Who Is John F Kennedy's Ethos In The Steel Industry

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John F. Kennedy, gives a speech about the rise in prices in the steel industry, in which he argues that the industries raised prices with no thought of the American citizen. He first addresses the greed of the steel executives, then states the negative effect that it is having on the people of America. Kennedy's purpose is to confront this issue publicly in order to let the country know that he is aware of how it is affecting them, so that they might have some reassurance that they are not alone in this. Since the audience is the people of America, Kennedy develops a compassionate and personal approach so that they might be content with his speech. Kennedy uses multiple rhetorical strategies in his speech. The first strategy that we see is …show more content…

Kennedy talks about how the steel industry did not need to raise prices because the market was favorable to them at the time. He states some statistics about their cash dividends saying that they have "exceeded 600 million dollars" (70-71) and talks about the decline in price of major raw materials. This is a logical approach to why the steel companies have no reason to raise the prices of their goods, making this an excellent use of logos. Kennedy uses the ethos directly and indirectly. At times he calls on other peoples authority, like when he references the Bureau of Labor Statistics in saying employment costs have not changed in the steel industry. He also refers to the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission, saying that they are "examining the significance of this action" (89-91). This is a good use of ethos because it makes the American people feel like they are being heard and others are taking their side in this. Kennedy's best use of ethos is not a reference he makes, however. It is the fact that the president of the United States of America, the leader of the country, is taking the side of the people. In conclusion, Kennedy uses multiple rhetorical strategies to appeal to his audience and does so very