotions of the speech to the audience by creating her own style of language in speaking. The speaker repeats some certain words in her speech as a 6

part of verbal parallelism. She tries to deliver her main ideas or thoughts to the audience effectively by repeating those words. Verbal parallelism applies in the speech can also make the speech more appealing to the audience.

Instead of analyzing all the issues mentioned above, to make this research more focused, the researcher limits the discussion on the last issue. She discusses the style of language, particularly verbal parallelism. Related to verbal parallelism phenomenon, some problems can be identified. The first problem is the types of verbal parallelism used in the speech deliver by Michelle Obama at Hillary for

America campaign in New Hampshire. The second problem deals with the functions of language employed in the speech. The last problem is concerned with the themes conveyed from the use of verbal parallelism.

Based on the research focus, the research proposes some problems as follows.

1. What types of verbal parallelism are found in Michelle Obama’s speech at

Hillary for America campaign in New Hampshire?

2. What are the functions of verbal parallelism in Michelle Obama’s speech at

3. What are the themes that can be inferred from the use of verbal parallelism in

Michelle Obama’s speech at Hillary for America campaign in New Hampshire?

C. Objectives of the Study

In connection with the formulation of the problem, the objectives of this research are:

1. to identify the types of verbal parallelism applied by Michelle Obama in her

speech at Hillary for America campaign in New Hampshire, 7

2. to describe the functions of verbal parallelism in a speech given by Michelle

Obama at Hillary for America campaign in New Hampshire, and

3. to describe the themes which can be inferred from the use of verbal parallelism

in the speech delivered by Michelle Obama.

D. Significance of the Study

This research concerned with the analysis of verbal parallelism in which the findings of the research are expected to be beneficial for general readers, the students of English Literature study program, and also other researchers. This research is expected to give common knowledge about stylistics and verbal parallelism to the general readers. Meanwhile, this research is expected to afford the specific knowledge in stylistics field, particularly verbal parallelism in a speech which can be used as a bibliographical resource for the next relevant types of research. The findings about the importance of verbal parallelism in non- literary works hopefully can enrich the stylistics studies, especially about verbal parallelism conducted by lecturers and students. This research hopefully can inspire other researchers to conduct new other research in the same field by using different objects.

LITERATURE REVIEW AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

This chapter deals with two sections for this research. The first section consists of literature review which provides theories related to verbal parallelism, a glance of Michelle Obama‟s speech delivered at Hillary for America campaign in New Hampshire, and the previous studies of other researchers. The second section conveys the conceptual framework and analytical construct which is presented in the form of diagram.

A. Literature Review

1. Stylistics

Stylistics deals with all variants of language use in numerous text types, either non-literary texts or literary texts. Verdonk (2002: 5) states that style in language is used as a way to express the use of language for its intentions and consequences.

For instance, advertisement texts mostly have certain styles of fonts or phrases which are captivating enough to persuade the readers to buy the products.

However, the purposes of language style in literary texts are different from the purposes in advertisement texts, newspaper‟s headlines or speeches. Verdonk

(2002:12) adds that unlike non-literary texts which have direct purposive connection to the real world, literary texts do not have that kind of direct reference, but yield representation of real world through languages.

Language style in a literary text can be used as a measure of literary writers‟ artistic and aesthetic achievement. Each literary writer has his or her own style in

expressing the ideas into their works. In general, style can be applied to both spoken and written, both literary and daily varieties of language, but traditionally it is closely related to written literary texts (Leech and Short, 2007: 10). By emphasizing some particular styles of language, authors can narrow the possible interpretations that the readers have towards the text.

In line with Leech and Short, Verdonk (2002:3) states that style in a language can be defined as an expression of diverse usage of language. Stylistics tries to understand the relationship between a piece of writing and the readers‟ understanding towards it and how they are affected by it. Particular stylistic relevance can raise the readers‟ emotions and interest. As Lodge (in Leech and

Short, 2007: 22) explains that language is the author‟s medium, whatever he does, he does it through language. Moreover, stylistics is also used as elements of intercourse between the authors and the readers (Verdonk, 2002: 13). In addition to the connection between author and reader, stylistics in spoken communication is also functioned as a way for the speaker to communicate with the audience.

Furthermore, Simpson (2004:2) states that stylistics is a method of textual interpretation in which primacy of place is assigned to language. The various patterns, forms and levels that constitute linguistic structure are important factors why language is prominent to stylistics. It is noteworthy that different systems of expression exist within the general system of any language. He (2002: 3) also defines that doing stylistics improves people‟s ways of thinking about language and offers deep understanding of literary texts. 10

Since stylistics is involved in every literary work, Leech and Short (2007: 11) explain that literary stylistics is intended to illuminate the cultural use of language and the language itself. The distinction between what the authors have to say, and how it is presented to the reader is considered as a prominent concept of style in literature. Bradford (1997: 101) presents his idea that literary stylistics shifts the center of attention from the situation of the utterance to the words of the context.

The choice of words which applied by an author in his or her works creates the readers‟ emotion and responses from reading the literary text.

However, stylistics analysis of a text needs to be more objective. Stylistics tends to be more objectives as it understands the linguistic facts in a text. Through stylistics, the contextual linguistics and general world are connected. Stylistics devices play a prominent role in analyzing any kinds of texts from its linguistics features. Linguistic features attribute a notably large portion in the amount of aesthetic interest in writings (Leech and Short, 2007: 23).

Stylistics has started as a field of study which has its own theories and principles different from other linguistics fields. It differs between the ordinary use of language and the poetic or aesthetic use of language. The Prague School of poetics (in Leech and Short, 2007: 23) has characterized the poetic function of language by its foregrounding. Foregrounding is considered as one of the most common features in stylistics as it gives psychological effects, such as emotions or interest to the readers because some certain parts become more noticeable

(Verdonk, 2002: 6). 11

Foregrounding is an essential aspect of poetic language. Ordinary language is rule governed but it is not necessary for poetic language to follow the set pattern of rules of a language. Mukarovsky (in Miall and Kuiken, 1994: 390) argues that the occurrence of foregrounding may happen in daily general language, such as spoken conversation or written article in newspapers, but it occurs irregularly without regular pattern. In literary text, on the contrary, foregrounding is structured. It tends to be both well-written and well-arranged. Further he explains that in everyday language, communication is the main purpose, and foregrounding structures are normally not involved. However, in literature the purpose of foregrounding is to disrupt such everyday communication.

Foregrounding becomes important part in stylistic analysis because it enables the writers or speakers to present meanings with an intricacy and complexity that ordinary language does not normally allow. Generally, the way people examine the significance and value of a work of art should be more focused on the elements of interest and surprise, rather than the ordinary sequence (Leech,

Holst (in Mackay, 1994: 16) explains that foregrounding occurs when a textual feature appears to stand out significantly in the text pattern in with other observed features. The foregrounded textual features contrast with a background of norms already established by the text, or by other texts. Foregrounding can be considered as a way for art to deviate from usual norms in a text.

Taken as a predominantly literary feature, the term foregrounding refers to an effect brought about in the reader by linguistic or other forms of deviation in the 12

literary works. The Prague School linguists consider foregrounding, which confers unexpectedness, unusualness and uniqueness on literary texts, as the differentiating factor between poetic and non-poetic language.

Freeman (in Mackay, 1994: 64) states that the concept of foregrounding has been pivotal to many recent works in stylistics. These inquiries have achieved the establishment of what methods a writer of poetry or prose uses to make specifically important aspects of texture in a piece of literary writing. In order to be rendered more prominent, some aspect in a text must be foregrounded. The foregrounded features as the forms of aesthetic exploitation give the readers more awareness and sensitivity to the linguistic expression in a text.

As stated before, foregrounding is a popular term in stylistics. Foregrounding makes something important or noticeable. Painting and foregrounding have some similarities. In a painting, a painter uses different colors for making some parts of the pictures more important than the other ones. A literary writer does the same job by using the method of foregrounding. As Simpson (2004: 50) says, foregrounding is a form of textual patterning involving stylistics distortion which is created particularly for pleasure through beauty in writings.

Foregrounding is the opposite of automatization. Objectively speaking, automatization schematizes an event, while foregrounding means the violation of the scheme. Foregrounding is achieved by means of either pattern-making (extra regularities) or patter breaking (irregularities). Simpson (2004: 50) further explicates that foregrounding works in two ways: firstly, by distortion against a norm and secondly, by imposing regularity in grammatical patterns over and 13

above those designated by the language. Distortion can be studied under deviation which consists of eight types proposed by Leech. They are lexical deviation, grammatical deviation, phonological deviation, graphological deviation, semantic deviation, dialectical deviation, deviation of register and deviation of historical period. Besides, imposing regularity in grammatical patterns overly can be called parallelism.

2. Verbal Parallelism

According to Leech (1969: 77) verbal parallelism as a form of free repetition means the direct imitation of some previous parts of a text, whether word, phrase, or sentence. Other than the repetition of grammatical unit, the repetition of certain prosodic unit such as morpheme is also categorized into verbal parallelism. It is identified as structural repetition in which variable elements occur. However, repetition sometimes seen as linguistically lacking resource, it presents a simple emotion with force (Leech, 1969: 79). Verbal parallelism tends to foreground the relations of meaning between parallel words and phrases which fill in the variable positions. The relationship between units of language is exploited through verbal parallelism in order to create ideas. Verbal parallelism does not only foreground parts of texts, but also it makes the readers or audience to look for the contrastive meaning links between those parallel parts.

Leech (1969: 79) states that the beginning part of the relevant unit of text is the most frequent place to occur for such repetitions. The relevant unit of text varies from one case to another. It can be grammatical unit, or on the other hand, it may be prosodic unit. By repeating the same words, phrases or sentences, the 14

author or speaker tries to convince his or her intention of the story towards the readers or audience. That is why verbal parallelism becomes one of important stylistic devices. a. Types of Verbal Parallelism

There are eight types of verbal parallelism proposed by Leech including anaphora, epistrophe, symploce, anadiplosis, epanalepsis, antistrophe, polyptoton and homoioteleuton. Below are the descriptions of eight types of verbal parallelism.

1) Anaphora

The term anaphora was applied to repetitions of initial words over successive phrases or clauses (Leech, 1969: 80). In addition, Wales (2001: 19) states that anaphora in Greek language means “carrying back” which is defined as a repetition that occurs when the first word or set of words are repeated in one or more sequential phrases, clauses, sentences or verses. The repeated word or word- combination happens at the beginning or very near the beginning of each consecutive syntactic structure. Below is the simple example of the occurrence of anaphora taken from Abraham Lincoln‟s second inaugural address.

With malice toward none With charity for all With firmness in the right

The words „with‟ are all repeated at the beginning of the each sentence.

Therefore, they are anaphorically parallel to each other. This example of anaphoric repetition can be represented by a single formula like (a…)(a…) which refers to the initial unit repetition. 15

2) Epistrophe

Epistrophe is the opposite of anaphora. The words repeated usually happen in the end of a unit or text. The last words or set of words in one sentence, clause, or phrase is repeated one or more times at the end of successive lines, clauses, or sentences (Wales, 2001: 132). It is an extremely emphatic device because the emphasis laid on the last word or words of the consecutive linguistic items. Leech

(1969: 81) proposes the formulas as (…a)(…a), and so on. Here is the example of epistrophe from Nelson Mandela‟s inaugural speech in 1994.

The time for the healing of the wounds has come. The moment to bridge the chasms that divide us has come.

The words „has come‟ are all repeated at the end of the sentences. The repetition at the end of a sentence in the example above shows how Mandela wants his nation to overcome the hardships and begin a new life peacefully.

3) Symploce

Symploce is a combination of both anaphora and epistrophe. Leech (1969: 81) says that symploce is the combined repetition of the first words and the final words in one or more successive phrases, clauses, or sentences. He formulates it as (a…b)(a…b). Moreover, according to Wales (2001: 380) symploce involves the repetition of one set of words at the beginning of a series of sentences or verse lines, and of another set at the end.

The following symploce example is taken from the excerpts of President

William Jefferson Clinton's speech in Oklahoma City at the Oklahoma State

Fairgrounds the Sunday after the bombing in 1995. 16

Let us let our own children know that we will stand against the forces of fear. When there is talk of hatred, let us stand up and talk against it. When there is talk of violence, let us stand up and talk against it.

There is repetition of one set of words at the beginning as in „When there is a talk of‟ and another set of words at the end as in „let us stand up and talk against it‟. Since, the speech is delivered in a situation which is full of grief, President

Clinton tries to use the repetitive words which the meanings can be remembered by his people.

4) Anadiplosis

Leech (1969: 81) explains that anadiplosis happens in which the final words of the previous phrases or clauses are repeated at the beginning of the next phrases or clauses. This repetition appears in this formula (…a)(a…). Wales (2001: 18) states that anadiplosis was a preferred stylistic device to be used by literary writers during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I to connect the lines, and to draw the process of developing thoughts.

The example below shows the use of anadiplosis in Philipp Sydney‟s

Astrophel and Stella quoted in Wales (2001: 18).

My words I know do well set forth my mind; My mind bemoans his sense of inward smart; Such smart may pity claim of any heart; Her heart, sweet heart, is of no tiger's kind. (Wales, 2001: 18)

The word „my mind‟, „smart‟, and „heart‟ which appeared at the end of each line are all repeated in the beginning of the next lines. Anadiplosis can also be used as a device to link stanzas in a poem.

5) Epanalepsis

Epanalepsis happens when the words at the end of a clause or phrase repeats the beginning part of the same clause or phrase (Leech, 1969: 82). It is seen as a kind of double repetition involving parallelism. This repetition is able to highlight the word or phrase.

The following sentences quoted from Milton‟s Paradise Lost, II are the examples of epanalepsis applied in the language of poetry.

With ruin upon ruin, rout on rout, Confusion worse confounded. (Leech, 1969: 82)

In this example, the writer creates the words „ruin‟ repeated at the end of the same unit and „rout‟ to be repeated successively in the same unit, as well. Leech

(1969: 82) derives the formula as (a…a) (b…b).

6) Antistrophe

Antistrophe is a method of repetition and it is a parallelism technique. Leech

(1969: 82) and Wales (2001: 23) agree that antistrophe is the repetition of items in a reverse order. Mathematically, the formula for this type of verbal parallelism is

(…a…b…)(…b…a…).

Taken from the extract of Shakespeare‟s Hamlet, Act II, Scene ii, Leech

(1969: 82) shows the example of the occurrence of antistrophe.

What‟s Hecuba to him or he to Hecuba That he should weep for her? (Leech, 1969: 82) 18

The word „Hecuba‟ as the initial word is repeated at the end part. Meanwhile, the word „him‟ as the end unit is repeated as the word „he‟, which has the same meaning as „him‟, in the initial part.

7) Polyptoton

Leech (1969: 82) explains polyptoton as the repetition of the same word with various cases, such as grammatical inflections. Moreover, Wales (2001: 308) defines polyptoton as a repetition in which a word is repeated in different case forms, but it is based on the same basic part of word form. Wales (2001: 309) also states that in modern day advertising, polyptoton is commonly used as a means of emphasis.

Below is the example of polyptoton from Winston Churchill‟s speech in

November 12, 1936.

The Government simply cannot make up their minds, or they cannot get the Prime Minister to make up his mind. So they go on in strange paradox, decided only to be undecided, resolved to be irresolute, adamant for drift, solid for fluidity, all-powerful to be impotent.

