1 LITERARY AND RHETORICAL DEVICES USED IN SPEECHES OF SELECTED WORLD LEADERS ____________________ A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School Batangas State University Batangas City, Philippines ____________________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in English ____________________ by NGUYEN THI HONG MINH BRIGHT April 2015 2 APPROVAL SHEET This dissertation entitled LITERARY AND RHETORICAL DEVICES USED IN SPEECHES OF SELECTED WORLD LEADERS prepared and submitted by MA. NGUYEN THI HONG MINH in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree doctor of Philosophy in English has been examined and is recommended for oral Examination. LUISA A. VALDEZ Adviser PANEL OF EXAMINERS Approved by the Committee on Oral Examination with a grade of _______ Accepted and approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree doctor of Philosophy in English 3 ABSTRACT Title: Literary and Rhetorical Devices Used in Speeches of Selected World Leaders Author: MA. Nguyen Thi Hong Minh Degree: Doctor of Philosophy Major: English Language and Literature Year: 2015 Adviser: Dr. Luisa A. Valdez Summary This study is an analysis of literary and rhetorical devices used in speeches of selected world leaders and the implication of their ideologies to the thinking of young people and their appreciation of literature. Specifically, the study sought answers to the following questions: 1. What are the ideologies reflected in the speeches of Ho Chi Minh, Margaret Thatcher and Barack Obama? 2. How are the themes of existence, patriotism, humanism, inner peace and moral principle manifested in the selected speeches? 3. What devices were used in the speeches of world leaders with reference to rhetorical devices and literary techniques? 4. What are the implications of their ideologies to the thinking of the young people and their appreciation of literature? 4 This study employed the qualitative method of research in analyzing Ho Chi Minh, Margaret Thatcher and Barack Obama‘s ideologies in the representative speeches chosen. Likewise, this analysis made use of the sociological and philosophical approaches as the bases for analysis. This paper also involved content analysis, which is a systematic technique in analyzing message content and message handling. The following representative literary works were analyzed: Ho Chi Minh‘s Selected Articles and Speeches, Margaret Thatcher‘s Collected Speeches and Barack Obama in his Own Words. These selected speeches constituted the primary and twining sources of the study. Findings The results of analysis and interpretation revealed that: 1. Ho Chi Minh, Margaret Thatcher, Barack Obama have paid special attention to the question of human beings; everything for human beings and everything by human beings. This attitude is reflected in their love, respect and confidence in human beings, and their efforts to nurture and develop the skills and talents of all. They themselves have set an excellent example of morality, and they have instructed to different groups of people the practices of social ethics. The patriotism, an important aspect of their ideologies, is deeply shown in their ideologies. 5 2. The common themes in the selected world leaders‘ speeches are existence, patriotism, humanism, inner peace and moral principles. These themes are fully utilized to demonstrate their ideologies. Through the spoken words in front of the public, Ho Chi Minh, Margaret Thatcher, and Barack Obama confirm the existence of their ideologies; they show their deep patriotism; they highly appreciate humanism; they rely on inner peace, and they urge their people to follow set moral principles. 3. The selected world leaders have carefully selected different literary devices to serve their purpose of writing appropriately. Among the literary tools, the common techniques that Ho Chi Minh, Margaret Thatcher and Barack Obama employed in their speeches are ethos, logos, and pathos, and figurative language, symbolism and flashback. These literary tools have shown their effect in emphasizing their ideologies and the themes in their speeches. 4. Ho Chi Minh‘s ideology has proved its great values in the education and training of Vietnamese young generations. His thoughts has served as the lightning torch leading the youth towards the defense of the country and the building of socialism in the present context of Vietnam. Reading Ho Chi Minh‘s works reflecting his thoughts on different aspects of Vietnamese life, the youth have opportunity to develop their appreciation of literature in general and Ho Chi Minh‘s writings in 6 particular. They are also guided toward positive thinking, good virtues and practical actions for the contribution to the building and defense of the country. Conclusions 1. The selected world leaders show their own ideologies in their speeches. The selected world leaders all wish to build a peaceful and prosperous country for their nation and expect to achieve happiness for their people. As the country leader, they also establish norms and principles so that their people will pursuit their desires. 2. The selected world leaders share some common themes in their speeches. They confirm their existence, show their patriotism and humanism towards their countrymen and human beings. The selected speeches reveal the world leaders‘ inner peace and moral principles which they have established to educate their people. 3. The thesis also shows that the selected world leaders have employed all kinds of rhetorical devices including ethos, logos, and pathos in order to persuade audience. They have also utilized a number of literary techniques such as figurative language, symbolism and flashback in their speeches in order to access the public. Recommendations 1. The academic managers may use this research as a frame of reference when they prepare developmental priorities, programs, projects and policies in the educational institutions. 7 2. The working professionals employ this study in the mainstream of their disciplines, their lives and the world and when they apply Ho Chi Minh‘s ideology into the workplace initiatives. 3. College instructors of literature may use this analysis as one of their methodologies in teaching literature specifically the appropriate materials, media, and literary theories and approaches in literary analysis in their literature classes and to develop their students‘ appreciation and sense of value in order to guide and allow them to crystallize and synthesize what philosophy of life is best to learn and to live by. 5. Students of literature realize the significance of the literary devices in literary works and may be inspired to treat literature as a work of art distinguished from other texts through content and form, and intensify their appreciation of literary works as well as inspire them to engage in literary analysis as an academic activity. 6. The members of the community may realize, through this paper, that the Ho Chi Minh‘s ideology is the basic foundation for the struggle of national independence, the building of socialism and the cultivation of revolutionary ethics in present Vietnam. 7. That future researchers conduct other literary works in the veins of the recent research for academic enhancement to have a cross dissections of views of life and to substantiate the present study. 