I love antithesis. Apparently, so does Barack Obama. Listen to a few of his speeches and you’ll notice his penchant for the rhetorical device.
At a news conference in Chicago, Obama said:
“If we are going to make the investments we need, we also have to be willing to shed the spending that we don’t need,”
“In these challenging times, when we’re facing both rising deficits and a sinking economy, budget reform is not an option. It’s a necessity,”
It doesn’t hurt that he slipped in a triad while he was at it.
When I listen to him speak, I can’t help being reminded of John F. Kennedy’s inaugural speech. The entire speech was filled with antithesis. Here’s just a small sample from his opening.
“We observe today not a victory of party, but a celebration of freedom — symbolizing an end, as well as a beginning – signifying renewal, as well as change.”
Notice how Kennedy also combined antithesis with a triad.
If you want to keep improving as a speaker, study the speakers of the past and present that have captured the attention of the world. You’ll notice they used similar techniques even though their speaking styles may be different. The old techniques always have and always will work in speaking.
As I’ve said in previous posts, “history repeats itself in public speaking”.