Here the words „decided‟ is repeated into different form which is „undecided‟.

Both words have the same root which is the word „decide‟. Besides, in the speech above, the speaker repeats the word „resolved‟ into the word „irresolute‟. The word „irresolute‟ itself has the same root as the word „resolve‟.

8) Homoioteleuton

Homoioteleuton is the repetition of the similar endings in two or more adjacent words or clauses. (Leech, 1969: 82). He further explains that 19

homoioteleuton is a strategic use of word or words to foreground a stretch of language.

The following example extracted from Wordsworth‟s Ode: Intimations of

Immorality quoted in Leech (1969: 83).

Not for these I rise The song of thanks and praise; But for those obstinate questionings Of sense and outwards things, Fallings from us, vanishings, Blank Misgivings of a creature (Leech, 1969: 82)

The occurrence of the suffix „-ings‟ in the lexical items of „question‟, „fall‟,

„vanish, and „misgive‟ shows the use of homoioteleuton.

b. Functions of Verbal Parallelism

Language is used by people to communicate with each other. It performs various functions or interactive roles. The simplest function of language commonly known by people is that it serves to communicate thoughts (Leech and

Short, 2007: 25). However, there are ideas that even a simple utterance can fulfil several other functions of language. Any portion of language is assumed to be the outcome of word choices made on different functional positions.

Therefore, verbal parallelism also carries out its own functions. Deborah

Tannen (2007: 58) lists out the functions of repetition used in spoken communication. There are four functions proposed by Tannen, namely production, comprehension, connection, and interaction. As a part of repetition, the functions of verbal parallelism seem to be correlated to the functions proposed by Tannen. Furthermore, this research applies Tannen‟s theory in analyzing the 20

functions of verbal parallelism. The further discussion of each function will be presented in the section below.

1) Production

Verbal parallelism can function as a source of producing sufficient talk.

Tannen (2007: 58) defines that repeating some certain words allows the speaker to stimulate or to think what he or she supposed to say next in an ongoing speech.

Moreover, additional information can also be produced just by repeating the words. For example, the function of production can be seen in the excerpt of the speech delivered by Malala Yousafzai in United Nations Youth Assembly 2013,

Their right to live in peace, their right to be treated in dignity, their right to equality of opportunity, their right to be educated. Here, Malala adds new information that children do not only deserve to live in peace, but they also deserve to be educated. Verbal parallelism in which the speaker produces fluent talk or speech also enables the speaker to avoid uncomfortable silence between the speaker and the hearer. Instead of using filler such as ah or em to produce what comes next, verbal parallelism enables the speaker to be a better communicator.

2) Comprehension

The next function is comprehension. This comprehension function is advantageous for the hearer or the audience. Tannen (2007: 59) states that while repetition benefited the speaker to produce the next things to say, it also benefited the hearer or audience to comprehend the information given by the speaker.

Verbal parallelism happens to be repeating some words which leave a space for 21

the speaker and the hearer. By doing so, the information delivered by the speaker seems to be less. The hearers or audience catch up their understandings about the information delivered when verbal parallelism is applied. For instance, in such a formal event, a speaker talks about serious topic which is hardly understood in just hearing it for once. By applying verbal parallelism, the same words coming out from the speaker give more time for the audience to comprehend the information.

3) Connection

Convincing the ideas to the hearers is not an easy task to do. The ideas in each sentence delivered by the speaker should be properly connected. Verbal parallelism can function to link each sentence. As Tannen (2007: 60) stated, repeating the same words or phrases enables the new utterance or sentence to connect to the previous ones. An example from Abraham Lincoln famous statement during the well-known Lincoln-Douglas debates is presented in the following: You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time. The verbal parallelism through the repetition of the phrase “of the time” ties the connection from the first clause until the last clause. Verbal parallelism enables the speaker to connect each sentence‟s ideas.

4) Interaction

Tannen (2007: 61) states that instead of only functioning in the level of production, comprehension, and connection, repetition can also be functioned in interactional level. In spoken communication, the interaction between the speaker 22

and the hearer plays an important part for developing effective communication.

Verbal parallelism also plays an important part in interaction. For example, when the hearer cannot hear the sentence uttered by the speaker, by repeating the utterance, the speaker interacted with the hearer. For example, verbal parallelism can be applied by asking short question or a yes no question to the hearer, so that the speaker is able to bond with the hearer or audience.

3. Theme and Verbal Parallelism

A theme is the main ideas or underlying meanings conveyed by a piece of text. According to Abrams (1985: 121) theme is a general idea, concept or doctrine, whether implicitly or explicitly, in a work which is designed to involve the readers or the hearers. A theme is rarely directly stated. Instead the readers or hearers must discover the theme by examining the details meaning in the text or speech given. Most texts have more than one theme. It can be major themes and minor themes.

In a speech, the themes are conveyed by the speaker through all the speech elements. The plot structure of a speech is the sequence elements making up the speech which can determine the themes of the speech. A theme can also function as unifying ideas in a speech. The way the speaker delivered the speech also becomes an important element in determining the theme.

Another example of more specific element of stylistic devices which is aimed to craft the themes in a speech is verbal parallelism. The choice of words reflected through verbal parallelism can push the plot structure to the details. Some specific word choices or structures in certain settings or plot attract the readers or the 23

hearers to. However, in determining the theme, all elements in the unit should be looked up. For instance, the theme of optimism quoted from Malala Yousafzai‟s speech in United Nations Youth Assembly is presented in the following example.

Dear sisters and brothers, we realise the importance of light when we see darkness. We realise the importance of our voice when we are silenced. In the same way, when we were in Swat, the north of Pakistan, we realised the importance of pens and books when we saw the guns.

The words we realise the importance of which repeated in each initial unit shows the ambition of the speaker. Looking back at all the element made up the paragraph, the ambition of the speaker shows her optimism. She said that someone‟s opinion matters a lot to determine his or her life. The optimistic nature can be seen by her ambitions to voice out her opinions, to fight against misery.

4. Michelle Obama’s Speech at Hillary for America Campaign in New

Hampshire 2016

Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama was born on January 17 , 1964 in

Chicago, Illinois . She attended Princeton University , graduating in 1985 with a

B.A. in Sociology. She graduated from Harvard Law School in 1988 and then joined the Chicago law firm Sidley & Austin, where she met Barack Obama . She is the wife of United States President, Barrack Obama. She is the first African-

American to be the first lady of the United States. In addition to being the wife of

President Barack Obama, first lady Michelle Obama is the mother of two daughters, Malia and Sasha. 24

Figure 1. The 44th First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama

As first lady, Mrs. Obama has continued to focus on young people. In 2010, she launched a comprehensive initiative called Let's Move!, dedicated to solve the epidemic problem of childhood obesity within a generation. She also together with Dr. Jill Biden in 2011 launched Joining Forces, a nationwide initiative calling all American citizens to work hand in hand with the private sectors to ensure that service members, veterans, and their families have the tools they need to succeed throughout their lives. Later in 2014, Mrs. Obama launched the Reach

Higher initiative which is aimed to inspire every student in America to take charge of their future by completing their education past high school, whether at a professional training program, a community college, or a four-year college or university. The most recent initiative she took part in is Let Girls Learn in 2015 which is joined by President Barrack Obama. The initiative itself is dediated to help girls attain a quality education that empowers them to reach their full potential. 25

In July 2016, Hillary Clinton, former first lady, senator and secretary of state of United States, became the official Democratic nominee for the American presidency. Since then, Michelle Obama made several campaign speeches in support of Clinton, including the speech she delivered at 2016 Democratic

National Convention. One of her speeches which delivered on October 13, 2016 is seen as a remarkable critique to the Republican nominee gained much attention from all around the world.

In her speech, she pointed criticisms against Donald Trump‟s comments about women. In the 2005 video, Trump can be heard describing in graphic terms how he uses his star power to force himself upon women. Throughout her speech,

Michelle Obama never addressed the Republican presidential nominee, Donald

Trump, by his name; she referred him as a “candidate”. She said that it was painful to hear hurtful and hateful language about women. She also added that those who expected to be a leader should meet basic standard of human decency.

During her speech, Mrs. Obama‟s quivering voice can be heard which made her speech sounded more emotional and personal. After denouncing Trump‟s comment on women, Mrs. Obama turned to praise Hillary Clinton, noting

Hillary‟s extensive political experience and pointing out that Hillary Clinton happens to be a woman.

5. Previous Studies

Some researchers have conducted many studies under the topic of stylistics, verbal parallelism especially. There are two previous studies under the similar 26

topic that are looked upon by the researcher as references before conducting her research.

An undergraduate thesis by Riusly Pratomo from Yogyakarta State University in 2016 entitled A Stylistic Analysis of Figurative Language in Vladimir Putin’s

2007 Munich Speech is one of the examples. The aim of the paper is to identify the types and functions of figurative language in Vladimir Putin‟s 2007 Munich

Speech and to reveal the responses of the audience in relation to the use of figurative language in the speech.

The results of the research showed that there are only seven out of twelve types of figurative language found based on Perrine‟s theory. They are metaphor, simile, personification, synecdoche, paradox, irony and hyperbole. Therefore, among four functions of figurative language proposed by Perrine, only three are found in the speech. Bringing additional imagery is carried by metaphor, increasing emotional intensity is carried by metaphor and hyperbole and saying much in brief compass is carried by all the seven figures of speech found in the speech. Then, there are two types of responses toward the speech, the negative which sees it as a criticism to counter U.S. dominancy towards the globe and the positive one which sees it as an invitation to discussion.

Another example of a study under the topic of verbal parallelism is a study conducted by Shazia Kousar in 2013 under the title An Analysis of Verbal

Parallelism in T.S. Eliot’s Poem The Love Song. This research is aimed at investigating the role of anaphora, epistrophe, symploce, homoioteleuton, polyptoton and other stylistic devices that T.S. Eliot employs in the actualisation 27

of his poetic composition the Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. The results of the regularities of form like verbal parallelism (anaphora, epistrophe, symploce, homoioteleuton, and polyptoton) are literary technique used cleverly to encode and decode the message in given poetic creation.

Both studies are very helpful for the researcher in conducting her research.

The similarity of the first research and this research is that both researches take speech as their object of study. However, the first research mainly focuses on figurative language. Meanwhile, this research focuses on verbal parallelism in particular. Compared to the second previous research, this research has some similarities; analyzing types of verbal parallelism are applied in both researches.

Meanwhile, the second previous research focuses on poems as its object, while this research focuses on novel as its object of study.

B. Conceptual Framework

This research is under the study of stylistics. Stylistics covers the study of language use in literary and non-literary works. This research is aimed to identify the types of verbal parallelism applied in Michelle Obama‟s speech at Hillary for

America campaign in New Hampshire. Leech‟s theory of verbal parallelism is the basic theory of this research. According to Leech (1969), there are eight types of verbal parallelism including anaphora, epistrophe, symploce, anadiplosis, epanalepsis, antistrophe, polyptoton and homoioteleuton.

As for the functions, the theory proposed by Deborah Tannen is used. It is stated that there are four functions of repetition which are production, comprehension, connection, and interaction. 28

The themes in the speech itself are analyzed by identifying the plot structure of speech, especially on the sequence of recurrent elements making up the whole speech.

In conducting the analysis, the researcher uses a systematic way, which is presented in the analytical construct in Figure 2 on the following page.

for America America for

mpaign in New New in mpaign

Speech at Hillary Hillary at Speech

Non C Michelle Obama’s Michelle

Rhythm and Metre and

ampaign in New ampaignin New Hampshire C

Indeterminacy

Ambiguity and erbal Parallelism in Michelle Obama’s Parallelism Obama’s in Michelle erbal

Figure 2. Analytical Construct Analytical 2. Figure

Patterns of of Patterns

Speech at Hillary Hillary America at for Speech

A Stylistic A V of Analysis

Production Comprehensi Connection Interaction

1. 2. 3. 4.

Figurative Figurative

Verbal Verbal

Parallelism

Language Style Language

Anaphora Epistrophe Symploce Anadiplosis Epanalepsis Antistrophe Polyptoton Homoioteleuton

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Language Language Deviation

CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHOD

This chapter explains the research methods which were adopted in conducting the research. There are six aspects regarding the research methods. They are types of the study, forms, contexts, and sources of data, data collection techniques, research instruments, data analysis techniques, and data trustworthiness.

A. Types of the Study

This research applied descriptive qualitative method which analyzed a specific language phenomenon. According to VanderStoep and Johnston (2009: 7), qualitative method concerns with producing narrative or textual descriptions of the phenomena under study. Furthermore, Van Maanen (in Merriam, 2009: 13) defines qualitative research as an interpretive technique to describe, decode, and discover the meaning, not the number of occurrence, of the phenomena observed.

The result of this qualitative method is richly descriptive (Merriam, 2009: 16).

Since the object of this research was a speech which contained descriptive data in the form of written words, this research employed a descriptive qualitative method. This research described the phenomena of verbal parallelism in Michelle

Obama’s speech. In addition, the researcher also intended to point out the themes and functions of verbal parallelism. Descriptive qualitative method was employed in describing the data in words or making interpretations on the findings.

Moreover, stylistics is the main approach used in this research to analyze the speech as the object of the research. The results of stylistic analysis tend to be in

the form of descriptive which support the employment of descriptive qualitative method in this research.

B. Forms, Context, and Source of Data

Since this research employed descriptive qualitative method, the data in this research were in the forms of words, phrases, clauses, or sentences in which verbal parallelism is used by Michelle Obama in her speech at Hillary for

America Campaign in New Hampshire. The source of the data was the official speech transcript taken from www.whitehouse.gov. Meanwhile, the context of the data was the utterances uttered by Michelle Obama in her speech.

C. Data Collection Techniques

Merriam (2009: 18) mentions three types of data collection in qualitative research, including interviews, observations, and documents. To collect the valid data, this research applied document analysis by note-taking since the source of data is in the form of written text. There were several steps taken in collecting the data for this research. The first step was watching the video of the speech. After that, the researcher looked for the official transcript to match with the video and read it several times to understand it thoroughly. The next step was analyzing all the utterances in the speech. After that, the researcher applied the experts’ theories of verbal parallelism to classify the data. Then, the researcher took notes of all utterances containing verbal parallelism. The researcher left out the utterances which did not have verbal parallelism since they did not have function for this research. The last step was transferring the data containing verbal parallelism into the data sheet. 32

D. Research Instruments

One of the main characteristics of qualitative research is that the researcher is the main instrument for collecting and analyzing the data (Merriam, 2009: 15).

The human instrument seems to be the most suitable means for collecting and analyzing the data since he or she is able to understand, clarify, and interpret the data (Merriam, 2009: 15).

As previously noted, this research employed qualitative method; so in conducting this research, the researcher herself was the main instrument to investigate, to collect, and to analyze the data. Another instrument which was used in this research was a data sheet to help the researcher get precise data. The form of data sheet is as follows.

