Barack Obama and the Rhetoric of Hope

The historical and literary antecedents of the President Obama's campaign rhetoric can be traced to the utopian traditions of the Western world. The ""rhetoric of hope"" is a form of political discourse characterised by a forward-looking vision of social progress brought about by collective effort and adherence to shared values. By combining his own personal story with national mythologies like the American Dream, Obama creates a narrative persona that embodies the moral values and cultural mythos of his implied audience.