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Rhetoric kennedy's inaugural address
Rhetorical analysis essay of john f. kennedy's inaugural address
Rhetorical analysis essay of john f. kennedy's inaugural address
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At the start of the recession steel prices increased by almost 6 dollars a ton. President Kennedy addressed the issue on April 11th, 1962 at a news conference. During this conference President Kennedy stated on line 5 that this was “wholly unjustifiable and irresponsible defiance of the public interest”. Throughout the conference President Kennedy uses many rhetorical techniques such as using an ethical appeal through shared values, diction through a somber tone and word choice, and an emotional appeal to illuminate the issues that increased steel prices have caused. President Kennedy also uses intelligent, formal fiction through this speech regarding the increase in steel prices.
After a recession in 1962 steel companies decided to raise prices dramatically. Consequently, President Kennedy approached the steel companies and asked them to lower prices, but they continued to raise them. The steel company raised prices, therefore, America could not afford it with a war occurring. President Kennedy then held a press conference for the public, with many different rhetorical strategies, turn the American public against the steel companies.
Possibly the most known example of antimetabole is “..ask not what your country can do for you, but for what you can do for your country,”. Kennedy here stresses with the utmost finality what the citizens could do if they could unite together with him, and further inspires them to help by asking for a change in their actions. He takes his statement to the world even, saying, “...ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedoms of man,” He called upon not only the citizens of America, but also called upon from people around the world to come and strive for a world of peace, and it will only be possible if they all
To begin, Kennedy uses diction to set the tone and allow the readers to comprehend the ideas within the speech as well. Along with diction comes figurative language which creates the speech to be more emotional and interacting. For example the personification “sister republics” creates an emotional appeal from the audience because many people have or have had the experience of having a sister. This quote also helps the reader to fully comprehend that if “we” as a nation work together “we” can make a difference in America.
1. The audience and purpose of the speech JFK's inaugural address considers one of the most successful speeches in our history. President JFK addressed his speech to the American government, American citizens, people all over the world and especially the USSR government and its citizens. The president speech was in 1961 during the Cold War. JFK's speech included some highly value purposes: - Express United State as an invincible superpower - Express the willingness to Fight against enemies and achieve freedom and liberty all over the world.
President Kennedy uses the rhetorical device of antithesis heavily in his inaugural address. He mainly uses antithesis to contrast the dark shadow under which the world is cloaked because of the Cold War and the hope which his new administration seeks to offer. One of the best examples of President Kennedy’s use of antithesis can be found in arguably the most famous line of his inaugural address, "And so, my fellow Americans; ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country,”(Kennedy 3). President Kennedy effectively uses antithesis to express his
November 22, 1963, a date that will live on forever. The date that John F. Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald. Shortly after the unfortunate event on November 27, 1963, Lyndon B. Johnson assured the whole nation that we will continue and make it through. By using some of John F. Kennedy’s existing ideas Lyndon B Johnson commanded with a firm but gentle hand that there is nothing to fear. Some of the devices he used in his speech were ethos.
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.
In his impassioned speech at a fundraising event for the Kennedy Library Foundation, Ronald Reagan described the sensational man that John F Kennedy was and the legacy that followed him. The event at which the speech was given was held under the premise of raising money to further support the presidential library, and Reagan made it a priority to recognize the admirable and important contributions Kennedy made to the entire world and pay tribute to a great figure in history. He prioritized the recognition of Kennedy’s character, actions, and impact that the audience would relate to and understand. His audience was the possible donors to the fund so it was important that they were aware of what Kennedy stood for and what he contributed to society
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Junior’s, speech at his inaugural address in 1961 is undeniably a masterpiece of the persuasive arts. Although the speech is short as such speeches go, and although its main persuasive device is pathos alone, the masterful skill with which Kennedy’s speech is written makes it one of the most moving and effective political speeches to date. Kennedy’s vivid use of diction and metaphor, as well as his extremely memorable syntax, are particularly strong and successful. Every intelligent debater, speech-writer, and generally argumentative person knows that there are three main techniques which can be used to manipulate an audience and engage them in the speaker’s topic and purpose: ethos, logos, and pathos.
While the speech's respectful eloquence is appropriate for the occasion of an inauguration, its youthful energy and look to the future make it distinctly John F. Kennedy's. His young & charismatic image strongly appealed to the United State's newer use of media at the time, enhancing his public persona each appearance he made. With the use of a multitude of rhetorical strategies such as repetition, archaic diction, & tone, Kennedy formulated a speech worthy of embodying his form. During his inauguration, Kennedy was able to fulfill his purpose of truly constructing a speech of his own figure, that as well represents his goals for the future of America.
The Inaugural speech by John F. Kennedy is a landmark type of speech that was given to the American populace in order to inspire confidence and to provoke them to take immediate action. His speech made extensive use of rhetorical devices in order to successfully express his goals. His stylistic devices include antithesis, parallelism, and varying structure flows in order to attract attention and to show what his service will accomplish. Kennedy details “a new generation of Americans” by contrasting old and new with his antithesis. He states, “Symbolizes an end as well as a beginning” and “signifies renewal as well as change” in order to do so.
The use of antithesis in Kennedy 's speech is demonstrated in the statement: “And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you-ask what you can do for your country” (para. 25). Kennedy’s use of antithesis are used to strengthen his argument. He strengthened his argument by inviting the audience to think about what one can do for the country. Another example Kennedy uses, “Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate” (para. 14). Kennedy is saying to never have fear to negotiate and face our fears.
However, he has proven his strength and resourcefulness especially in his usage of stylistic devices such as antithesis, parallelism, pathos, and ethos, and these are his stylistic devices of strength he possesses. He easily uses them to gain his advantage from the audience and he is capable of fully expressing his message in a patriotic fashion. One of the examples of this usage of antithesis is when Kennedy is referring to “a new generation of Americans” where he flat-out, vividly shows the separation between the old and the new breed of Americans through this technique. He utilizes antithesis once more when he uses the lines, “Symbolizes an end as well as a beginning…….”. As well as, “signifies renewal as well as change….”
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.