Table 1. The Form of Data Sheet of Types and Functions of Verbal Parallelism, and Themes in Michelle Obama’s Speech at Hillary for America Campaign in New Hampshire

Notes: Types Functions Theme a : Anaphora 1 : Production i : Women’s rights 33

b : Epistrophe 2 : Comprehension ii : Women’s insecurity c : Symploce 3 : Connection iii : Opponent’s misbehavior d : Anadiplosis 4 : Interaction iv : Gender equality e : Epanalepsis v : Persuasion to voters f : Antistrophe g : Polyptoton h : Homoioteleuton

E. Data Analysis Techniques

Bogdan and Biklen (2003: 147) define data analysis as the process of enabling any findings which is done by organizing the materials obtained. In occurrence with the process of analyzing the data, interpreting data also becomes an important aspect in qualitative research. The process of advancing and relating the findings to certain literature concepts is considered as data interpretation

(Bogdan and Biklen, 2003: 147). In this research, after the data had been collected, the researcher followed some specific steps which were taken to analyze the data based on the research questions:

1. identifying and classifying the particular utterances in the speech based on the

types of verbal parallelism and its functions;

2. analyzing and interpreting the data to get detailed explanations;

3. checking the accuracy of the data; and

4. concluding the analyzed data.

F. Data Trustworthiness

Since the researcher herself was the primary instrument for collecting and analyzing the data, interpretations and understandings were accessed directly from her observations. Therefore, to meet the standards of validity and reliability, the researcher conducted triangulation (VanderStoep and Johnston, 2009:179). The 34

type of triangulation that was used by the researcher included theories from experts of stylistics, verbal parallelism in particular and also its functions.

Moreover, the researcher consulted her findings and analysis with her two supervisors. Besides, the researcher also discussed the data and findings with the peer reviewers. They were the students who took linguistics as their major in

English Department of Yogyakarta State University. The researcher asked the reviewers to give suggestion and opinion about the analysis, and then compared her analysis with the reviewers’ analysis. The degree of conformability of the data was expected to be accurate by doing consultation and peer reviewing.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

This research is aimed to identify the types and the functions of verbal parallelism in a speech given by Michelle Obama at Hillary for America campaign in

New Hampshire, and to describe the themes which can be inferred from the use of verbal parallelism in her speech. This chapter embodies two sections, namely findings and discussion. The findings section is based on the research objectives. The findings of the research are presented in the form of table. Meanwhile, the more detailed data explanations including examples can be found in discussion section.

A. Findings

The findings of types and functions of verbal parallelism and themes in Michelle

Obama’s Speech at Hillary for America Campaign in New Hampshire are presented in the following table.

Table 2. Types and Functions of Verbal Parallelism, and Themes in Michelle Obama’s Speech at Hillary for America Campaign in New Hampshire

No Types Functions Themes Women’s rights, Women’s insecurity, Production Opponent’s misbehaviour, Gender equality, Persuasion to voters 1 Anaphora Women’ rights, Women’s insecurity, Comprehension Persuasion to voters Interaction Persuasion to voters Women’s insecurity, Opponent’s Production misbehaviour 2 Epistrophe Women’s insecurity, Opponent’s Comprehension misbehaviour

Women’s insecurity, Opponent’s Connection misbehaviour Production Opponent’s misbehaviour 3 Symploce Opponent’s misbehaviour, Persuasion Comprehension to voters Opponent’s misbehaviour, Gender Production 4 Anadiplosis equality, Persuasion to voters Comprehension Persuasion to voters Production Persuasion to voters Opponent’s misbehaviour, Gender Comprehension 5 Epanalepsis equality, Persuasion to voters Opponent’s misbehaviour, Persuasion Interaction to voters 6 Polyptoton Comprehension Women’s rights, Persuasion to voters Women’s rights, Women’s insecurity, Production Opponent’s misbehaviour, Gender 7 Homoioteleuton equality, Persuasion to voters Interaction Gender equality

According to Leech’s theory, there are eight types of verbal parallelism.

However, based on the table above, only seven types of verbal parallelism are found in Michelle Obama’s Speech at Hillary for America Campaign in New Hampshire.

They are anaphora, epistrophe, symploce, anadiplosis, epanalepsis, polyptoton, and homoioteleuton. Antistrophe does not occur since there is no repetition of units in a reverse order. The speaker of the given speech tends to repeat the words, phrases, or clauses in a forward order to emphasize her messages.

Each type of verbal parallelism carries its own particular functions and themes.

There are two main functions that can be inferred from the findings, namely production and comprehension. The speaker of the speech uses verbal parallelism 37

mainly to produce sentences in a more effective way. By doing that, the speech given becomes easier to comprehend by the audience. Both the speaker and the audience are given the benefits from those two functions. The use of verbal parallelism gives the audience time to reflect on the speaker’s words because there is less information delivered. As for the speaker, the use of verbal parallelism enables her to think about what to say next.

There are five themes found in the speech delivered by Michelle Obama, but only two particular themes serve as the main themes of the speech. Those two themes are opponent’s misbehavior and persuasion to voters. As the speech is given in a political campaign event, it is not strange for the speaker to talk about the opponent’s downside. By stating some of the negative aspects of the opponent, the speaker wants to emphasize the difference between the two candidates. Moreover, telling the audience about the opponent’s negative aspects explains why voters should give their support to Hillary Clinton. The speaker highlights the campaign’s message by repeating the words or phrases in her speech. The speaker basically persuades the audience to vote for Hillary Clinton to win the election by using verbal parallelism.

B. Discussion

In this section, the findings of verbal parallelism in Michelle Obama’s speech are discussed more comprehensively. Some examples of verbal parallelism that are found in the speech are provided to give a more in-depth explanation of the phenomena. The aim of the discussion is to address the research objectives. Based on the objectives of this research, there are three parts of discussion concerning about verbal parallelism in 38

Michelle Obama’s speech, i.e.: the types and functions of verbal parallelism, and the themes in Michelle Obama’s Speech at Hillary for America Campaign in New

1. Types of Verbal Parallelism in Michelle Obama’s Speech at Hillary for America Campaign in New Hampshire As proposed by Leech (1969), there are eight types of verbal parallelism.

However, based on the findings above, only seven types of verbal parallelism are found in Michelle Obama’s speech at Hillary for America campaign in New

Hampshire. Those seven types of verbal parallelism found are anaphora, epistrophe, symploce, anadiplosis, epanalepsis, polyptoton, and homoioteleuton. The detailed explanation of types is presented below. a. Anaphora

Anaphora is a form of verbal parallelism in which the same word or word combination is repeated in the beginning of each consecutive clause or sentence. The term anaphora itself has more than one meaning. In grammar and text studies, the term anaphora is used to denote a kind of reference (Wales, 2001: 19). However, the term anaphora in verbal parallelism is focused on the initial repetition of the same words. An example of anaphora found in Michelle Obama’s speech at Hillary for

America campaign is presented as follows.

I wanted them to understand that the measure of any society is how it treats its women and girls. And I told them that they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and I told them that they should disregard anyone who demeans or devalues them, and that they should make their voices heard in the world. (Datum No. 05) 39

These sentences are uttered by Mrs. Obama as the opening points before she comes to the main point of her speech that day. Mrs. Obama brings up the celebration of the

International Day of the Girl and Let Girls Learn that happened at the White House a few days before the campaign. She states that she was able to talk with those young women from all over the world at that event. Anaphora is marked when Mrs. Obama uttered her sentences by repeating the words and I told them that they at the beginning of her sentences or clauses. By repeating those words, she shows her support towards women and how they should be treated in the society.

The next example of anaphora is taken from the speech as Mrs. Obama is stating the criteria of an ideal U.S. President. Below is the example.

We need someone who is a uniting force in this country. We need someone who will heal the wounds that divide us, (Datum No. 31)

In the middle of her speech, Mrs. Obama stated the ideal characteristics that should be possessed by the next U.S President. She happened to repeat the words we need someone who in each beginning of her sentences. That repetition indicates the occurrence of anaphora.

Another example of anaphora taken from the moment Mrs. Obama delivering her speech is presented below.

We teach our kids the value of being a team player, which is what Hillary exemplified when she lost the 2008… We also teach our kids that you don’t take shortcuts in life, and you strive for meaningful success in whatever job you do… And finally, we teach our kids that when you hit challenges in life, you don’t give up, you stick with it. (Datum No. 33) 40

These long sentences are delivered by Mrs. Obama as she summarizing the biography Hillary Clinton. She intentionally repeats the initial words of each sentence which are we teach our kids. By repeating those words and listing out

Hillary Clinton experiences in political field, Mrs. Obama tries to give away the positive points of Hillary Clinton that can be used as a motivation for younger generation. By repeating those words, she also points out that characteristic of a person can be shaped from experience. b. Epistrophe

The second type of verbal parallelism is called epistrophe. This type of verbal parallelism is marked by the repetition of the same word or words at the end of successive lines, clauses, or sentences. The first example of epistophe from Michelle

Obama’s speech is presented below.

last week, we saw this candidate actually bragging about sexually assaulting women. And I can’t believe that I’m saying that a candidate for President of the United States has bragged about sexually assaulting women. (Datum No. 09)

Each sentence of the example above is ended by the same word combination which shows the occurrence of epistrophe. In the middle of her speech, Mrs. Obama comes to the point where she points out the bad qualities owned by Hillary Clinton’s opposition. Mrs. Obama repeats the words brag about sexually assaulting women as she voices out her opinion. She could not contain her feelings as she is upset about the opposite candidate. She highlights the point of assaulting women as something 41

that cannot be ignored. That is also her reason why she brought up that issue into her campaign speech.

The second example of epistophe which is taken from the speech where Mrs.

Obama talks about women is shown below.

It’s that feeling of terror and violation that too many women have felt when someone has grabbed them, or forced himself on them.

(Datum No. 14)

Here, Mrs. Obama is talking about the shameful comments about women’s bodies.

She says that it must be cruel and frightening for women when someone beliefs that he can do anything he wants to a woman. She focuses on women as her point of speech in those sentences. The repetition of the word them which refers to women happened at the end of each clause. That repetition marks the type of verbal parallelism called epistrophe.

The third example of epistrophe is taken from the anecdote told by Mrs. Obama in her speech.

“Because the other guy called someone a piggy, and,” he said, “you cannot be President if you call someone a piggy.” (Datum No. 26)

In order to give concrete example of how bad Trump’s action towards women, Mrs.

Obama tells an anecdote of a boy’s reaction after watching the news about Trump’s misbehavior. She recalls the sentences that the boy said to his parents. While recounting the boy’s term given to a man with inappropriate behavior, Mrs. Obama shows the indication of epistrophe. The words call someone a piggy are repeated at 42

the end of each sentence. The repetition at the final parts of the sentences in her speech is used by Mrs. Obama to describe such wrongful behavior addressed to women. c. Symploce

The combination of both anaphora and epistrophe forms the type of verbal parallelism called symploce. Symploce is an initial and a final word or set of words that are repeated in successive phrases, clauses, or sentences. The following example is taken from Michelle Obama’s speech at Hillary for America campaign.

We are validating it. We are endorsing it. (Datum No. 39) In this example, the words we are…it are repeated at the beginning and the end of each sentence. Those words happen to be repeated because Mrs. Obama talks about if Hillary Clinton’s opponent won the election. She states that if Trump who bragged about sexually assaulting women on public won the election, means that the people of America are okay with such misbehavior towards women. She says that the public agreed with such action to be done to women.

Another example of symploce that is extracted from Michelle Obama’s speech when she compares Hillary Clinton and her opponent is presented as follows.

whether we have a President who treats people with respect -- or not. A President who will fight for kids, for good schools, for good jobs for our families -- or not. A President who thinks that women deserve the right to make our own choices about our bodies and our health -- or not. (Datum No. 52)

Mrs. Obama talks about the Election Day which would determine the next U.S.

President. She emphasizes that on that day, the Americans will place their bet to the 43

future of the United States. She compares Hillary Clinton with her opponent. She points out Hillary’s strengths and her opponent’s weaknesses. She repeats the words a President who…or not in each beginning and end of her sentences as she lists out the characteristics of a President who whether would be the next President of the

United States. d. Anadiplosis

Anadiplosis happens when there is repetition at the beginning of a phrase or a clause of a word (or words) with which the previous phrase or clause ended. Below is the example of anadiplosis found in Michelle Obama’s speech at Hillary for

America campaign.

In fact, someone recently told me a story about their six-year-old son who one day was watching the news -- they were watching the news together (Datum No. 25)

These sentences are uttered by Mrs. Obama when she talks about the anecdote of a boy who was watching the news about Trump’s misbehavior towards women on TV.

The repetition happened on the words watching the news which ended the first sentence and repeated in the near beginning of the next sentence. Mrs. Obama repeats those words because it was what actually happened to the boy. Even from watching the news, a six year old boy could have a thought that Hillary Clinton would be the next President of the U.S.

The next example of anadiplosis is found when Mrs. Obama talked about the ideal type of how a man should be treating a woman. 44

Strong men -- men who are truly role models -- don’t need to put down women to make themselves feel powerful. (Datum No. 29)

Mrs. Obama feels the urgency to address how men should treat women. She repeats the word men at the end of a phrase to the beginning of the next clause. This repetition is called anadiplosis. After talking about how a six year old boy reacted to Trump’s misbehavior, she states her clear opinion on ideal men. She insists how men should treat women in the right way.

The following example also shows the occurrence of anadiplosis in Michelle

Obama’s speech.

The fact is that Hillary embodies so many of the values that we try so hard to teach our young people. We tell our young people “Work hard in school, get a good education.” (Datum No. 32)

As Mrs. Obama comes to the basic message of her political campaign speech, she started to draw an image of Hillary Clinton to the audience. In the above sentence, she specifically addresses how young people matter in the society. She mentions that

Hillary Clinton’s characteristics were worth to be taught to the young people. She mentions how Hillary Clinton used her college and law degrees to advocate for kids with disabilities. By mentioning that, Mrs. Obama wants to encourage the audience to use education to help others. She continually repeats the words our young people in her sentences. She points out the fact that young people are part of the next great generation that is why they should be taught the right norms or manners in life.

e. Epanalepsis

Epanalepsis happens when there is a repetition at the end of a clause of the word or word combination that occurred at the beginning of the clause. The following example shows the occurrence of epanalepsis in Michelle Obama’s speech.

We thought all of that was ancient history, didn’t we? (Datum No. 15)

The sentence above is a form of question tag in which Mrs. Obama repeats the word we that appears in the beginning of the sentence to the end of her sentence. The context of this happening question text is the talk about Hillary Clinton’s opponent misbehavior. Mrs. Obama mentions before that bragging about sexually assaulting women is not the right thing to do. Not only bragging about that, but also doing that is inappropriate. She repeats the word we in her question tag because she wants the audience to think the way she thought about Trump’s misbehavior.

Another example of epanalepsis from Michelle Obama’s speech is presented as follows.

no one could be more qualified for this job than Hillary -- no one. (Datum No. 37)

Here, Mrs. Obama mentions directly that Hillary Clinton is the only person qualified to be the next President of the United States between the two candidates.

She insists the message by repeating the word no one in the beginning and end of her sentence. That word brought the speech’s message came to the light. The message of the campaign speech should resonate to the audience.

f. Polyptoton

The definition of polyptoton is the repetition of a word, within successive clauses or sentences, in a different form but from the same root. The first example of polyptoton is shown below.

See, on Tuesday, at the White House, we celebrated the International Day of the Girl and Let Girls Learn, and it was a wonderful celebration. It was the last event that I’m going to be doing as First Lady for Let Girls Learn. (Datum No. 02)

In the beginning of her speech, Mrs. Obama talks briefly about the event she attended before the campaign. As that event was closely related to what she was going to talk about in her speech, which was women. She happens to repeat some similar words which categorized as polyptoton in her sentences when she talks about the

International Day of the Girl celebration. Polyptoton found in that speech was marked by the words celebrated and celebration which came from the same root. She marks the celebration event as the occasion where she could talk to women from all around the world. She mentions how precious and valuable women are. She wants them to understand that the measure of society is defined by how it treats its women and girls.

