Joe Biden's 2020 Victory Speech

This study guide will help you analyze Joe Biden’s 2020 victory speech. In addition to help for your analysis, you can find a summary of the text.

Presentation of the text

Title: Joe Biden’s 2020 Victory Speech (2020)

Sender: Joe Biden

Genre: Speech

Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (b. 1942) is the 46^th American president of the United States, and the oldest person to assume this position, at 78. He has been a member of the Democratic party since 1969. He has served in various official functions, such as vice-president to former president Barack Obama from 2009 to 2017.

Biden won the 2020 elections, securing over 80 million votes. His running mate in the elections, Kamala Harris (see also Kamala Harris' Victory Speech), made history by becoming both the first woman, the first African American and the first Asian American to become Vice President.

This is the speech he made on November 7^th 2020, in Wilmington, Delaware, after the official election results came in.

Extract

Below, you can read an extract from our study guide:

Metaphors

Biden occasionally uses metaphors in his speech to create powerful images in the minds of the audience.

One such example is “Our nation is shaped by the constant battle between our better angels and our darkest impulses” (l. 81). This metaphor presents the traditional battle between good and evil, as an inner battle, rather than a battle between outside forces. It aims to make people stop looking for enemies around them, and start considering their own thoughts and behaviors first.

In connection to this, he also mentions “the battle for the soul of America. We must restore the soul of America” (l. 79). This personification appeals to the patriotism of the audience, and mobilizes them towards a common ideal goal. A similar purpose is served by the metaphor of America as “a beacon for the globe” (l. 83). This is intended to make the audience proud of being American, and live up to these high expectations.