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Rhetorical Analysis Of The Mindless Menace Of Violence

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Delaney Sullivan Ms. Jonte AP Language 07 March 2023 Mindless Menace of Violence Robert F. Kennedy in his speech, The Mindless Menace of Violence conveys that skin color should not divide Americans. Kennedy supports his assertion by identifying the violent and radical nature of some Americans and the complaisant nature of others. The author’s purpose is to convince the audience to seek a common purpose that all Americans share in order to unify the country for their combined prosperity. Kennedy speaks in an educated, calm, and composed tone, to address the issue at hand, while keenly aware of the volatile situation of the crowds following the assassination of Martin Luther King Junior “MLK”. By condemning violence and acknowledging the dangers …show more content…

Kennedy shifts his tone to address the audience who are indifferent to the violence. He makes it clear that this behavior is just as destructive to the oppressed as the behavior of those who are overtly violent against those who are different from them. To establish this connection Kennedy uses many different metaphors such as “For there is another kind of violence, slower but just as deadly, destructive as the shot or bomb in the night. This is the violence of institutions; indifference and inaction and slow decay…This is a slow destruction of a child by hunger, and schools without books and homes without heat in the winter.” These metaphors bring a personally relatable aspect to the seemingly harmless course of inaction during these times and provide detailed examples from different scenarios that are similar. For example, a bomb in the night cannot be seen, however, its effects will most certainly be felt. In addition to these metaphors, Kennedy uses specific language to target the audience and juxtapose them with their opposite. “[T]hen you also learn to confront not as fellow citizens but as enemies” or “We learn, at the last, to look at our brothers as aliens,” He uses these drastic comparisons to draw the audience to recognize for themselves the division, and therefore redirect them to bridge that division toward a common goal and purpose. He establishes that while there is so much disagreement and friction between the different groups based on social biases, everyone seeks the same things in life as human

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This makes it difficult for the audience to side against the facts stated by Kennedy. This use of diction corresponds to the diligence and indignance of Kennedy’s tone. He emotionally connects to the audience by reaching towards those families hurt by the Vietnam War “servicemen to risk their lives-and four were killed in the last two days”. By not only bringing

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He writes about how if both sides fight and fight it will only lead to war but if they take a step back and listen to the other side and try to negotiate they will come to an agreement. Then at the end of his speech Kennedy says the famous words, “ask not what your country can do for- - - ask what you can do for your country.” This shows us that Kennedy thought that the best way to help colored people gain civil rights was for the individual to peacefully protest what they needed and not to just rely on the country. Although Kennedy wanted everything to stay peaceful there was another leader that thought violence was one of the only ways to help the civil rights

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Also, he is stating to never be afraid and figure out ways to face them. By doing this, Kennedy left a greater impact on people by making his speech more

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Robert F. Kennedy, in his speech The Mindless Menace of Violence, suggests that by inspiring American citizens to stand together against violence, Kennedy enhances his speech through, the repetition of core values and the cause and effects of violence eroding our society. Kennedy supports his assertion by illustrating that all human beings are responsible for the ongoing violence, regardless of wealth, race, or age. His purpose is to bring awareness of the destructive violence cultivated by America’s involvement. Robert F. Kennedy’s usage of repetition amplifies the urgent need for action, to tackle the problem of violence in American society. Throughout the speech, he repeats specific words and phrases to create a pattern and flow, as well

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There is a natural clash between different groups due to the hatred and fear that is instilled within people from teachings, or handling trials with conquest and not cooperation. Kennedy uses contrasts between the way people think at the time of his speech and the way that people will achieve justice for all people. Kennedy’s word choice through the repetition and connotation of the word “common" depicts the change the country must go through to end the violence. As citizens view their neighbors as aliens, they share no community or common effort, but only a common dwelling -

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He displays personification in his speech by quoting,”Now the summons us again-not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need;not as to call to battle ,but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle rejoicing in hope.” This quote uses a trumpet to symbolize a call for serenity and not warfare. The trumpet shows the struggle between poverty,tyranny, and war itself to find happiness and promise in the world. Finally, Kennedy uses repetition in lines 15-28 stating “Let both sides” to display a need for

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Let both sides, for the first time, formulate serious and precise proposals for the inspection and control of arms-- and bring the absolute power to destroy other nations under the absolute control of all nations.” Kennedy continues to use “ Let both sides” grab the attention of the audience and show how important this subject is. Another literary device Kennedy uses is symbolism. For example, “ The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of

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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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“In our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart until, in our despair, against our will comes wisdom through the awful grace of God”(24-30). RFK used this quote to say people may want to stay angry and bitter, but anger will eventually be replaced with wisdom and understanding no matter how much they try to fight it. Kennedy recognizes his audience as Americans, but especially

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