Another example of polyptoton can be found when Michelle Obama talked about the women of this generation who were way different from women in the previous generation.

You see, while our mothers and grandmothers were often powerless to change their circumstances, today, we as women have all the power we need to determine the outcome of this election. (Datum No. 42) 47

In her speech, Mrs. Obama presents the image of the modern United States as a country of freedom, liberty, and equality. She affirms that the women in the US have power to determine their own lives. The occurrence of polyptoton can be seen when the words powerless and power found within successive clauses. Mrs. Obama shows the audience the contrastive ideas of how women from previous generation could not do much to fight for their rights. By stating that, she encouraged the audience to gain more confidence to be able to defend themselves. g. Homoioteleuton

Homoioteleuton is the repetition of similar endings in two or more adjacent words, clauses, or lines. The first example of homoioteleuton in Michelle Obama’s speech is presented below.

Because many of these girls have faced unthinkable obstacles just to attend school, jeopardizing their personal safety, their freedom, risking the rejection of their families and communities (Datum No. 04)

In this part of her speech, Mrs. Obama talked about how much hardships that women have to endure to fight for their rights. This talk happened at the celebration event of the International Day of the Girl and Let Girls Learn. She mentions that she was able to talks about those girls’ aspirations and obstacles in their lives. Mrs. Obama comes to the point in which families can also be one of the obstacles for gaining their rights.

She repeated the suffix –es in the word family and community. The repetition of similar endings marked the happening of homioteleuton. 48

The next example of homoioteleuton shown below is found when Michelle

Obama talked about Trump’s misbehavior towards women.

And now here I am, out on the campaign trail in an election where we have consistently been hearing hurtful, hateful language about women--language that has been painful for so many of us (Datum No. 06)

In response to Trump’s comment about how he sexually abused women in the past,

Mrs. Obama reacts by saying that his comment was such a pain for women in general. Not only that Trump has sexually abused women, but also he bragged about it in public. Hearing those comments about how he treated women, Mrs. Obama gives her honest opinion. She regards Trump, even though she never mentions his name directly, has been delivering not appropriate comments about women. She says that his comments were hurtful, hateful, and also painful. The repetition of the word –ful in the sentence above shows the occurrence of homoioteleuton.

The talks about how Hillary Clinton’s opponent mistreated women continue to next part of Michelle Obama’s speech. Another homoioteleuton is found in Mrs.

Obama’s speech as she addressing Trump’s misbehavior. Below is the example of homoioteleuton.

This is a powerful individual speaking freely and openly about sexually predatory behavior. (Datum No. 12)

Here, Mrs. Obama talks about how Trump acted inappropriately without considering the after effect of his action in public. She regards Trump as a powerful individual.

By saying so, Mrs. Obama implies that the words from such a person could affect the 49

whole country or even the world. She indicates that the way a person acts and behaves is the reflection of that person’s personalities. She addresses Trump’s bragging about sexually assaulting women in public was a form of disrespect towards women. Such behavior should not be continued. The way she defines Trump’s behavior in her speech was a form of defensive acts towards women. Mrs. Obama states that such comments or behaviors could not be ignored. People should be aware that such behavior needs to be discussed and talked about. She used the suffix –ly to describe Trump’s inappropriate behavior. The suffix marked the happening of similar endings in two or more adjacent words. The similar endings to those words showed the occurrence of homoioteleuton.

2. Functions of Verbal Parallelism in Michelle Obama’s Speech at Hillary for America Campaign in New Hampshire Based on the second objective of the research, the next analysis deals with the functions of verbal parallelism found in Michelle Obama’s speech at Hillary for

America campaign in New Hampshire. Verbal Parallelism as a form of repetition carries out its own functions. Tannen (2007) lists four functions of repetition used in spoken communication, namely production, comprehension, connection, and interaction. Those four functions which are found in Michelle Obama’s Speech at

Hillary for America campaign in New Hampshire are explained in the following discussion.

a. Production

The first function is called production. By this function, verbal parallelism can be used as a source of producing sufficient talk. Repetition allows the speaker to set up a slot for additional information. Some types of verbal parallelism in Michelle Obama’s speech at Hillary for America campaign in New Hampshire which have the function of production are explained in the following.

And I had the pleasure of spending hours talking to some of the most amazing young women you will ever meet, young girls here in the U.S. and all around the world. And we talked about their hopes and their dreams. We talked about their aspirations. (Datum No. 03)

This datum occurs when Mrs. Obama started to get a little serious with her campaign speech as she said. She opened up her serious part of the speech by mentioning the celebration event that was held at the White House a few days before. That celebration event was as previously mentioned, the celebration of the International

Day of the Girl and Let Girls Learn, the initiative that she launched as the First Lady of the United States. In that event, she invited some of the best young women from the U.S. and also from all around the world. Then, the repetition of we talked about their happened as she talks about her experience. The repetition here is used to allow her to stimulate what to think next. As she utters the words “hopes” and “dreams” there seemed to be a little pause in between. Then she starts to repeat her initial word combination which is we talked about their to produce the next sentence.

The next example of how the function of production works in Michelle Obama’s speech at Hillary for America campaign in New Hampshire is presented as follows. 51

We’re just trying to keep our heads above water, just trying to get through it, trying to pretend like this doesn’t really bother us maybe because we think that admitting how much it hurts makes us as women look weak. (Datum No. 17)

The use of anaphora as one of the types of verbal parallelism in her statement is functioned to produce additional information as she repeated the same words. The words repeated are just trying to. Those words are repeated as she mentioned about

Hillary Clinton’s misbehavior towards women that he bragged in public. Mrs. Obama tries to recall that incident as she wanted the audience, especially women, to fight for their rights. The additional information is formed as she mentioned that after the incident, most women trying to keep their heads above water. Moreover, they were trying to get through it. They were trying to pretend that it does not bother them. Mrs.

Obama implies that the incident in which Trump freely bragging about sexually assaulting women bothered her and all women all around the country. She points out that no women deserved to be treated the wrong way.

The last example of production can be seen in the following when Michelle

Obama continued to talk about how bad Trump’s behavior was.

This is not normal. This is not politics as usual. (Datum No. 19)

These sentences are uttered by Mrs. Obama as she clearly stated her opinion to the people of New Hampshire that what was done by Hillary Clinton’s opponent was something that should not be done. As she emphasizes her speech on the words this is not in which she repeated, she voiced out her disagreement to such misbehavior. By repeating those words, she produces language in a more efficient way. 52

b. Comprehension

The second function is comprehension. Since the production function is more advantageous for the speaker, the comprehension function is more beneficial to the audience or the hearer. Various examples of how verbal parallelism carries out comprehension function are presented as follows.

This is not something that we can ignore. It’s not something we can just sweep under the rug as just another disturbing footnote in a sad election season. (Datum No. 10)

These sentences are uttered by Mrs. Obama as she stated her feelings towards

Trump’s action in which he bragged about sexually assaulting women. She says that she could not stop thinking about that. That was why she talks about that on her campaign speech. She repeatedly says this is not something we can. Those words were referred to Trump’s action. She repeating those words because she wants to make sure that the audience understood about her opinion. She wants the audience to think the same way as she did. She tries to get the audience to know that assaulting women is not an appropriate thing to do.

In other example of comprehension function, Michelle Obama lists out the criteria that should be owned by the next President of the U.S.

As she talkes about how the next President of the U.S. should be, Mrs. Obama lists out her opinion on the characteristics of a person that is needed by Americans. She mentions that the next President of the U.S. should not behave freely towards 53

women. She also mentions that such behaviour showed that it was not a decent human being would do. Later, she states that the U.S. needed someone who could unite the country and heal the wounds of the country. She repeats her words to let the audience comprehend what she talked about. She wants to audience to really feel the need of someone who could do both for the country.

Michelle Obama continues her speech by highlighting Hillary Clinton’s biography. The function of comprehension is found in that aspect of her speech as explained below.

She doesn’t blame others. She doesn’t abandon ship for something easier. (Datum No. 35)

As Mrs. Obama mentioning Hillary Clinton’s biography, she points out some strong appeals that Hillary has. Mrs. Obama pictures Hillary Clinton to the audience as someone who does not blame others and does not take a shortcut in her life. The repetition of the words she doesn’t took the big role in Mrs. Obama’s sentences to emphasize the message she brought. She repeats those words in order for the audience to receive the information how decent Hillary Clinton was to be the next

President. By mentioning some of Hillary Clinton positive characteristics as a person,

Mrs. Obama wants to make the audience aware of the plus points of Hillary Clinton. c. Connection

Repetition also serves a referential and tying function. Repeating the same words shows how utterances are linked to each sentence and how the ideas are presented. 54

Moreover, repetition connects the meaning of the sentence and discourse. The examples of connection function are presented below.

It’s that feeling of terror and violation that too many women have felt when someone has grabbed them, or forced himself on them. (Datum No. 14)

This example shows how repetition functioned to tie the idea of the clauses above.

The word them is repeated as a reference to women. In this case, Mrs. Obama is talking about how women must be felt when someone acts aggressively towards them. She is indicating that women must be felt terrified on such actions. She ties her ideas by mentioning women as she did not want people to put down women. She implies the importance of appreciating women’s feelings.

Another example of connection function that is found in Michelle Obama’s speech at Hillary for America campaign in New Hampshire is shown in the following.

A six-year-old knows that this is not how adults behave. This is not how decent human beings behave. And this is certainly not how someone who wants to be President of the United States behaves. (Datum No. 28)

Mrs. Obama is giving a concrete example of how a six year old boy reacted to

Trump’s behavior in the news on TV. She recounts the story of what that boy said to his parents after watching the news. He said that a person with such behavior could not be the next President of the United States. By saying that, Mrs. Obama draws her conclusion that even a six year old kid knew what kind of person who should be the next President. She connects her ideas on how a candidate of the next President of the 55

United States should not be behaved. She repeatedly saying the word behave as the main point of her message. She wants to convey her message to the audience that behavior of the President of the United States matters in deciding the future of the country. d. Interaction

In spoken communication, the interaction between the speaker and the hearer plays an important part for developing effective communication. In other words, repetition also links the individual speakers in a conversation to bond with the audience or the hearer. Some examples of interaction function in Michelle Obama’s speech are presented in the following.

then how can we maintain our moral authority in the world? How can we continue to be a beacon of freedom and justice and human dignity? (Datum No. 41)

Mrs. Obama brings back the issue of what if a President routinely degrades women and brags about sexually assaulting women to stress her persuasive message. She asks the audience what they could do if such President is elected. She repeats the question words as form of interacting with the audience. She tries to hold the audience’s attention all the way to the end. This kind of repetition functioned can be seen as the interaction that happened between the speaker and the hearer. After Mrs.

Obama uttering her sentences in the form of question by stressing the repeated words, the audience applauded her. By doing so, it can be implied that the audience were agreeing with what Mrs. Obama was voicing out. 56

Another example in which the audience responded to what Mrs. Obama was saying is presented below.

say enough is enough. (Datum No. 21)

Mrs. Obama is talking about how to stop such inappropriate behavior towards women. In this short clause, Mrs. Obama reassures the audience to come together to fight back to such inappropriate actions. She makes a clear point to ask the audience to stop that behavior by repeating the word enough. She certainly makes her words heard by the audience. By stressing on the word enough, Mrs. Obama tries to make the audience to agree with what she was saying. She tries to bond her message to the audience. After hearing that, the audience responded by giving applause to Mrs.

Obama speech.

3. Themes in Michelle Obama’s Speech at Hillary for America Campaign in New Hampshire As stated in the literature review, a theme is the main ideas or underlying meanings conveyed by a piece of text. In a speech, the themes are delivered by the speaker through all the speech elements. A theme can also be functioned as unifying ideas in a speech. The way the speaker delivers the speech also becomes an important element in determining the themes. An example of more specific element of stylistic devices aiming to craft the themes in a speech is verbal parallelism. The choice of words repeated in verbal parallelism can give away the themes employed in the speech. However, in determining the themes, all elements in the unit should be looked up. 57

In Michelle Obama’s speech at Hillary for America campaign in New

Hampshire, there are five themes that can be reflected. They are women’s rights, women’s insecurity, opponent’s misbehavior, gender equality, and persuasion to voters. The detailed explanation of each theme is presented in the following.

a. Women’s Rights

Michelle Obama as the speaker of the campaign speech brings up the issue about women. It is inevitable that the theme of her speech would be related to women. Mrs.

Obama states over and over in her speech that women deserved to be treated the right way. She says that women have their own dreams and hopes that should be respected.

As a result, the theme of women’s rights is inferred from the speech given by

Mrs. Obama. The theme of women’s rights appears when Mrs. Obama was talking about the celebration event she attended. The event was the International Day of the

Girl and Let Girls Learn.

See, on Tuesday, at the White House, we celebrated the International Day of the Girl and Let Girls Learn, and it was a wonderful celebration. It was the last event that I’m going to be doing as First Lady for Let Girls Learn. And I had the pleasure of spending hourse talking to some of the most amazing young women

you will ever meet, young girls here in the U.S. and all around the world. (Datum No. 03)

Looking at the context in which those sentences were uttered, it can be inferred that

Mrs. Obama was proud to attend that event. The event itself was exclusively designed for women. It proves the reality that women could have their own space that no one could forbid. It shows that women’s rights matter in society. Women could have their 58

own community to attend and to be part of. Women also deserved to celebrate their special day.

Another example of the occurrence of women’s rights as the theme in Michelle

Obama’s speech is given below.

I wanted them to understand that the measure of any society is how it treats its women and girls. And I told them that they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and I told them that they should disregard anyone who demeans or devalues them, and that they should make their voices heard in the world. (Datum No. 05)

Continuing the talk about Let Girls Learn celebration event, Mrs. Obama mentions that she tries to encourage those young women to be brave. She tell those young women that they deserved to be treated with dignity and respect. The use of repetition on the words and I told them that they emphasizing the message that Mrs. Obama wants to convey. By repeating those words, she also attempts to convince the audience to work together on how women should be treated. She insists what women deserve as the rights that women posses. Women’s voices deserved to be heard by the society. She invites all those young women to act bravely and proudly as women. b. Women’s Insecurity

The next theme is still closely related to women. As Michelle Obama brings up the issue of Hillary Clinton’s opponent who bragged about sexually assaulting women, she tried to deliver her message in her speech in the theme of women’s insecurity. Various example of the theme reflected in Michelle Obama’s speech are presented as follows. 59

And now here I am, out on the campaign trail in an election where we have consistently been hearing hurtful, hateful language about women--language that has been painful for so many of us. (Datum No. 06)

This example describes how Hillary Clinton’s opponent action affecting women. Mrs.

Obama reacts to by saying that his comment was such a pain for women in general.

She regards Trump, even though she never mentions his name directly, has been delivering not appropriate comments about women. She says that his comments are hurtful, hateful, and also painful to be heard by women in particular. The words

“hurtful’ and “painful” show the women’s feeling towards such action. Mrs. Obama addresses women must be feeling insecure by hearing such comments delivered by a candidate for President. c. Opponent’s Misbehavior

The next theme found in Michelle Obama’s speech is about opponent’s misbehavior. As Mrs. Obama clearly addresses how Trump acts towards women in her speech, she wants the audience to understand the message she conveys. Various examples of this theme are shown in the following.

