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Jfk Inaugural Address Analysis Essay

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An Olive Branch in Troubled Times
On January 20, 1961, President John F. Kennedy delivered his famous inaugural address in the middle of the cold war. The conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union had caused much division in the United States election, resulting in his narrow victory. Kennedy, at the time he took the presidential office, was the first Roman Catholic and the youngest president to ever hold the position. These two factors caused even more speculation on whether Kennedy was a fit president especially at such a conflicted time. With this tension in mind, Kennedy sought to unite the divided country and reinvigorate patriotism in the new generation of Americans. He accomplished this task through using diction, rhetorical tropes, and modes of persuasion in his inaugural address when he took the office.
Despite his young age, Kennedy confidently takes the presidential office by using archaic and abstract diction in his inaugural address. Wanting to assure his country that he is a leader who his country can trust, Kennedy implements words such as “asunder”, “forebears”, and “anew” to set a formal and old-fashioned tone to …show more content…

He scatters the words “let us” throughout his speech in order to emphasize the need for unification. Kennedy makes use of the unifying power of language to bind the division in the United States and mend the tensions. Kennedy also urges the public to “Let both sides unite to heed in all corners of the earth [as it is] the command of Isaiah.” By appealing to people’s core beliefs, their religion, he aims to resolve the religious tension that has divided the public. Kennedy seeks to convince his audience that even though he is of a different denomination of Christianity, he still shares the same Christian values. He utilizes religion as it is a major unifying factor to bring the public together towards a common

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Top 100 Rhetorical Speeches: John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address In 1945, World War Two ended with the unconditional surrender of the Japanese Empire. In 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed by ten European nations, the United States of America, and Canada in order to organize a united front against the Soviet threat. In 1955, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Albania, Bulgaria, and the Soviet Union signed the Warsaw Pact as a communist counter to the capitalist NATO. In 1961, in the midst of a heated cold war, John Fitzgerald Kennedy (JFK) stood in front of the nation and delivered his inaugural address as the 35th president of the United States of America (USA).

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He recalls past tribulations and victories of America as a nation and swiftly grabs his audience’s attention. By noting that his generation of Americans were “the heirs of that first revolution,” as well as through similarly democratic diction such as “freedom,” “peace,” and “liberty,” JFK appeals to the patriotic commonplace that his vast audience shares. This word choice allows his, specifically American, audience to connect with him, regardless of party or prior vote. It also sets the stage for the goals of his administration of securing and keeping democracy around the globe. Furthermore, Kennedy swiftly captures the audience’s attention through frequent alliteration.

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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

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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.

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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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