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John F. Kennedy Inaugural Speech: Rhetoric

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JFK Inaugural Speech: Rhetoric John F. Kennedy was marginally voted in as President in 1961, a moment in history when there was nothing but silence, yet one miscalculated move could result in the destruction of man. This was in the midst of the Cold War, in which there was tons of tension in the air, which is clearly observable in Kennedy’s Inaugural Speech. Winning by a slim majority it’s necessary for him to convince the American citizens that he was the right choice and is trustworthy. Along with this he addresses the current situation in which Russia was becoming increasingly perilous and the need for peace and unity before a catastrophe occurs. In a historical speech President Kennedy addresses his role in directing peace and liberty by any means possible, using antithesis to convey the necessary objectives he plans on achieving, as well as utilizing fear to create a sense of urgency and clever repetition to point out certain important events. Many speakers …show more content…

These emotions can be easily seen in many speeches as they’re usual abstract terms that invoke a particular emotion within the audience. The usage of terms and phrases such as, “power to abolish…all forms of human life,” or even, “destruction unleashed…engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction,” are all used to invoke fear. (Kennedy) This makes American citizens fear for them and also forces them to listen to the solution that President Kennedy would propose. Fear although isn’t the only emotion, there are also many invigorating and inspiring words sprinkled across the speech. Abstract words like, “loyalty” or “liberty,” make sure that there is a sense of patriotism to the ideas that America has been known for. (Kennedy) With such diction he connects some instances to the past, mostly in the beginning, and floods citizens with

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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.

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J.F Kennedy, the president of United States wanted to put the first Americans to the moon-America exploring the moon, so he directed his speech to the people of taxes and Rice University to promote his space exploration program that will help America to be the first country to explore the moon. He believes that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth. Throughout J.F Kennedy's speech, the speaker makes effective use of evidence, reasoning, rhetorical elements, and rhetorical devices that together form his argument to gain people support for his space exploration program. J.F Kennedy was trying to prove his point of view by giving examples and using a lot of Rhetorical devices and appeals that would grab the reader's attention

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JFK presents this idea by developing ideas like freedom all across his address. “The rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God.” JFK believes that the individual freedoms of man are not supposed to be touched by and are not created by the government. Through this statement JFK is affirming that the protection of these individual rights should be a keystone to America. “The same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe” Kennedy furthers the affirmation that individual rights should be protected by referencing the founding fathers who had constructed the United States government around the idea of individualized rights.

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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.

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Kennedy’s inaugural address signifies the legacy of hope that his presidency created. This is done through the use of anaphora and imagery. In Kennedy’s inauguration address, he uses anaphora to bring political parties together behind common goals. While describing his expectations for the nation during his presidency, he says, “Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us. Let both sides, for the first time, formulate serious and precise proposals for the inspection and control of arms--and bring absolute power to destroy other nations under the absolute control of all nations” (Kennedy 3).

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John F. Kennedy Inaugural Address John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address, “ made a huge difference in the hearts and minds of the American People (prompt P. 1).” This fact showed when his approval rate rose to 75%. In Kennedy’s world-changing speech he established different objectives such as, one, to establish trust, as he was a young man beginning his term as president, second, create a sense of peace, as the country was in the height of the Cold War, and third, give hope to a brighter future. Various forms of figure of speech are cleverly used throughout the address. Among many, anaphora, abstract words, and rhetorical questions communicate his purpose most effectively.

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On January 20th, 1961, more than twenty thousand people gathered despite the eight inches of snow and below freezing temperatures to attend the inauguration of the United States 35th President, John F. Kennedy. The milestone speech that was delivered invigorated citizens at the sight of Kennedy’s youth and vitality. While remaining respectful of this great nation, John F. Kennedy applies rhetorical strategies to address America and it’s citizens in its entirety. Kennedy successfully delivers a plan for the United States of America to adhere to. The diction and syntax of the inaugural speech serves John Kennedy’s purpose, enriches the text, and has an inspiring effect on the audience.

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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.

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An argument, no matter how well written, will have a weak base without a solid backing. Throughout the decades, “Peace Speech” has proven to be one of the best exemplars of a strong, passionate, and sound debate. Using Ethos, Pathos, and Logos, Kennedy was able to get into the minds of Americans and those around the world. In a time where the fear of war was constant, a conversation of peace was made possible.

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On April 4, 1968, Robert F. Kennedy was in Indianapolis for a campaign stop, when he received news that Martin Luther King was killed, causing Kennedy to write and deliver a speech regarding the assassination. This speech was succinct but not only was it about the assassination, it was also to tell the people there is still wisdom and hope in this time of turmoil. To reach this purpose, he first builds up his ethos, uses pathos to add mood and hope, and unifies the people. The combination of these elements makes it a very powerful and memorable speech. Robert F. Kennedy builds his credibility by relating his personal experience and knowledge of what the audience is feeling to the current events.

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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.

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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.

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593 Words | 3 Pages

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.

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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.

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442 Words | 2 Pages

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

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