Rhetorical Analysis Of Let Us Continue Speech

On November 22, 1963, the 35th President of the United States, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, was assassinated in Dallas, Texas by Lee Harvey Oswald, while riding in the presidential motorcade. As the body of the former president was being placed on Air Force One, Lyndon Baines Johnson took the oath of office to assume the responsibilities and become the 36th President of the United States (November). A few short days later, on November 27, Johnson addressed the nation with his “Let Us Continue” speech. Johnson spoke to express the sadness and loss that the nation was feeling, but also to rally America in continuing the work that President Kennedy began. Even though Johnson is a well-known politician, he begins his speech by appealing to the emotions

are used throughout the speech. These devices are placed perfectly within his speech, so that they make a powerful statement when spoken. The repetition of words in sentences as he did when he proclaimed, “These are the United States: A united people with a united purpose,” shows the American people that everyone needed to come together in this crisis. The use of repeating words in the beginning of sentences like “The need is here. The need is now,” helps emphasize the meaning behind the words. Strong emphasis is also heard in the lines “Americans of all races and creeds and political beliefs to understand and to respect one another,” and “So let us put an end to the teaching and the preaching of hate and evil and violence,” as they use multiple conjunctions in their lists. By personifying Kennedy’s death with “John Kennedy's death commands what his life conveyed, that America must move forward,” Johnson makes Kennedy’s death personal and a challenge to all who are listening to move on and continue. The use of specific consonant sounds with “sad” and “sense” lulls the listeners with the soothing sounds of the “s,” so that Johnson can soon follow with a strong and powerful