RHETORICAL ANALYSIS: JOHN F. KENNEDY’S INAUGURAL ADDRESS
John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address spread messages of peace and unity to millions of United States' citizens as well as millions of people worldwide. By using a wide variety of rhetorical devices and powerful diction, John F. Kennedy conveys his message, which is simple, yet powerful. One of the most prominent messages displayed in his speech is unity. On paragraph 12, he uses an imperative sentence to request adversary nations to reconsider their rivalry so they can find the best in each other and work together as one to accomplish far more than a single nation could. He requests that, instead of using their knowledge of science to create war machines, they should use their knowledge to eradicate diseases
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"...to convert our good words into good deeds…" and "to assist free men and free governments…". Like many other politicians, Kennedy promises to do what he says he will do. It is meant to give a positive impact for United States citizens, that they can trust this man with their future in America and not mess it up. He promises to assist other countries and help them keep their independence by backing them up when threat of war reaches them. The quote "...this peaceful revolution of hope cannot become the prey of hostile powers." ties back to "...the instruments of war have outpaced the instruments of peace…", which is used as a conduplicatio and oxymoron. The two quotes tie together because Kennedy mentions that war and controversy far outstrip peace, but he states that peace must not let the war and controversy intimidate it. He extends this idea to the citizens of the United States. He uses metonymy in paragraph 22 to represent the citizens as one. He states that we, as citizens, must join the effort to battle against common enemies of man, such as tyranny, poverty, and war so we can achieve unity and peace on all sides of the
Whereas Kennedy’s speech focuses more on the peaceful side of the war, he promised to help other countries and provide disarmament. Kennedy’s speech was in the time of the Cold War, the adversaries
The antithesis between points lets the audience know that Kennedy won’t hide from a conflict in any capacity. He has a firm and confident presence which creates reassurance before he jumps into a request for union and cooperation from everyone. The next paragraphs repeat the phrase “Let both sides” followed by a different, strong, positive action verb. This repetition ties into his previous call for negotiation which he believes will foster peace. CONCLUDING
Freedom Is Ringing We are inspired by great speeches because of the way they are rhetorically crafted to make us feel. The best speeches are not the ones that are informational, it’s the ones that tug at our heartstrings. John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address, Martin L. King ’s I Have a Dream Speech, and Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms State of the Union Address use a variety of literary devices in their speech to motivate and cajole their audiences to defend our liberties.
Delivering the speech, Kennedy expressed compassionate and hopeful words to his audience. His view of freedom is something that makes its way through peace and negotiation. Kennedy states, “Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us” (16). This is a perfect example of Kennedy’s meaning towards freedom. He wants all nations to look at the things that join them together and can relate to rather than the things that guide them away from each other.
On April 10, 1962, steel companies raised the prices by 3.5 percent of their products. President John F. Kennedy had tried to maintain steel prices at a stable rate. President John F. Kennedy, known for his diligence and persuasion, held a news conference about the hikes in steel prices. President John F. Kennedy, in his speech, uses rhetorical strategies such as diction, emotional appeals, and a persuasive tone to convince Americans that steel companies are declining the standards to maintain stable prices. Kennedy states that the steel companies are a national problem due to the increase of steel prices.
He displays personification in his speech by quoting,”Now the summons us again-not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need;not as to call to battle ,but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle rejoicing in hope.” This quote uses a trumpet to symbolize a call for serenity and not warfare. The trumpet shows the struggle between poverty,tyranny, and war itself to find happiness and promise in the world. Finally, Kennedy uses repetition in lines 15-28 stating “Let both sides” to display a need for
In this momentous speech, Kennedy must persuade his fellow Americans that the best way for mankind to operate is to create a sense of peace and togetherness. He asks the citizens of the United States, “Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort? “ JFK realized that if he can bring together all nations, it would be a monumental landmark in history and could bring world peace, an idea long lost in history, back to the people. Kennedy uses a rhetorical questions to call upon man’s instinct to be known and go down in
Kennedy often sets himself equal to his audience, as if saying that he is no better than anybody else, gaining their respect and support. For example in Kennedy’s inaugural speech, he states, “ United there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures.” In this Kennedy is placing himself in the same category as his audience and saying that he needs them, just as much as they need him. Another example of Kennedy setting himself equal to his audience is, “ In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course.” In this statement, John F. Kennedy is saying that the people of America, united, have more power than him.
By using we, us and our he includes everyone and unifies the citizens of the United States and the world. Kennedy says “Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans -- born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage, and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed...” He is saying that the old generation had passed their ideas on to the new generation who are willing to sacrifice so that their rights are not taken from them. By saying “friend and foe alike” he is bringing everyone together and not letting them be different just because they are a friend or a foe. Additionally by describing traits of all the Americans, he unifies the citizens of America because all were tempered by war and proud of their heritage so it allows citizens to bond of common history.
Through anaphoric repetition, rhetorical questions, bright diction, and famous chiasmic phrases, Kennedy inspires his audience, regardless of nationality or background, and advocates for a better, “fruitful life for all mankind.” Following the intensity of his notation of global conflict, Kennedy utilizes anaphora to build a different, positive intensity for the remainder of the speech. The repetition of variations of “Let both sides…” allows conflict, for a moment, to seem to come to a close. Instead, Kennedy replaces it with ideas of peace and prosperity. This shift accounts for a magnetic positivity that the audience hasn’t seen yet to enter Kennedy’s speaking.
Kennedy can see that the country is afraid of the future that will present itself after the Cold War and beyond. It is clear that with war and chaos, it is easy for citizens of the world to turn into their own beliefs and stray away from each other. When using antithesis, Kennedy juxtaposes what being divided or united can do for all citizens. Starting his speech, JFK states, “United, there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided, there is little we can do (Kennedy 1)…”
His diction is very inclusive; he commences his speech with several uses of the words ‘we’ and ‘our’, which makes way for inclusivity. JFK is blurring the distinction between citizen and superior governor by including the people in his proclamation. While describing the hardships and challenges that the country is facing, Kennedy mentions how imperative the occasion is on a global level; in the midst of the Cold War, he reminds his audience of the importance of uniting. Through the use of the lexical field of danger — words such as: ‘defiance’, ‘serious’, ‘risk’, and ‘sacrifice’ — he creates a feeling of tension and urgency, and engages his audience to the concern. To conclude his speech, the President mentions self-guilt on the part of the country on how they had not displayed the “sense of business responsibility” that they should have, a rhetorical strategy that approximates the audience to the government.
Robert Kennedy’s speech was given during a campaign rally in 1968, he broke the news to a crowd of supporters that MLK had been killed. This speech was analyzed through a PDF copy of the text. The purpose of RFK’s speech is to inform the audience of MLK’s death, create a sense of comfort and calmness. RFK includes a quote from the poet Aeschylus
Also, he is stating to never be afraid and figure out ways to face them. By doing this, Kennedy left a greater impact on people by making his speech more
Kennedy starts off by telling us how the world and freedom is in major danger, being close to a nuclear war, telling us that it has the power to end the human species (3). The next point made is that we should “... never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate” (Kennedy 15). This means that we should negotiate to make a means with that someone not because we have to negotiate to stay safe from that someone. Kennedy then says that the goal would to have the world work together to explore problems, have a common arm control and be equal in weaponry power, and work together to unlock new sciences (16-18).