Rhetorical Analysis Of John F Kennedy's Inaugural Address

Analysis In the height of the Cold War, 1961, John F. Kennedy was elected as president of the United States and gave an inaugural address to acknowledge his presidency and address the current state of affairs within America and how that related to the world around them. The speech is regarded as one of the best speeches in American history. The speech uses strong examples of Pathos to establish unity, a large amount of anaphora, a surprising amount of hyperboles and much figurative language to deliver his message and thoughts to the nation. Kennedy uses a large American values as an of Pathos to establish unity, the American value which is valued and used in this speech is none other than that of religion, and specifically monotheistic religions. God, or the ideas behind God supporting the American race is referenced multiple times within Kennedy’s speech he uses this form of Pathos in sentences such as, “rights of man come […] from the hand of God”(3), another example, “ God’s work must truly be our own.”(Kennedy 27) This constant

Kennedy expresses, “[T]hose who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside.” (7) This is another reference to the USSR, but more specifically to the dictators which control these massive amounts of people with not much to keep rebellion down. Kennedy uses this to inspire Americans to what they believe as superiority to places which had instituted communism. Another usage of figurative language is seen where Kennedy states, “[T]hat both sides begin anew the quest for peace, before the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction.” (10) Kennedy uses this figurative language again to instill a sense of urgency and fear to the American people. Making them know how dangerous a war can be, and that peace is the way to avoid full out