We have a candidate for President of the United States who, over the course of his lifetime and the course of this campaign, has said things about women that are shocking, so demeaning that I simply will not repeat anything here today. (Datum No. 07)

This statement is the continuation of the previous statement about Trump given by

Mrs. Obama. Here, she points out again how Trump has treated women. She emphasizes that Trump has been treating women wrongly, not only on the current campaign, but also on his whole life. She repeats the words the course of in each 60

beginning of her clause to emphasize her message. By stating such sentences, Mrs.

Obama tries to show the audience what kind of person Trump is seen from his actions in public.

The second example presented below shows how Mrs. Obama addressing

Trump’s action.

The fact that Mrs. Obama brings up the issue about how Trump assaulting women shows how she does not want Trump to be the next President of the United States.

She repeats the word bragging about sexually assaulting women which implies the negative aspect of Trump as a candidate for President. In that context, Mrs. Obama talks about how a candidate for a President talked freely about doing such actions does not reflect the characteristics of a President. By bringing that issue, Mrs. Obama wants to make sure that the audience, especially women should be aware about such actions. By stating those sentences, Mrs. Obama lays out the theme of opponet’s misbehavior to the audience.

The last example of how Michelle Obama talks about Trump’s action can be seen below.

“Because the other guy called someone a piggy, and,” he said, “you cannot be President if you call someone a piggy.” (Datum No. 26) 61

An anecdote of a six year old kid reacting to the news in which Trump talked about assaulting women is presented by Mrs. Obama. Carrying on with the story of a boy responding to Trump’s action, Mrs. Obama recalls the sentences that the boy said to his parents. The repetition at the final parts of the sentences in her speech is used by

Mrs. Obama to describe such wrongful behavior addressed to women. While recounting the boy’s term given to a man with inappropriate behavior, Mrs. Obama tries to plant logical appeals to the audience how Trump misbehaved. d. Gender Equality

Gender equality becomes one of the themes in Michelle Obama’s speech. In her speech, she brings up the issue of gender equality. Several examples are shown in the following.

They are loving fathers who are sickened by the thought of their daughters being exposed to this kind of vicious language about women. They are husbands and brothers and sons who don’t tolerate women being treated and demeaned and disrespected. (Datum No. 23) After talking about Hillary Clinton’s opponent’s misbehavior, Mrs. Obama starts to lay out the characteristics of men who appreciate women. Here, Mrs. Obama states her believe that men surround us do not treat women in a bad way. She repeats the beginning part of her sentences to emphasize that men in our life have good and proper behavior. She states her belief that men around us are disengaged to such inappropriate behavior towards women. By mentioning those characteristics, Mrs.

Obama tries to point out that gender equality matters in society. She wants the audience to believe and respect that. 62

Below is another example of the employment of gender equality theme in

Michelle Obama’s speech.

This datum occurs when Mrs. Obama was talking about how an adult should behave.

She mentions that men do not need to put down women to make themselves feel powerful. That expression shows how she wants to spread the issue of gender equality to the audience. She wants to make the audience realizes the fact that an adult should behave by respecting others without discriminating their gender. The context of those sentences brings up the theme of gender equality in her speech. e. Persuasion to Voters

The last theme which can be reflected from Michelle Obama’s speech at Hollary for America campaign in New Hampshire is none other than persuasion to voters. As it is a campaign speech, the speakers will try to gain public interest to vote for the candidate they represent. Some of the examples in which persuasion to voters theme can be found are presented below.

People who are truly strong lift others up. People who are truly powerful bring others together. And that is what we need in our next President. (Datum No. 30)

Nearing the end of the speech, Mrs. Obama comes to the point where she invites all of the audience to vote for Hillary Clinton. In these sentences, Mrs. Obama convinces the audience that powerful people would not treat others badly. By not mentioning

Trump’s name. Mrs. Obama emphasizes that the next President of the United States 63

should act gracefully. Here, she indirectly drags down Trump and his inappropriate behavior. As known by others, Trump has been bragging about sexually assaulting women in public. By doing so, Mrs. Obama implies that she wants the audience to vote for Hillary Clinton.

The next example of the way this theme is carried out in Michelle Obama’s speech is shown in the following.

She is an outstanding mother. She has raised a phenomenal young woman. She is a loving, loyal wife. She’s a devoted daughter who cared for her mother until her final days. (Datum No. 36)

In addition to the previous statements, Mrs. Obama accentuates more about Hillary

Clinton’s experiences. She happens to emphasize the biggest differences between

Hillary Clinton and her opponent. By pointing out Hillary’s strength, Mrs. Obama makes the audience aware of the plus points of Hillary Clinton. Showing a candidate’s strong points is a good move to persuade the audience to vote. Here is what Mrs. Obama has been doing; she highlights all of Hillary Clinton’s achievements throughout her career in a political field and in real life. By mentioning

Hillary Clinton in real life, Mrs. Obama wants to show that Hillary Clinton is the perfect choice for the next President of the United States. She focuses on how Hillary

Clinton being positive both in her real life and in her political career.

The following example shows the theme of persuasion to voters is reflected by

Michelle Obama.

We have knowledge. We have a voice. We have a vote. (Datum No. 43) 64

Furthermore, Mrs. Obama points out the advantage held by all people in the United

States. She happens to repeat the word we have as the appeal to the audience. She makes sure that the audience understands themselves as people who have rights.

Looking at the context where those sentences are uttered, Mrs. Obama tries to convince the audience about her opinion on Hillary Clinton. The co-occurrence of the words “knowledge”, “a voice”, and “a vote” shows that Mrs. Obama believing the audience knows who to choose as the next President of the United States. By doing so, Mrs. Obama tries to convince the audience to vote for Hillary Clinton as a part of this campaign.

To summarize, in delivering her speech, Michelle Obama tends to use nearly all types of verbal parallelism, except for antistrophe. Those seven types of verbal parallelism found in her speech carry their own functions. Since there are two functions that can be identified in almost all types of verbal parallelism, those functions can be stated as the main functions of verbal parallelism in Michelle

Obama’s speech. They are production and comprehension. Moreover, in carrying the types and functions, Michelle Obama also delivers two main themes of her speech.

Opponent’s misbehavior and Persuasion to voters can be categorized as the main themes because the speaker tries to make an appeal to the audience. As the speech is given in a political campaign event, trying to persuade the audience by calling on a particular issue can be very helpful.

CONCLUSIONS AND SUGESTIONS

This chapter consists of two sections, namely conclusions and suggestions. The conclusions section provides the summary of the research findings and discussion.

The conclusions are drawn based on the formulation of the problem and the objectives of the research. Meanwhile, in the second section, some suggestions in regard to the research are provided for some related parties.

A. Conclusions

Based on the findings and discussion, some conclusions related to verbal parallelism found in Michelle Obama’s speech at Hillary for America campaign in

New Hampshire can be drawn as follows.

1. The first objective of this research is to identify the types of verbal parallelism in

Michelle Obama’s speech at Hillary for America campaign in New Hampshire. The data of this research are drawn based on Leech’s theory of verbal parallelism. Among the eight types of verbal parallelism proposed by Leech, there are only seven types of verbal parallelism found in Michelle Obama’s speech at Hillary for America campaign in New Hampshire. They are anaphora, epistrophe, symploce, anadiplosis, epanalepsis, polyptoton, and homoioteleuton. The one type of verbal parallelism that cannot be found in her speech is called antistrophe. Antistrophe does not occur since there is no repetition of units in a reverse order. The speaker of the given speech

tends to repeat the words, phrases, or clauses in a forward order to emphasize her messages.

2. The second objective of this research describes the function of verbal parallelism.

As for the functions, the theory proposed by Deborah Tannen is used. It is stated that there are four functions of repetition which are production, comprehension, connection, and interaction. All of the four functions are found in Michelle Obama’s speech at Hillary for America campaign in New Hampshire. However, there are two main functions that can be inferred from the findings, namely production and comprehension. Out of seven types of verbal parallelism discovered in the speech, both production and comprehension functions can be found in six types of verbal parallelism. The speaker of the speech uses verbal parallelism mainly to produce sentences in a more effective way. By doing that, the speech given becomes easier to comprehend by the audience. Both the speaker and the audience are given the benefits from those two functions. The use of verbal parallelism gives the audience time to reflect on the speaker’s words because there is less information delivered. As for the speaker, the use of verbal parallelism enables her to think about what to say next.

3. The last objective of this research deals with the themes in Michelle Obama’s speech at Hillary for America campaign in New Hampshire. Among all the data belonging to verbal parallelism that appear the the speech, some of the data are used to dig up the information about the themes employed by the speaker. The speech 67

given by Michelle Obama as a political campaign to promote Hillary Clinton for the presidential election deals with various things, such as her view on women assault, rights to vote, gender equality, and so on. Furthermore, there are five themes that can be reflected. They are women’s rights, women’s insecurity, opponent’s misbehavior, gender equality, and persuasion to voters. Among these five themes, there are two main themes found in the speech. Those two themes are opponent’s misbehavior and persuasion to voters. As a normal political campaign speech, the speaker tends to bring out the opposing candidate’s shortcomings. In addition, to highlight the difference between both candidates, the speaker also provides the merits of the candidate she supports to persuade the audience to vote her.

B. Suggestions

In this section, some suggestions in regard to the research are provided for some related parties as follows.

For the general readers, this research is expected to give common knowledge about stylistics and verbal parallelism. Verbal parallelism does not only appear in literary works, but also in non-literary works. It also can occur in daily communication. Regarding this reason, the basic knowledge about verbal parallelism is expected to be beneficial.

Meanwhile, for those who major in English Language and Literature study program, this research is expected to afford the specific knowledge in stylistics field.

As stylistics covers several phenomena of language, the knowledge on a specific aspect or stylistic device can be advantageous. In this research, verbal parallelism is 68

brought up as the topic. The detailed explanation of verbal parallelism is presented in the previous chapter. Furthermore, this research which analyzes verbal parallelism in a speech can be used as a bibliographical resource for the next relevant types of research.

Since this type of research which deals with verbal parallelism is not much conducted, this research hopefully can inspire other researchers to conduct new other research in the same field by using different objects. They can use other relevant objects to complete all the types and functions of verbal parallelism. Moreover, they are hopefully able to add more profound knowledge about verbal parallelism.

A. Printed Sources

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Bogdan, R.C. and Biklen, S.K. 2003. Qualitative Research for Education : An Introduction to Theories and Methods (4th Ed). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Bradford, R. 1997. Stylistics: A New Critical Idiom. London: Routledge.

Leech, G.N. 1969. A Lingustic Guide to English Poetry. New York: Longman.

Leech, G.N. and M. H. Short. 2007. Style in Fiction: A Linguistic Introduction to English Fictional Prose (2nd Ed). Edinburgh: Pearson Education Limited.

Merriam. S.B. 2009. Qualitative Research: A Guide to Design and Implementation. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Simpson, P. 2004. Stylistics: A Resource Book for Students. London: Routledge.

Tannen, D. 2007. Talking Voices: Repetition, Dialogue, and Imagery in Conversational Discourse. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Vanderstoep, S.W. and Johnston, D.D. 2009. Research Methods for Everyday Life: Blending Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. San Francisco: Jossey- Bass.

Verdonk, P. 2002. Stylistics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Wales, K. 2001. A Dictionary of Stylistics (2nd Ed). London: Pearson Education Limited.

B. Electronic Sources

Mackay, R. 1994. “Stylistics: foregrounding and the search for objectivity (with particular reference to Edwin Muir's Variations on A Time Theme')”. A Thesis. Pokfulam: University of Hong Kong. http://hdl.handle.net /10722/34843. Accessed on February 2nd, 2016.

Zhao, M. 2012. “The Art of Balance: A Corpus-assisted Stylistic Analysis of Woolfian Parallelism in To the Lighthouse”. International Journal of English Studies, 12(2), pp. 39-58. dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/articulo/4078287.pdf. Accessed on February 6th, 2016.

Kousar, S. 2012. “An Analysis of Verbal Parallelism in T.S. Eliot’s Poem The Love Song”. Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business 4(12) pp. 87-96. journal-archieves31.webs.com/87-96.pdf. Accessed on February 6th, 2016.

Miall and Kuiken. 1994. “Foregrounding, defamiliarization, and affect: Response to literary stories”. Poetics 22 pp. 289-407. https://www.ualberta.ca/~dmial l/MiallPub/Miall_Kuiken_Foregrounding_1994.pdf. Accessed on February 6th, 2016.

The White House. 2015. Michelle Obama. https://www.whitehouse.gov/1600/first- ladies/michelleobama. Accessed on October 19th, 2016.

The White House. 2016. Remarks by the First Lady at Hillary for America Campaign Event in Manchester, Nh. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press- office/2016/10/13/remarks-first-lady-hillary-america-campaign-event- manchester-nh. Accessed on October 19th, 2016.

Appendix A. Data Sheet of Types and Functions of Verbal Parallelism, and Themes in Michelle Obama’s Speech At Hillary for America Campaign in New Hampshire

Types of Verbal Parallelism Functions of Verbal Parallelism Themes a : Anaphora 1 : Production i : Women’s rights b : Epistrophe 2 : Comprehension ii : Women’s insecurity c : Symploce 3 : Connection iii : Opponent’s misbehavior d : Anadiplosis 4 : Interaction iv : Gender equality e : Epanalepsis v : Persuasion to voters f : Antistrophe g : Polyptoton h : Homoioteleuton

Types Functions Themes No Data Explanation a b c d e f g h 1 2 3 4 i ii iii iv v 1 I am so thrilled to be here with    Mrs. Obama expresses her pleasure as she you all today in New is able to greet the people of New Hampsire. This is like home to Hampshire. Here, she uses a question tag me, and this day, thank you for which begins and ends with the same a beautiful day. You just word. She intends to interact with the ordered this day up for me, audience before she officially begins her don’t you? campaign speech. She interacts with the audience in order to gain their attention, so that her speech would be listened to and understood.

Types Functions Themes No Data Explanation a b c d e f g h 1 2 3 4 i ii iii iv v 2 See, on Tuesday, at the White    Before coming to the main topic of her House, we celebrated the speech, Mrs. Obama highlighting the International Day of the Girl previous event she attended. As the and Let Girls Learn, and it was previous event is closely related to what a wonderful celebration. It was she is going to talk about in her speech the last event that I’m going to later, which is women. She happens to be doing as First Lady for Let repeat some similar words which Girls Learn. categorized as polyptoton in her sentences when she talks about International Day of the Girl celebration. The recurrence of polyptoton is marked by the words “celebrated” and “celebration” which come from the same root. By stating that utterance, she wants to let the audience understand how women are deserved to have their own International Day.

3 And I had the pleasure of     Here, Mrs. Obama still talks about women spending hours talking to some she met in the International Day of the of the most amazing young Girl she met. She happens to repeat the women you will ever meet, same words at the beginning of her young girls here in the U.S. and sentences as she wants to point out what all around the world. And we she was doing in that event. She tries to talked about their hopes and make the audience aware of the their dreams. We talked about importance of young women for the future their aspirations. world.

Types Functions Themes No Data Explanation a b c d e f g h 1 2 3 4 i ii iii iv v 4 Because many of these girls    Talking about how much hardships that have faced unthinkable women have to endure to fight for their obstacles just to attend school, rights, Mrs. Obama comes to the point in jeopardizing their personal which families can also be one of the safety, their freedom, risking obstacles for gaining their rights. She the rejection of their families repeated the suffix –es to connect the word and communities “family” and “community”. To make them parallel and connect to each other grammatically.