8 ACKNOWLEDGMENT I would like to express my sincere thanks to the many individuals who have provided me with supports in this study. I wish to acknowledge first and foremost the instruction and hard work of my dissertation adviser, Dean of Colleges, Head of the Graduate School and Visiting Professor, Prof. Maluh A.Valdez. I feel truly lucky to have had the opportunity to work with her closely. It was she who first inspired and interested me in the field of literature and in her gentle way she has acted as an excellent advisor from the very beginning when I started working with her up to the present. She has always provided a helpful direction, assistance and support for my dissertation whenever I needed it. Without her guidance and support, this dissertation would have been impossible. I am also grateful to the other members of my doctoral committee from the Batangas State University, Philippines, Prof. Matilda H.Dimaano, Prof. Amada Banaag, Prof.Lavage B. Labura for their valuable comments and suggestions. I would like to thank to Dr. Prof. Dang Kim Vui, the President of Thai Nguyen University, for the linkage between the Thai Nguyen University and the Batangas State University and Dr. Hoang Thi Bich Thao, Director for International Training Centre for her supports so that the learners could complete this course. My gratitude should also go to other related people for their academic supports towards the end of this research, Ms. Le Quynh Anh 9 in International Training Center, College of Agriculture and Forestry, Thai Nguyen University. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to my parents and my sister who are always there to cheer me up and stand by my side with the unquestioned support. Last, but not least, I am deeply indebted to my husband, for his patience and for his unlimited support and love. Without him, I would not have been able to complete this long journey. The Researcher 10 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page TITLE PAGE ……………………………………………………… i Table of Contents ……………………………….…… …… ii CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Statement of the Problem ………………….…. 1 Objectives of the study…………………………. 8 Significance of the Study ………………… … 9 Scope and Limitation of the Study … ……… 10 CHAPTER II REVIEW OF LITERATURE Conceptual Literature …………………………. 12 Research Literature ……………………………. 28 Synthesis ……………………………….………. 36 Conceptual Framework ……………………… 39 Definition of Terms …………………………… 47 CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Research Method ……………………………… 51 Treatment of Materials ………………………… 52 CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA Analysis and Interpretation…………………… 58 CHAPTER V SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS [...]... and their appreciation of literature Significance of the Study The relevance of literary analysis as an essential part of a research study is highlighted in terms of its significance to a number of individuals Thus, it is vital to expand on how this study is beneficial to academic managers, working professionals, college instructors of literature, students of literature, members of the community, and... of literature 31 Historical criticism explores the historical, social, political, and cultural contexts surrounding the creation and reception of a work of literature; it uses history as a means of understanding a literary work more clearly Historicists aim simultaneously to understand the work through its historical context and to understand cultural and intellectual history through literature Two... versus absurdity and subjective versus objective morality Research Literature Nguyen (2004) focused his study on the life and works of President Ho Chi Minh Findings of his study revealed that that Ho had a good knowledge of many cultures in the world He received cultural experience of mankind to enrich his genius and formulate his cultural personality which is plentiful and particular, but familiar to... approaches in literary analysis 21 Chapter 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE The following review of literature is presented with the end view of identifying the constructs of the study Conceptual Literature The review of the conceptual literature yields four types of constructs, which were used in the analysis and interpretation of the speeches to be dissected These constructs include: Speeches as a Form of Literary... young people and the appreciation of literature? Scope, Delimitation and Limitations of the Study This study analyzes the ideologies of selected world leaders as embodied in the selected literary pieces pointing out the events and situations which show the implications of the said ideologies to the thinking of the young people and their appreciation of literature Likewise, this paper tries to present... Chi Minh‘s, Margaret Thatcher‘s and Barack Obama ‗s ideologies and cause in their literature classes and open their students‘ mind and hearts to the flavor of his human freedom, the essence of Confucian ethics, and the moral sense of justice that permeates his poetic lines Students of Literature Not only will this study give them an extensive and profound outlook in life as regards Ho Chi Minh‘s, Margaret... an understanding; and drawing conclusions The essential features in the treatment of materials were considered by the researcher in the conduct of this study The general rules cited by Stott (2014) as regards the seven standards a piece of literature should abide to in order to be considered literary guided in the selection of works under study 17 A number of representative speeches reflecting Ho... understand literature in its larger social context The approach codifies the literary strategies that are utilized to represent social constructs through a sociological methodology Sociological criticism presents the analysis of both how the social functions in literature and how literature works in society This approach of literary criticism was first introduced by Kenneth Burke, a 20th-century literary... actions In addition to helping us develop our understanding of the institutional aspect of each country‘s politics, political speeches are a good source for those wishing to understand the ideas and outlooks of politicians: their beliefs and ideologies As with the study of institutions there is considerable debate concerning the study of political beliefs and ideologies and the methodology most appropriate... object of study for many scientists and researchers, both at home and abroad Nguyen concluded that more people study the life of Ho Chi Minh, the more they will discover about his life Tran (2004) stated in his study that their political party considers Marxist-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh‘s thoughts the foundation of ideology and the compass of activities of the party and people Findings of this study showed . Objectives of the study…………………………. 8 Significance of the Study ………………… … 9 Scope and Limitation of the Study … ……… 10 CHAPTER II REVIEW OF LITERATURE Conceptual Literature …………………………. . Thus, it is vital to expand on how this study is beneficial to academic managers, working professionals, college instructors of literature, students of literature, members of the community, and. youth have opportunity to develop their appreciation of literature in general and Ho Chi Minh‘s writings in 6 particular. They are also guided toward positive thinking, good virtues and practical