In a time where many countries of the world were unsettled and feared another atomic bomb explosion, President John F. Kennedy was sworn into office on January 20, 1961 on a cold winter afternoon. He then proceeded to give an inaugural address that would last through the ages and inspire people not only in America, but also people around the world to unite together and achieve peace. His speech was eloquent and smooth, because of his use of many rhetorical strategies. He uses diction, appeals, parallelism and other literary devices all throughout the speech. President Kennedy wise use of diction greatly helped him appeal to the audiences.
- Unite the American public and Avoid hysteria - Present the world U.S's Intention for peace so as to the USSR 2. The elements for good speech in JFK's speech: Content: a. The speech dealt with the most
John Fitzgerald Kennedy commonly called simply by his initials “JFK”, delivered the 35th presidential inauguration address on January 20th of 1961. This speech was extremely powerful and comforting that the entire nation turned an ear to hear the words of their new leader. During this time period, America was in the middle of a racial battle within their borders, fighting Communism and the Cold War across the ocean, and overall worried about the chance that another completely devastating war could break out at any time. What Kennedy’s speech did was address these issues and give the citizens of the United States hope for the future. It employed a strong appeal to ethos, pathos, and logos; which is why people continue to talk about it even to
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
The Effective Use of Persuasion in Kennedy’s Inaugural Address The twentieth century was a tense and stressful time period for the United States. Towards the middle of it, the time most commonly known as “The Cold War” began. This marked the beginning of the arms race between this country and the Soviet Union.
Newly elected president, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, addresses the American people in his inauguration speech that aimed to unite the a nation divided by the recent presidential election. Kennedy’s fervid tone emphasizes his intentions on coalescing his constituents. The patriotic diction prevalent in the inauguration speech of 1961 advances Kennedy’s purpose by igniting a flame in the American spirit; words such as: “liberty,” “freedom,” “rights,” and “hope,” are all classic archetypes portrayed in American culture and was therefore subsidized on. The then President could have capitalized on more elaborate words, but did not due to his desire to reach the mass populace.
John F. Kennedy (JFK) delivered one of the most memorable lines in American politics at his inaugural speech in 1961. His thesis was to enforce the American citizens to take responsibility for their own success or failure. JFK started his sentence with the use of pathos to provide a warm embrace and a sense of unity with his audience allowing him to soften the impact of his serious message. This enabled JFK to set the tone for his message. He aimed to inspire his audience, an appeal to emotion, and not to impose upon.
In his speech Kennedy uses different rhetorical devices to unify the citizens of both the United States and the world. Kennedy was giving this speech after winning by a very small margin of votes so he was trying to unite the people of the United States and show he was the correct choice for the president. This speech was given during the Cold War so he was trying to connect the people around the whole world and establish peace. Kennedy was able to unify the people and try to establish peace while at the same time making himself seem like a very competent leader. In his speech Kennedy tries to build his credibility as a personable leader by creating ethos.
On a bitter, cold day in Washington DC, January 20,1961, a profound speech was given by President John F. Kennedy. He spoke to gain unity, world peace, and freedom. His speech inspired not only the new generation of Americans, but also his “fellow citizens of the world” (Kennedy). In President John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural address, Kennedy claims that both audience and he himself can achieve freedom and peace. He uses inclusive diction, antithesis and anastrophe to catch the audience’s attention and persuade them.
Kennedy appeals to the citizen’s pathological need to eliminate conflict, solve problems indefinitely, and protect their rights. He does this type of persuasion to cause the people to react to his presidency positively. This speech was said during the Cold War, so people were on edge because of the impending battle, and he consoled the people with his confident diction. He outlines a “peaceful revolution of hope” that will help connect the neighboring countries and lower poverty rates (Kennedy). By saying “peaceful” he minimizes the fear of having a endless battle with the Soviet Union.
John F. Kennedy’s was known as a very patriotic person, and that would raise the question why. Well, the answer can simply be found in his inauguration speech. He gave the speech to bolster the fighting spirit and act as an inspiration for the Americans. How he does this is interestingly simple by smart actually. He used a plethora of stylistic devices extensively in his speech.
John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address On Friday, January 20, 1961 John F. Kennedy was inaugurated as 35th President of the United States. In his Inaugural Address President Kennedy delivered a speech to unite and celebrate the peaceful transition of power that stands to this day as one of the most powerful addresses in modern history. Widely considered a call to action, President Kennedy challenged the American people to move beyond the precincts of the past to make a difference to move the world into an era of peace and prosperity. His promise to the other states on the world stage was no less spectacular when he swore “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship,
On January 20, 1961, forty-three-year-old John F, Kennedy delivered his inaugural address in Washington D.C after being sworn in as the thirty-fifth United States President. He memorably captured the attention of the entire nation with one of the finest speeches written to date, tugging on the heartstrings and logistically addressing the worries of many Americans. Making his point clear and comprehendible, Kennedy reached larger audiences than his predecessors, bringing a sense of calmness to the public during the height of the Cold War, national talk of communism, and the impending fear of nuclear attacks. He took austere consideration to the chaos erupting both internationally and nationally by instilling a sense of union amongst Americans in attempts to creating lasting peace. Utilizing a fearless rhythm of persuasiveness and motivational tactics, Kennedy connects to his audience through emotional
In his inaugural address in 1961, President John F. Kennedy acknowledges the uncertain international crises of the era to not only unite America, but the world. To do so, Kennedy frequently contrasts the extremes of peace, unity and prosperity with war, division, and poverty. In the third paragraph of the speech, Kennedy says that “man holds the power to abolish all forms of human poverty, and all forms of human life.” Kennedy recognizes the American public’s shared fears of nuclear destruction, so he plays with these fears to appeal to a broader audience. However, Kennedy not only addresses the crippling fear of war, he addresses the potential for world prosperity ,which many Americans were not aware of at the time with the fear of war.
President Kennedy’s inaugural address was best known for the words “"Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country” (Miller Center, JFK). President Kennedy also discusses the Cold War during his inaugural address saying “We dare not tempt them with weakness. For only when our arms are sufficient, beyond doubt can we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed. But neither can two great and powerful groups of nations take comfort from our present course—both sides overburdened by the cost of modern weapons, both rightly alarmed by the steady spread of the deadly atom, yet both racing to alter that uncertain balance of terror that stays the hand of mankind's final war” (Miller Center, JFK). President Kennedy’s inaugural address was very short and to the point and that is one of the thing the American people liked him, he was also very charismatic.