5 I wanted them to understand     As she nearly comes to the main idea of that the measure of any society her speech, Mrs. Obama marks her is how it treats its women and sentences by repeating some words about girls. And I told them that how she supports women. She cares about they deserve to be treated with how women should be treated in society. dignity and respect, and I told By repeating those words, she also them that they should attempts to convince the audience to work disregard anyone who together on how gender equality should be demeans or devalues them, achieved. She allows the audience to and that they should make comprehend the information by repeating their voices heard in the world. those words.

Types Functions Themes No Data Explanation a b c d e f g h 1 2 3 4 i ii iii iv v 6 And now here I am, out on the    In response to Trump’s comment about campaign trail in an election how he sexually abused women in the where we have consistently past, Mrs. Obama reacts by saying that his been hearing hurtful, hateful comment was such a pain for women in language about women-- general. She regards Trump, even though language that has been painful she never mentions his name directly, has for so many of us been delivering not appropriate comments about women. She says that his comments are hurtful, hateful, and also painful. The repetition of the word –ful is used to make the sentence parallel. It connects the overall statement of Mrs. Obama towards Trump’s comment.

7 We have a candidate for    This statement is the continuation of the President of the United States previous statement about Trump given by who, over the course of his Mrs. Obama. Here, she points out again lifetime and the course of this how Trump has treated women. She campaign, has said things about emphasizes that Trump has been treating women that are shocking, so women wrongly, not only on the current

demeaning that I simply will campaign, but also on his whole life. She not repeat anything here today. repeats the words “the course of” in each beginning of her clause. By repeating those words, Mrs. Obama is able to carry her sentence in the speech with relatively less effort.

Types Functions Themes No Data Explanation a b c d e f g h 1 2 3 4 i ii iii iv v 8 We have a candidate for    The talk about Trump’s inappropriate President of the United States behavior towards women continued in who, over the course of his these sentences as Mrs. Obama used –ing lifetime and the course of this in repetition to the words “shocking” and campaign, has said things about “demeaning”. Those two words show how women that are shocking, so Trump’s statement is received by people demeaning that I simply will in the United States. The repetition of –ing

not repeat anything here today. is also used to make the sentence grammatically parallel and to emphasize the negative side caused by Trump’s action.

9 last week, we saw this     Mrs. Obama takes down Trump by stating candidate actually bragging some repeated words as a fact that about sexually assaulting Trump’s comments were completely women. And I can’t believe inappropriate. She says how Trump that I’m saying that a candidate bragging about sexually assaulting for President of the United women. Those repeated words are States has bragged about categorized as epistrophe since it happens sexually assaulting women. at the end of each sentence. She insists how Trump’s behavior towards women to the audience. She tries to convince the audience that such behavior is unsuitable for a President candidate.

Types Functions Themes No Data Explanation a b c d e f g h 1 2 3 4 i ii iii iv v 10 This is not something that we     The fact that Trump has bragged about can ignore. It’s not something sexually assaulting women is not a usual we can just sweep under the thing to be heard from a candidate for rug as just another disturbing President of the United States. That was footnote in a sad election the idea Mrs. Obama tried to deliver to the season. audience. She repeatedly says that over and over. The words “this” and “it” in her repeated phrase are referred to Trump’s behavior. Less new information is carried by Mrs. Obama in order for the audience to pay attention to every word and to comprehend what has been delivered so far.

11 Because this was not just a     Mrs. Obama addressed Trump’s behavior “lewd conversation”. This as something that cannot be ignored and wasn’t just locker-room banter taken for granted. As in her sentences here, she repeated the initial words in both sentences. She intended to share her opinion that that kind of behavior is so wrong. She repeated those words to

produce clear ideas of her speech. It also to make the audience get the main point of her sentences.

Types Functions Themes No Data Explanation a b c d e f g h 1 2 3 4 i ii iii iv v 12 This is a powerful individual    Here, Mrs. Obama talked about how speaking freely and openly Trump acted inappropriately without about sexually predatory considering the after effect of his action in behavior. public. She used the suffix –ly to describe

Trump’s wrongful behavior. She repeated the –ly to show the connection of how Trump’s actions done.

13 And actually bragging about    Again in this part of her speech, Mrs. kissing and groping women. Obama still talking about Trump’s inappropriateness in public. The difference of repetition between this utterance and her previous ones are that in this sentence,

she repeated the suffix –ing. The repetition of –ing is used to make a parallel statement about Trump’s actions.

14 It’s that feeling of terror and    Mrs. Obama continues her speech that violation that too many women women would feel very insecure when have felt when someone has men’s behavior towards them is too grabbed them, or forced aggressive or even close to violation. She himself on them. repeats the words “them” which refers to

women to connect every idea of her statement. So that the audience would understand it easier. Instead of saying the word “women” too often, she uses the pronoun “them”.

Types Functions Themes No Data Explanation a b c d e f g h 1 2 3 4 i ii iii iv v 15 We thought all of that was    In this part of her speech, the word “that” ancient history, didn’t we? refers to Trump’s behavior towards women. Mrs. Obama uses a question tag which begins and ends with the same word

to interact with the audience. She wanted the audience to think the way she thinks about Trump’s behavior.

16 But here we are in 2016, and    Continuing her speech about how we’re hearing these exact same unpleasant Trump’s actions towards things every day on the women, Mrs. Obama states that the campaign trail. We are Americans are too exposed to such actions drowning in it. on the campaign trail. She wanted to stop such actions and asked the audience to do so with her. It can be seen by the repetition of the initial words in her sentences which talking about “we” as Americans. That repetition happened to allow Mrs. Obama to produce her talk so that she can deliver her speech properly.

17 We’re just trying to keep our     These sentences are delivered by Mrs. heads above water, just trying Obama as the expression of women when to get through it, trying to such unpleasant behavior is targeted to pretend like this doesn’t really them. She repeated the beginning words of bother us maybe because we her sentences in order to express how think that admitting how much women in general would feel about such it hurts makes us as women behavior. That repetition is also used as a look weak. medium for her to let the audience understood such feelings.

Types Functions Themes No Data Explanation a b c d e f g h 1 2 3 4 i ii iii iv v 18 Maybe we’re afraid to be that     In parallel with her previous statements, vulnerable. Maybe we’ve here, Mrs. Obama expresses how women grown accustomed to would feel if they are being treated swallowing these emotions and wrongly. She happens to repeat the initial staying quiet, because we’ve words of her sentences to address that seen that people often won’t women should fight back if someone does take our word over his. Or that inappropriate behavior to them. She maybe we don’t want to strongly agrees that kind of inappropriate believe that there are still behavior should not be ignored. These people out there who think so repetitions in her sentences emphasize her little of us as women. argument that is comprehensible to the audience.

19 This is not normal. This is not     These sentences strongly support her politics as usual. argument that women should not act as if that inappropriate behavior was just an issue that is normal. Mrs. Obama repeats her words “this is not” which refer to the inappropriate behavior. The use of negative in her sentences shows that she undoubtedly disagrees to such action.

20 It’s about basic human     Mrs. Obama continues to emphasize how decency. It’s about right and wrong that action was. She states that wrong. people should respond to that action in a right manner. She shows the image of the peaceful world she wants. She comes to the basic of the idea about gender equality. By repeating the reference to that unpleasant action, she defines how people should act to such actions. She encourages

Types Functions Themes No Data Explanation a b c d e f g h 1 2 3 4 i ii iii iv v people to realize that such behavior does not match to the basic human decency. She tells people to see what is right and wrong.

21 and say enough is enough.    In this short clause, Mrs. Obama reassures the audience to come together to fight back to such inappropriate actions. She makes a clear point to ask the audience to

stop that behavior by repeating the word “enough”. She certainly makes her words comprehensible to the audience.

22 What lessons are they learning     In this context of speech, Mrs. Obama about their value as involves children as the future generation, professionals, as human beings, What things they should be exposed to. about their dreams and She questions the audience if they want aspirations? their children to be exposed to such harsh words about women. The repetition of suffix –s comes as the parallel expression. She pictures how children as professionals and as human beings should learn their value. Children as the next generation to make the world a better place should be able to pursue their dreams and aspirations.

Types Functions Themes No Data Explanation a b c d e f g h 1 2 3 4 i ii iii iv v 23 They are loving fathers who    Here, Mrs. Obama states her believe that are sickened by the thought of men surround us do not treat women in a their daughters being exposed bad way. She repeats the beginning part of to this kind of vicious her sentences to emphasize that men in our language about women. They life have good and proper behavior. She

are husbands and brothers and states her belief that men around us are sons who don’t tolerate disengaged to such inappropriate behavior women being treated and towards women. demeaned and disrespected.

24 They are husbands and    To support her previous statement about brothers and sons who don’t men having good mannerism, Mrs. Obama tolerate women being treated defines her image of men. She repeats the and demeaned and suffix –ed to make a grammatically correct disrespected. sentence which is connect to each word or

expression to describe men. In this part, she believes that men would fight back if women are being treated the wrong way.

25 In fact, someone recently told    Mrs. Obama gives a concrete example of a me a story about their six- boy’s reaction after hearing such wrong year-old son who one day was behavior from the news. The repetition in watching the news -- they her sentences shows that she tries to think were watching the news what to say next in her next part of that

together story. She allows herself to produce the things she is going to say while repeating herself.

Types Functions Themes Data No Explanation a b c d e f g h 1 2 3 4 i ii iii iv v 26 “Because the other guy called     Carrying on with the story of a boy someone a piggy, and,” he responding to Trump’s action, Mrs. said, “you cannot be President Obama recalls the sentences that the boy if you call someone a piggy.” said to his parents. The repetition at the final parts of the sentences in her speech is used by Mrs. Obama to describe such

wrongful behavior addressed to women. While recounting the boy’s term given to a man with inappropriate behavior, Mrs. Obama tries to plant logical appeals to the audience to understand.

27 So even a six-year-old knows     Moving on from the boy’s story, Mrs. better. A six-year-old knows Obama comes to draw a conclusion that that this is not how adults even a kid knows how to behave as a behave. human being. She repeats the word “six-

year-old knows” to give the audience a

strong appeal. The repetition shows how she provides a story that is comprehensible for the audience.

28 A six-year-old knows that this    After retelling the story of the six-year-old is not how adults behave. boy, Mrs. Obama shows her firm opinion This is not how decent human on how people act towards each other. The beings behave. And this is way people should treat each other in a

certainly not how someone right manner is the highlight of her who wants to be President of anecdote. She gives the audience a real the United States behaves. case to make her opinion trustworthy.

Types Functions Themes Data No Explanation a b c d e f g h 1 2 3 4 i ii iii iv v 29 Strong men -- men who are    Mrs. Obama insists that men should treat truly role models -- don’t need women in the right way. The repetition to put down women to make occurs in this sentence gives Mrs. Obama themselves feel powerful. some time to produce her main idea of her

speech. She does not want her speech to wander, so that the audience will be convinced.

30 People who are truly strong     In these sentences, Mrs. Obama convinces lift others up. People who are the audience that powerful people would truly powerful bring others not treat others badly. The initial repetition together. And that is what we happens to describe what powerful people need in our next President. should be doing. By not mentioning Trump’s name. Mrs. Obama emphasizes

that the next President of the United States should act gracefully. Here, she indirectly drags down Trump and his inappropriate behavior. By doing so, Mrs. Obama implies that she wants the audience to vote for Hillary Clinton. 31 We need someone who is a     In the continuation to her statements about uniting force in this country. what kind of person that is needed to be We need someone who will the next President, Mrs. Obama heal the wounds that divide us, illuminates the characteristics and personality that should be owned by the

next President. She repeats herself as she says about someone to be the next President. She tries to convince the audience on how the figure of a leader should be.

Types Functions Themes Data No Explanation a b c d e f g h 1 2 3 4 i ii iii iv v 32 The fact is that Hillary     As she comes to the basic message of her embodies so many of the political campaign speech, Mrs. Obama values that we try so hard to starts to draw an image of Hillary Clinton teach our young people. We to the audience. In these sentences, she tell our young people “Work specifically draws how young people

hard in school, get a good matter in the society. She continually education.” mentions the words “our young people” to point out the fact that they are part of the next great generation.

33 We teach our kids the value    Mrs. Obama begins to summarize Hillary of being a team player, which Clinton’s biography to make Hillary is what Hillary exemplified Clinton trustworthy as a leader. She when she lost the 2008… intentionally repeats some her initial words in each sentence which are “we We also teach our kids that teach our kids”. By repeating those words you don’t take shortcuts in and reciting Hillary Clinton’s experiences life, and you strive for in political field, Mrs. Obama tries to meaningful success in make sure to the audience that Hillary is whatever job you do… the perfect person to be the next President

of the United States. Instead of giving And finally, we teach our away Hillary Clinton’s ideas for the kids that when you hit country, she lists out Hillary’s specific challenges in life, you don’t experiences because the basic point of give up, you stick with it. election is that people elect a person, not just a set of ideas. Moreover, Mrs. Obama draws a clear line of difference between Hillary Clinton and her opposition.

Types Functions Themes Data No Explanation a b c d e f g h 1 2 3 4 i ii iii iv v 34 you don’t give up, you stick    As Mrs. Obama highlighting Hillary with it. Clinton’s biography, she also puts inside a motivation in her speech. She repeats the word “you” which refers to the audience’s kids. The audience’s kids hold the bigger picture of the world as they are the next generation. Therefore, Mrs. Obama encourages the audience to tell their kids not to give up when they are faced with challenges in life.

35 She doesn’t blame others. She     Coming back to Hillary Clinton’s doesn’t abandon ship for biography, Mrs. Obama points out some something easier. strong appeals that Hillary has. Mrs. Obama pictures Hillary Clinton to the audience as someone who does not blame others and does not take a shortcut in her life. The repetition of the words “she doesn’t” takes the big role in Mrs. Obama’s sentences to emphasize the message she brings.

36 She is an outstanding mother.    In addition to the previous statements, She has raised a phenomenal Mrs. Obama accentuates more about young woman. She is a Hillary Clinton’s experiences. She loving, loyal wife. She’s a happens to emphasize the biggest devoted daughter who cared differences between Hillary Clinton and for her mother until her final her opponent. By pointing out Hillary’s days. strength, Mrs. Obama makes the audience aware of the plus points of Hillary Clinton.

Types Functions Themes Data No Explanation a b c d e f g h 1 2 3 4 i ii iii iv v 37 no one could be more     Mrs. Obama comes to the basic message qualified for this job than of the speech as a part of electoral Hillary -- no one. campaign. She mentions directly that Hillary Clinton is the only person qualified to be the next President between the two candidates. She insists that message by repeating the word “no one”. That word

brings the speech’s message comes to light. The message should resonate to the audience. By repeating such word in such context of speaking, Mrs. Obama comprehends the audience that Hillary Clinton can do something about them.

38 if we turn away from her, if     In these sentences, Mrs. Obama starts to we just stand by and allow her persuade the audience to vote for Hillary opponent to be elected, then Clinton on Election Day. She occurs to what are we teaching our repeat the words “if we” to give the

children about the values they audience a questionl what would happens should hold, about the kind of to their children in the next future life if life they should lead? Hillary Clinton loses to her opponent.

