Although America’s thirty-fifth president’s name became memorable primarily through his assassination, John F. Kennedy gave a powerful inaugural speech through his use of rhetoric. The essence of his speech nurtured the idea that the country will only flourish if everyone works to construct “a grand and global alliance” (23). To evoke emotions from his listeners, Kennedy used pathos-- the rhetorical device that purposely grasps resonating feelings and highlights them. Allusions to the Bible connected to ethos, giving credibility where needed; whereas his use of anaphora stressed the essence of his message. Kennedy’s message to America was that coming together to “lead the land we love” (27) will make our country, and the entire world, a better place. The president used anaphora -- a rhetorical device where speakers use repetition to lend significance to content -- to emphasize his points. By using the words “us,” “we,” and “our,” he gave listeners a sense of unity. He repeated the phrase “my fellow” to express that he did not look at Americans as inferior, but as equals in the hierarchy of society. …show more content…
As a Catholic, Kennedy used God to show America its own responsibility towards his main goal: peace. He told Americans that “here on earth God's work must truly be our own” (27), leaving it up to the people to unite with one another. The Bible is quoted multiple times in his speech, lending credibility towards the prophets and apostles who wrote it. Ethos was a very important device to use in this situation because although his statements were strong and confidently spoken, adding a source of reference to back up his matter gives the audience more to work
Jake McKervey ENGL1010 Zach Largey 3/2/15 Paper #3 Rhetorical Analysis of JFK’s Inaugural Address On January 20th, 1961, the President of the United States of America, John F. Kennedy gave his Inaugural Address. A speech that he started writing in mid-November of the previous year. Slowly but surely putting a speech together that will long be remembered. Kennedy knew that his speech needed empowering because this moment can be a defining moment in a president’s term of office.
Introducing the sentences, he uses the phrases, “Let both sides”, and, in speaking to different audiences, “My fellow …” and “To those…” The effect of the hortative sentences connotes a tone of authority and elicits a sense of encouragement, bringing a sense of unification and willingness to unify the audience with the new President. JFK exhorts his audience through the use of anaphora, the repetitions of a repeated phrase, to seek for “what problems unite” both sides. JFK proposes his resolution in resolving the “how” to unite two contending sides. The audience is encouraged by his optimistic approach in both sides coming together as one.
(Lines 23-24). By asking these questions, he manipulates his audience into a sense of agreement, since it would be almost considered un-American to object to his rhetorical question. For instance, who would object a more fruitful life for mankind? The sense of unity is continued with his syntax. Some examples of amalgamated language are, “My fellow citizens” and his repeated use of “we”.
In the speech made by John F Kennedy in Jan 20th 1961, he announced his presidency and addressed his agenda for the future of America, and more over, of the world -- the pursuit of peace and liberty inside and outside America. His audiences were his fellow citizens who were Americans and those around the globe, and he surely implied his points powerfully by arguing with a serious tone and meaningful yet powerful diction. The first aspect that makes the speech effective and incisive is the tone of it -- lofty and formal. For example: “Let every nation know...
Kennedy was well aware of his audience frame of mind, Kennedy brilliantly prepared his speech in a way that would give him support. Kennedy was likewise well aware that the audience were largely made up of a Christian nation. Therefore, the plentiful references made to God have a large appeal to the congregation. By correlating his ambitions to that of God’s, Kennedy earning the support of millions of American citizens.
Through the use of invention, President John F. Kennedy, establishes a strong Ethos by using innovative methods of using Pathos to create an inspirational speech. The use of the current events to create emotional appeal toward his audience, as well as using simple words, were both very inventive as far as the potency of his speech goes. As mentioned earlier the arrangement of certain sections showed great flow, and the fact is the entire speech was organized fabulously. From creating a strong Ethos, he soothes an anxious audience bothered by the ambience of the events of their generations and then proceeds to acknowledge the many different people listening to his inaugural address by making certain vows. He then instills ambition and hope in his audience, and ends on a beautiful note stating that change is in the peoples’ hands.
President John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address is most effective at persuading the audience because of his use of rhetorical devices. President John F. Kennedy values the rhetorical devices of pathos, repetition, and allusions. Pathos is found multiple times in John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address because John F. Kennedy convinces America to be the best country in the world. For instance, in the the inaugural address John F. Kennedy states, “ Together let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths and encourage the arts and commerce”. This quotation describes that John F. Kennedy arouses excitement and hopes for the future of the country.
In John F. Kennedy’s incentive Inaugural Address speech, he inspires his audience by using rhetorical devices such as antithesis, parallelism and pathos to create unity and expand human rights in his country. The first implement that is introduced in this speech is
John F. Kennedy discusses and analyzes on how the nation differs from the past and present day in that time period. Kennedy narrators on the division and war in the the world to appeal to the audience patriotism by using pathos and logos. In this speech President Kennedy states “to thoses who would make themselves our adversary, we offer not a pledge but a request; that both sides begin the quest for peace, before the dark power of destruction unleashed.” He uses this quote to obtain a logical appeal to the appeal to the people. Kennedy uses logos to show that he wants the nation to come together and be humble together in one peace.
But let us never fear to negotiate.” President Kennedy wanted to insure the people of our country that by being a unified whole we can be stronger and use that strength to help others. By using anaphora in this section of the speech, he creates a sense of unity amongst not only Americans, however, between
John F. Kennedy uses literary devices to capture the attention of the audience, sets himself equal to his audience getting their attention and support, and uses the christian religion to strike the emotions and gain the support of his audience. Kennedy uses many literary devices to catch the attention of his audience. One of these devices is repetition. One example of repetition that Kennedy uses is, “Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us.
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.
Throughout most of his address, he says phrases like “To those… these people… these places… to those old allies… to our…” to show that the nation will pledge to help those that are in need. He uses anaphora to
John F. Kennedy will always be remembered for how his presidency ended and how it started. On January twentieth, nineteen sixty-one, John F. Kennedy inaugurated his presidency with a memorable and inspiring speech, just after winning the election by one of the smallest popular vote margins in history. Integrated in the end of the speech, Kennedy suggested actions the audience should achieve while conveying numeral key messages. Americans are inspired by the strength and hope put into his speech, as well as the energy emitted from his crucial themes that are portrayed by allusions from history and the bible, ethos and pathos, and phrases are emphasized by using zeugma and juxtaposition towards the end of his speech which inspire the public to
In fact, Kennedy accomplished his goal and is still remembered today, as the best speech ever written and delivered. Kennedy presents his speech with strong Aristotelian appeals of ethos, pathos and the stylistic devices of alliteration and antithesis. Kennedy accomplished what every speaker strives for and surpassed it by capturing the hearts of the audience and inspiring the people’s trust. Ethos is a very important rhetorical device in speeches because it establishes a sense of credibility and trustworthiness with the audience. Ethos permits the audience to feel a sense of trust that is missing in some people’s speeches.