39 We are validating it. We are     Here, Mrs. Obama reminds the audience endorsing it. back to the inappropriate behavior of Trumps. The word “it” in these sentences refers to that behavior of Trump. She repeats her words by mentioning “we are” as one community that does not agree to such behavior. In this context, she gives the audience a thought that if Hillary Clinton’s opponent wins the Election, it

Types Functions Themes Data No Explanation a b c d e f g h 1 2 3 4 i ii iii iv v would mean that the audience would agree to the fact that such inappropriate behavior towards women is okay.

40 We’re telling our sons that it’s     In addition to her statements, Mrs. Obama okay to humiliate women. gives a more vivid thought of letting We’re telling our daughters Hillary Clinton’s opponent to win the that this is how they deserve to election. She repeats the initial parts of her be treated. We’re telling all sentences to affirm that the audience our kids that bigotry and would do a wrong thing by doing so. She

bullying are perfectly let the audience to comprehend her acceptable in the leader of message by repeating those words. their country.

41 then how can we maintain our    Mrs. Obama brings back the issue of what moral authority in the world? if a President routinely degrades women How can we continue to be a and brags about sexually assaulting beacon of freedom and justice women to stress her persuasive message. and human dignity? She asks the audience what they could do

if such President is elected. She repeats the

question words as form of interacting with the audience. She tries to hold the audience’s attention all the way to the end.

Types Functions Themes Data No Explanation a b c d e f g h 1 2 3 4 i ii iii iv v 42 You see, while our mothers    Here, Mrs. Obama returns to the image of and grandmothers were often the modern United States as a country of powerless to change their freedom, liberty, and equality. She affirms circumstances, today, we as that the women in the US have power to women have all the power we determine their own lives. She encourages need to determine the outcome all women in the audience to vote for of this election. Hillary Clinton on Election Day.

43 We have knowledge. We have     Furthermore, Mrs. Obama points out the a voice. We have a vote. advantage held by all women in the United States. She happens to repeat the word “we have” as the appeal to the audience. She makes sure that the audience

understands themselves as people who have rights. By doing so, Mrs. Obama tries to convince the audience to vote for Hillary Clinton as a part of this campaign.

44 We as women, we as     The audiences were made aware of the Americans, we as decent fact that they can do something for their human beings can come country. Mrs. Obama pulls that fact out of together and declare that women in the audience, or even enough is enough. Americans in general. She keeps reminding the audience about Trump’s inappropriate behavior towards women. She brings that issue out again just to emphasize that such actions need to be stopped.

Types Functions Themes Data No Explanation a b c d e f g h 1 2 3 4 i ii iii iv v 45 We as women, we as    In this statement, Mrs. Obama brings back Americans, we as decent the repetition of the word “enough”. Mrs. human beings can come Obama wants to remind the audience that together and declare that such terrible behavior is not to be ignored. enough is enough. That repetition is the way Mrs. Obama makes her speech to be more comprehensible to the audience.

46 So each of you right here    Straight to the point of persuading the today could help swing an audience, Mrs. Obama tries to convince entire precinct and win this the audience to come together and to bring election for Hillary just by their family and friends to vote for Hillary

getting yourselves, your Clinton on Election Day. The use of suffix families, and your friends and –s or –es is aimed to make parallel the neighbors out to vote. words in that particular sentence.

47 and looking into the eyes of     This expression is used by Mrs. Obama to your daughter or son, or give the audience a certainty to vote on the looking into your own eyes as Election Day, to vote for Hillary Clinton you stare into the mirror. especially. The words “looking into” that are being repeated meant to give such emotional appeals to the audience. Mrs. Obama tries to make the audience draw an image of what happens on the Election Day if they choose to stay at home and not to vote. That image is aimed to make the audience understand the important of voting on Election Day.

Types Functions Themes Data No Explanation a b c d e f g h 1 2 3 4 i ii iii iv v 48 We simply cannot let that     These sentences are delivered by Mrs. happen. We cannot allow Obama in the continuation of what ourselves to be so disgusted happens if the audience do not do that we just shut off the TV everything to elect Hillary Clinton. She and walk away. And we can’t repeats the words “we cannot” as the just sit around wringing our shape of persuasion. She lets the audience hands. understand the importance to elect Hillary Clinton. She tries not to let the audience do nothing in Election Day. She encourages the audience to do something, to vote for Hillary Clinton. 49 Now, we need to recover from     Mrs. Obama insists over and over again our shock and depression and for the audience to vote for Hillary. She do what women have always keeps reminding the audience of the done in this country. We need capability that they hold. She appeals to you to roll up your sleeves. the audience by bringing that confidence We need to get to work. to the audience. She motivates the audience in a way that will make the audience convinced to vote on Election Day. 50 So we need you to make calls,    As the bigger part of persuading the and knock on doors, and get audience, Mrs. Obama also tries to make folks to the polls on Election the audience to convince others to vote for Day. Hillary Clinton. She states that the audience need to make calls, and knock on

doors, and get folks to the polls. The repetition of suffix –s happens to be the parallel form of the grammatically correct sentence. To make the sentence more sense and resonate to the audience.

Types Functions Themes Data No Explanation a b c d e f g h 1 2 3 4 i ii iii iv v 51 Share your own story of why     The core of the electoral speech is to make this election matters, why it the audience feel convinced to vote for the should matter for all people one candidate defined in the speech. Here, of conscience in this country. Mrs. Obama gets a hold of the audience attention, so that she makes her way to encourage the audience to get more and more people to vote on Election Day. By raising the stakes, Mrs. Obama mentions that this Election holds the future of the United States.

52 whether we have a President    The Election Day that determines who will who treats people with respect be the next President is described by Mrs. -- or not. A President who Obama as the day that will shape the will fight for kids, for good United States as a country. She schools, for good jobs for our emphasizes that on that day, the families -- or not. A Americans will place their bet to the future President who thinks that of the United States. She compares Hillary women deserve the right to Clinton with her opponent. She point out make our own choices about Hillary’s strengths and her opponent’s our bodies and our health -- or weaknesses. The repetition found in these not. sentences is used to give the audience a deep understanding of how Americans should elect their President.

Types Functions Themes Data No Explanation a b c d e f g h 1 2 3 4 i ii iii iv v 53 So we cannot afford to be     Repeating herself to remind the audience, tired or turned off. And we Mrs. Obama highlights the things that can cannot afford to stay home on be done by the audience on Election Day Election Day. which is to vote, to vote for Hillary Clinton in particular. As the idea to vote for Hillary keeps being repeated, the audience will get a clearer understanding.

54 Because on November the     Here, in these long sentences, Mrs. Obama 8th, we have the power to keeps repeating the exact date of the show our children that election Day. She reminds the audience to America’s greatness comes always remember that date. She also from … happens to encourage the audience again and again that they need to show to their On November the 8th, we children how great America is as a can show our children that country. The importance of America in the this country is big enough to world as a powerful country is mentioned have a place for us all -- men by Mrs. Obama as a form of convincing and women, folks of every her message to vote. background and walk of life…

On November 8th, we can show our children that here in America, we reject hatred and fear …

Types Functions Themes Data No Explanation a b c d e f g h 1 2 3 4 i ii iii iv v 55 we rise up to meet them. We     Mrs. Obama returns to the ideals of the rise up to perfect our union. founding fathers of the United States of We rise up to defend our America to make an appeal to the blessings of liberty. We rise audience. She defines America as a up to embody the values of country of liberty and equality. Everyone equality and opportunity and in America has their freedom and their

sacrifice that have always rights to be treated equally. made this country the greatest nation on Earth .

• Corpus ID: 204340796

A Stylistic Analysis of Michelle Obama’s Speech at the Democratic National Convention

• Published 2013
• Political Science, Art, Linguistics

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Language as Action: A Discourse-Stylistic Analysis of Mood Features in Michelle Obama’S Final Speech

This paper aims to examine the stylistic effect of the mood features in Michelle Obama’s final address to the Americans. Anchored on Systemic Functional Linguistics and Discourse Stylistics, it basically focuses on the mood structures and the modality types registered in the speech. The findings disclose that the then U.S. first lady relies more on declarative mood and deontic modality to convey her message. The study thus infers that in her final message to her country citizens, Michelle Obama concentrates on action clauses and behaves as advisor towards women and men, as well as young and adults.

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Transcript: Michelle Obama's Convention Speech

Listen to michelle obama's convention speech.

Transcript of first lady Michelle Obama's speech at the Democratic National Convention, as prepared for delivery:

First lady Michelle Obama speaks at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., on Tuesday Alex Wong/Getty Images hide caption

First lady Michelle Obama speaks at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., on Tuesday

Thank you so much, Elaine...we are so grateful for your family's service and sacrifice...and we will always have your back.

Over the past few years as First Lady, I have had the extraordinary privilege of traveling all across this country.

And everywhere I've gone, in the people I've met, and the stories I've heard, I have seen the very best of the American spirit.

I have seen it in the incredible kindness and warmth that people have shown me and my family, especially our girls.

I've seen it in teachers in a near-bankrupt school district who vowed to keep teaching without pay.

I've seen it in people who become heroes at a moment's notice, diving into harm's way to save others...flying across the country to put out a fire...driving for hours to bail out a flooded town.

And I've seen it in our men and women in uniform and our proud military families...in wounded warriors who tell me they're not just going to walk again, they're going to run, and they're going to run marathons...in the young man blinded by a bomb in Afghanistan who said, simply, "...I'd give my eyes 100 times again to have the chance to do what I have done and what I can still do."

Every day, the people I meet inspire me...every day, they make me proud...every day they remind me how blessed we are to live in the greatest nation on earth.

Serving as your First Lady is an honor and a privilege...but back when we first came together four years ago, I still had some concerns about this journey we'd begun.

While I believed deeply in my husband's vision for this country...and I was certain he would make an extraordinary President...like any mother, I was worried about what it would mean for our girls if he got that chance.

How would we keep them grounded under the glare of the national spotlight?

First lady Michelle Obama addresses the DNC after being introduced by military mom Elaine Brye, from PBS NewsHour.

How would they feel being uprooted from their school, their friends, and the only home they'd ever known?

Our life before moving to Washington was filled with simple joys...Saturdays at soccer games, Sundays at grandma's house...and a date night for Barack and me was either dinner or a movie, because as an exhausted mom, I couldn't stay awake for both.

And the truth is, I loved the life we had built for our girls...I deeply loved the man I had built that life with...and I didn't want that to change if he became President.

I loved Barack just the way he was.

You see, even though back then Barack was a Senator and a presidential candidate...to me, he was still the guy who'd picked me up for our dates in a car that was so rusted out, I could actually see the pavement going by through a hole in the passenger side door...he was the guy whose proudest possession was a coffee table he'd found in a dumpster, and whose only pair of decent shoes was half a size too small.

But when Barack started telling me about his family – that's when I knew I had found a kindred spirit, someone whose values and upbringing were so much like mine.

You see, Barack and I were both raised by families who didn't have much in the way of money or material possessions but who had given us something far more valuable – their unconditional love, their unflinching sacrifice, and the chance to go places they had never imagined for themselves.

My father was a pump operator at the city water plant, and he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when my brother and I were young.

And even as a kid, I knew there were plenty of days when he was in pain...I knew there were plenty of mornings when it was a struggle for him to simply get out of bed.

But every morning, I watched my father wake up with a smile, grab his walker, prop himself up against the bathroom sink, and slowly shave and button his uniform.

And when he returned home after a long day's work, my brother and I would stand at the top of the stairs to our little apartment, patiently waiting to greet him...watching as he reached down to lift one leg, and then the other, to slowly climb his way into our arms.

But despite these challenges, my dad hardly ever missed a day of work...he and my mom were determined to give me and my brother the kind of education they could only dream of.

And when my brother and I finally made it to college, nearly all of our tuition came from student loans and grants.

But my dad still had to pay a tiny portion of that tuition himself.

And every semester, he was determined to pay that bill right on time, even taking out loans when he fell short.

He was so proud to be sending his kids to college...and he made sure we never missed a registration deadline because his check was late.

You see, for my dad, that's what it meant to be a man.

Like so many of us, that was the measure of his success in life – being able to earn a decent living that allowed him to support his family.

And as I got to know Barack, I realized that even though he'd grown up all the way across the country, he'd been brought up just like me.

Barack was raised by a single mother who struggled to pay the bills, and by grandparents who stepped in when she needed help.

Barack's grandmother started out as a secretary at a community bank...and she moved quickly up the ranks...but like so many women, she hit a glass ceiling.

And for years, men no more qualified than she was – men she had actually trained – were promoted up the ladder ahead of her, earning more and more money while Barack's family continued to scrape by.

But day after day, she kept on waking up at dawn to catch the bus...arriving at work before anyone else...giving her best without complaint or regret.

And she would often tell Barack, "So long as you kids do well, Bar, that's all that really matters."

Like so many American families, our families weren't asking for much.

They didn't begrudge anyone else's success or care that others had much more than they did...in fact, they admired it.

They simply believed in that fundamental American promise that, even if you don't start out with much, if you work hard and do what you're supposed to do, then you should be able to build a decent life for yourself and an even better life for your kids and grandkids.

That's how they raised us...that's what we learned from their example.

We learned about dignity and decency – that how hard you work matters more than how much you make...that helping others means more than just getting ahead yourself.

We learned about honesty and integrity – that the truth matters...that you don't take shortcuts or play by your own set of rules...and success doesn't count unless you earn it fair and square.

We learned about gratitude and humility – that so many people had a hand in our success, from the teachers who inspired us to the janitors who kept our school clean...and we were taught to value everyone's contribution and treat everyone with respect.

Those are the values Barack and I – and so many of you – are trying to pass on to our own children.

That's who we are.

And standing before you four years ago, I knew that I didn't want any of that to change if Barack became President.

Well, today, after so many struggles and triumphs and moments that have tested my husband in ways I never could have imagined, I have seen firsthand that being president doesn't change who you are – it reveals who you are.

You see, I've gotten to see up close and personal what being president really looks like.

And I've seen how the issues that come across a President's desk are always the hard ones – the problems where no amount of data or numbers will get you to the right answer...the judgment calls where the stakes are so high, and there is no margin for error.

And as President, you can get all kinds of advice from all kinds of people.

But at the end of the day, when it comes time to make that decision, as President, all you have to guide you are your values, and your vision, and the life experiences that make you who you are.

So when it comes to rebuilding our economy, Barack is thinking about folks like my dad and like his grandmother.

He's thinking about the pride that comes from a hard day's work.

That's why he signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to help women get equal pay for equal work.

That's why he cut taxes for working families and small businesses and fought to get the auto industry back on its feet.

That's how he brought our economy from the brink of collapse to creating jobs again – jobs you can raise a family on, good jobs right here in the United States of America.

When it comes to the health of our families, Barack refused to listen to all those folks who told him to leave health reform for another day, another president.

He didn't care whether it was the easy thing to do politically – that's not how he was raised – he cared that it was the right thing to do.

He did it because he believes that here in America, our grandparents should be able to afford their medicine...our kids should be able to see a doctor when they're sick...and no one in this country should ever go broke because of an accident or illness.

And he believes that women are more than capable of making our own choices about our bodies and our health care...that's what my husband stands for.

When it comes to giving our kids the education they deserve, Barack knows that like me and like so many of you, he never could've attended college without financial aid.

And believe it or not, when we were first married, our combined monthly student loan bills were actually higher than our mortgage.

We were so young, so in love, and so in debt.

That's why Barack has fought so hard to increase student aid and keep interest rates down, because he wants every young person to fulfill their promise and be able to attend college without a mountain of debt.

So in the end, for Barack, these issues aren't political – they're personal.

Because Barack knows what it means when a family struggles.

He knows what it means to want something more for your kids and grandkids.

Barack knows the American Dream because he's lived it...and he wants everyone in this country to have that same opportunity, no matter who we are, or where we're from, or what we look like, or who we love.

And he believes that when you've worked hard, and done well, and walked through that doorway of opportunity...you do not slam it shut behind you...you reach back, and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed.

So when people ask me whether being in the White House has changed my husband, I can honestly say that when it comes to his character, and his convictions, and his heart, Barack Obama is still the same man I fell in love with all those years ago.

He's the same man who started his career by turning down high paying jobs and instead working in struggling neighborhoods where a steel plant had shut down, fighting to rebuild those communities and get folks back to work...because for Barack, success isn't about how much money you make, it's about the difference you make in people's lives.

He's the same man who, when our girls were first born, would anxiously check their cribs every few minutes to ensure they were still breathing, proudly showing them off to everyone we knew.

That's the man who sits down with me and our girls for dinner nearly every night, patiently answering their questions about issues in the news, and strategizing about middle school friendships.

That's the man I see in those quiet moments late at night, hunched over his desk, poring over the letters people have sent him.

The letter from the father struggling to pay his bills...from the woman dying of cancer whose insurance company won't cover her care...from the young person with so much promise but so few opportunities.

I see the concern in his eyes...and I hear the determination in his voice as he tells me, "You won't believe what these folks are going through, Michelle...it's not right. We've got to keep working to fix this. We've got so much more to do."

I see how those stories – our collection of struggles and hopes and dreams – I see how that's what drives Barack Obama every single day.

And I didn't think it was possible, but today, I love my husband even more than I did four years ago...even more than I did 23 years ago, when we first met.

I love that he's never forgotten how he started.

I love that we can trust Barack to do what he says he's going to do, even when it's hard – especially when it's hard.

I love that for Barack, there is no such thing as "us" and "them" – he doesn't care whether you're a Democrat, a Republican, or none of the above...he knows that we all love our country...and he's always ready to listen to good ideas...he's always looking for the very best in everyone he meets.

And I love that even in the toughest moments, when we're all sweating it – when we're worried that the bill won't pass, and it seems like all is lost – Barack never lets himself get distracted by the chatter and the noise.

Just like his grandmother, he just keeps getting up and moving forward...with patience and wisdom, and courage and grace.

And he reminds me that we are playing a long game here...and that change is hard, and change is slow, and it never happens all at once.

But eventually we get there, we always do.

We get there because of folks like my Dad...folks like Barack's grandmother...men and women who said to themselves, "I may not have a chance to fulfill my dreams, but maybe my children will...maybe my grandchildren will."

So many of us stand here tonight because of their sacrifice, and longing, and steadfast love...because time and again, they swallowed their fears and doubts and did what was hard.

So today, when the challenges we face start to seem overwhelming – or even impossible – let us never forget that doing the impossible is the history of this nation...it's who we are as Americans...it's how this country was built.

And if our parents and grandparents could toil and struggle for us...if they could raise beams of steel to the sky, send a man to the moon, and connect the world with the touch of a button...then surely we can keep on sacrificing and building for our own kids and grandkids.

And if so many brave men and women could wear our country's uniform and sacrifice their lives for our most fundamental rights...then surely we can do our part as citizens of this great democracy to exercise those rights...surely, we can get to the polls and make our voices heard on Election Day.

If farmers and blacksmiths could win independence from an empire...if immigrants could leave behind everything they knew for a better life on our shores...if women could be dragged to jail for seeking the vote...if a generation could defeat a depression, and define greatness for all time...if a young preacher could lift us to the mountaintop with his righteous dream...and if proud Americans can be who they are and boldly stand at the altar with who they love...then surely, surely we can give everyone in this country a fair chance at that great American Dream.

Because in the end, more than anything else, that is the story of this country – the story of unwavering hope grounded in unyielding struggle.

That is what has made my story, and Barack's story, and so many other American stories possible.

And I say all of this tonight not just as First Lady...and not just as a wife.

You see, at the end of the day, my most important title is still "mom-in-chief."

My daughters are still the heart of my heart and the center of my world.

But today, I have none of those worries from four years ago about whether Barack and I were doing what's best for our girls.

Because today, I know from experience that if I truly want to leave a better world for my daughters, and all our sons and daughters...if we want to give all our children a foundation for their dreams and opportunities worthy of their promise...if we want to give them that sense of limitless possibility – that belief that here in America, there is always something better out there if you're willing to work for it...then we must work like never before...and we must once again come together and stand together for the man we can trust to keep moving this great country forward...my husband, our President, President Barack Obama.

Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.

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Agent Maha Dakhil provided opening remarks for the 2024 CAA Amplify summit, whose speakers also included Padma Lakshmi and Ricky Martin.

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The attendees of CAA Amplify are accustomed to an annual lineup comprising their own high-wattage, high-impact peers, but one of this year’s speakers was truly peerless.

Michelle Obama took the stage at the Ojai Valley Inn on Tuesday with Regina King for a conversation in which the former first lady reflected on her life since the White House and what she and president Barack Obama are looking to do with their production company, Higher Ground.

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King noted that Higher Ground’s slate has diversified from the type of serious docs ( American Factory , Crip Camp ) it launched with, which Obama said was more emblematic of her husband’s tastes. Her own are more light-hearted and populist (if you can think of an unscripted series, she has probably seen it).

With daughter Malia in the audience (and other daughter Sasha, who was celebrating her 23rd birthday, elsewhere on the premises), Obama projected candor in the mostly off-the-record discussion that made it clear her time in the White House was only a fraction of the events that have shaped her identity (and one that she is not looking to return to).  

“Here we are Black, brown, Asian, Indigenous, queer, trans, Muslim, Jewish, Christian, all faiths, no faith,” Dakhil continued, sounding a call to unity amid difference. “We are all carrying our own individual pain, but when we call people in to our experience as opposed to calling them out, when we proactively seek each other out to understand their story, we are reminded that your fight will always be my fight…. Today you will hear stories that will inspire your soul and reignite your courage to lead with your head up when you might be tempted to keep your head down just to get by. Democracy was not won by quiet self-preservation. Like all improbable things, democracy is only preserved by intention, action, community and hope, and I promise you will find all these things in this room.”

Read more about what was found in the room below.

“ What’s At Stake: Democracy 2024” — ACLU executive director Anthony Romero and National Women’s Law Center president and CEO Fatima Goss Graves, in conversation with Christy Haubegger

“I can’t cede my beliefs to the right’s vision of the world,” Goss Graves said in response to whether her faith in the justice system and rule of law had faltered in light of revelations of ethical lapses among Supreme Court justices and a former president.

Haubegger — whom Dakhil earlier introduced as “Amplify’s fairy godmother” for her role in creating the summit when she was a CAA executive — asked her panel of experts if they anticipated that the Dobbs decision (which the Supreme Court announced while the 2022 Amplify summit was in session two years ago) reversing Roe v. Wade would lead to the Right to Contraception Act failing in the Senate now. “For sure. They’ve always been clear their agenda is going back to both a very narrow idea of controlling the role women have in society. It’s a narrow idea of motherhood at home, not a lot of women in public life, but they haven’t been able to say that out loud,” said Graves. “Dobbs unleashed something special in folks. They captured something in the courts, so they began testing: Why do you need all forms of contraception? IVF?”

Romero noted that the crackdown on reproductive rights could have a silver lining, however. “They gave the most potent tool in this election,” he said, noting that this issue could motivate younger voters and affect upticket races and ballot referendums in multiple states in a climate in which they have otherwise been disillusioned by the administration’s stance on the war in Gaza and on immigration. “Otherwise, it would be hard to animate the number of people we need to animate in this election.”

“My job is to put in place rules and policies and laws to allow people to actualize our full humanity,” said Romero, noting that his litigation over unjust policies comes alive with storytelling — in other words, narrative examples of their impact on people. “If Trump gets elected, we will do our battles, we’ve got the battles. But you’ve got to give people hope and show stories of their roots, their resilience. You are keepers of the human spirit. I look to you all to keep those flames alive.”

“Impacts of Mis/Disinformation on Our Communities” – The 19 th editor-at-large Errin Haynes, Center for Countering Digital Hate founder and CEO Imran Ahmed and CNN anchor and chief legal analyst Laura Coates, in conversation with CAA literary agent Cindy Uh

The fact that carrots ain’t shit might just be the big takeaway from this year’s Amplify. The disdainful declaration was the punchline to a compelling illustration from Ahmed about the long-ranging consequences of disinformation. The idea that carrots helped with eyesight was actually World War 2 propaganda distributed in the media to conceal from the Germans the truth that Britain had developed radar technology to shoot down their planes. “Eighty years later, it had systemic consequences because British farmers started unplowing potatoes and planting carrots,” Ahmed said. “Potatoes are incredibly dense in calories. Carrots are little orange bags of water!”

Ahmed said that we are currently in a “nuclear age” of disinformation, where the ease of spreading it (via social media, amplified by algorithms) is now being met by similar ease of creating it, thanks to AI. “Production and distribution, zero marginal cost,” he said, pleading with platforms to come to a negotiated agreement about content standards. “Our society’s not going to survive the age of disinformation.”

Meanwhile, Haynes and Coates said that given the unreliability of platform owners to monitor their content for veracity, the onus falls onto each individual. “There is no cavalry coming. It’s you,” said Coates.

“It’s time to stop blocking the conspiracy theory-wielding people in our lives on Facebook,” added Haynes. “Challenge them when they’re talking about stories that they found on the Internet. There are steps we can take with people in our lives who are not media literate, like identifying and checking multiple sources, and supporting trusted sources of news. The antidote to the Big Lie is as much Big Truth as we can get.”

“The Story of a Code Switcher” – Lee Sung Jin

Lee said that all of that assimilation took a psychological toll, sharing that he attempted to take his life about a decade ago: “Do not recommend. Rock bottom, I was forced to look at myself, and I had forgotten who I was. It had been so long since I was me.”

The Emmy winner credited therapy, his wife and psychedelics for helping him to find his true self, without the mimicry. “ Beef is the most me I’ve ever been – all the faults, the roots of their psychology,” he said, citing the Carl Jung quote that serves as his acclaimed series’ epigraph: “One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.”

“If I’m being real with you, I picked it because it sounded real smart, but I didn’t fully grasp it until the show came out,” he told the crowd. “I realized that while life will always be a hellscape, boy can it be fun traversing it with the right people. I cannot wait for all of us to get to know the real you.”

“Story Spark” – Lionsgate Motion Picture Group president of production Erin Westerman and LMPG head of inclusive content Kamala Avila-Salmon

The two executives from the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group unveiled a new online tool that they hope creatives industry-wide can use to check on the inclusivity of their projects.

“There aren’t bad scores but only ‘opportunities,’ which is a world we all landed on so that everyone feels safe,” said Westerman of Story Spark, which the studio took several years to develop and refine. “At Lionsgate, we were having the safest conversations, and as a result, the most creative conversations.”

Avila-Salmon emphasized that Story Spark is simply a tool for creatives, who remain in the driver’s seat. “It’s not a magic want. We didn’t solve DEI at Lionsgate; I would have told you if we did,” she said. “It’s not AI and also not a greenlight tool. The stories we use Story Spark on are stories we already decided we’re interested in. We are asking ourselves these questions organically, to open our minds further.”

“What It Means to Be the Sandwich Generation” – Padma Lakshmi

The former Top Chef host presented a very funny, slightly profane version of her poised persona in telling a story about keeping the peace between her Indian mother and her biracial daughter, who is “100 percent American teenager.”

“You don’t want to deny your culture? Make a fucking cup of chai for your grandma!” said the television personality, who nonetheless relented and took her daughter to get her nose pierced a week before her bat mitzvah. “I wanted everyone in that synagogue to know she’s half Jewish, but she’s half Indian too.”

Ricky Martin, in conversation with CAA head of global Latin music touring group Bruno Del Granado

Martin confessed that he had originally planned on retiring after performing at the 1999 Grammys, a clip of which his longtime agent Del Granado played at the top of their conversation. “I had been working since I was 12, so it had been 20 years almost,” said the former Menudo member. “But I guess life had a big surprise for me.” That legendary performance , of course, has been credited with igniting the Latin explosion of the late 1990s, alongside other artists including Shakira, Enrique Iglesias and Marc Anthony.

Martin also credited his Menudo foundation as giving him the discipline to weather becoming a leading man on Broadway, where he starred in Evita for nearly a year, eight shows a week. “When I was 12, I’d wake up at 6 a.m., go to school for three hours, and then crazy rehearsals, concerts and interviews,” he said. “Nowadays that’s called child exploitation. I won’t allow my kids to go through that.”

Even the haters, he handled with humor: “One lady came to me and said, ‘The way you have your kids is not very Christian.’ Well, ma’am, do you know the story of Christianity? Maria is a surrogate mother!”

Martin closed his session by advocating his fellow LGBTQ artists to the industry figures in the room. “A couple years ago when I was promoting [The Assassination of Gianni] Versace , this journalist from Poland asked me, ‘Are you afraid you’re going to be typcast as a gay man?’ Do you ask the same thing to Brad Pitt about being a straight man? There are incredible men and women out there in the LGBT community dying to tell stories. Give them the opportunity. They will rock that script, I promise.”

“Comedy Moment” – Ego Nwodim, Roy Wood Jr. and Mo Amer, in conversation with CAA TV agent Erica Lancaster

Added Wood, “The issue with The Daily Show is you’re trying to accomplish two goals with the same story: inform white people with the truth, and confirm it for Black people. At The Daily Show , if it’s a Black story, it’s about how angry do I want to make you?”

Wood recalled a pitch he made during the advent of legislation around police body cameras about eight or nine years ago that was a parody of Girls Gone Wild , using the format’s frenetic cuts and leering voiceovers to show jump cuts of police brutality that has been recorded on bodycams. “It did not get approved. That was one of the early lessons [on where the line is],” he said. “Black people can laugh at pain quicker than people seeing it for the first time.”

All three comedians on the panel espoused dedication to the joke as an artform, first and foremost, but did allow that the genre provides opportunity for fostering understanding. Wood’s second-ever Daily Show piece covered the Million Man March , whose motto that year was “Justice or Else.”

“The basic premise was I would talk to Black and white people about what they think ‘or else’ means,” he said. “Black people said, ‘We will continue to march, of course,’ and then we went over to the white side of D.C. and it was like murder, death, every fearful thing. You put that on a show with predominantly white viewership like The Daily Show to say, ‘Hey white people, calm down.’”

The Amplify lineup also included Human Rights Campaign president Kelley Robinson, marine biologist Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, Oscar-winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Tik-Tok influencer Reesa Teesa, Paralympian Chuck Aoki and Frito-Lay NA marketing senior director Kimberly Scott, as well as an off-the-record conversation between UC Berkeley professor Omar Wasow and USC student journalist Zain Khan on covering campus protests.

Attendees included Richard Lovett and Kevin Huvane, George Cheeks (in Ojai on the morning Shari Redstone quashed the Skydance/Redbird deal), Gina Prince-Bythewood, Colin Kaepernick, Storm Reid, Tarana Burke, Min Jin Lee, Ashley Park, Nicole Brown, Jay Hernandez, River Gallo and Jillian Mercado.

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