Preview

Rhetorical Analysis Of Jfk Inaugural Address

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1231 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Rhetorical Analysis Of Jfk Inaugural Address
JFK’s Message
John F. Kennedy is one of the nation’s most popular and recognizable presidents of the 20th century. Kennedy is most famous in his presidency for his powerful and inspiring speeches. His positive energy and young yet wise personality made him easy to listen to for all audiences. In fact, on January 20th, 1961 John F. Kennedy delivered one of the most remembered speeches of all time; his inaugural address. At a time of racial tensions, economic hardships, and lingering fears of war, he strived to bring comfort and confidence to the American people. In order to achieve this, Kennedy understood and addressed the need for dire changes to be made for the good of the country, through the involvement of the people. Therefore, Kennedy
…show more content…

At one point, many of his lines began with “Let both sides…” which was then succeeded by a suggestion or warning. By using the repetition of this phrase, he was able to emphasize the need for each side of the nation to coalesce together. When these phrases are constantly repeated, the audience can better understand JFK’s purpose. Kennedy uses repetition again, when he repeats the phrase “To those…” After this phrase he states a noun such as allies, new states, people, sister republics, world assembly, and nations. Each time he uses a different noun to introduce a new part of his argument. In one instance, he uses anaphora in an attempt to appeal to the patriotic emotions of his audience: “…we pledge the loyalty of faithful friends… we pledge our word that one form of colonial control shall not have passed away merely to be replaced by a far more iron tyranny.… we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required.” (Kennedy). Emphasizing “we pledge” shows the proudness and vigor he had for his country and also the importance for the nation to work together as one. The use of repetition kept an echo of the important words JFK wanted his audience to embrace and remember. Kennedy used repetition well to further demonstrate his purpose to unify the

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    In Lincoln’s opening lines of his speech, he establishes that he knows that neither attitude has changed. The North is still pressing for expulsion of slavery and the South is still pushing for expansion of slavery. However, he establishes that slavery is not the point of his address. He uses words such as “extended,” “pursued,” “progress” and “reasonably satisfactory” to show that his main points are the effects the war will have on future generations. He does not address the issue with a condescending tone: he speaks in a supportive, optimistic way that encourages unity.…

    • 210 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    On March 4th, 1865, during his second inauguration as President, Abraham Lincoln delivers a speech to the people of the nation, which are divided, reflecting on the causes and meaning of the American Civil War. Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address requests the North and the South to put aside the disputes that are causing the division in order to restore the broken nation. Through powerful diction, figurative language, and rhetorical devices, Lincoln’s moving speech help accomplish his determination of uniting the nation back together.…

    • 382 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Kennedy begins his inaugural address by assuring foreign countries that America will stand by them. He expertly uses anaphora when singling out each appropriate group of countries. By focusing his attention using the words “To those,” Kennedy gained the trust to each specific set of citizens from those countries. Another rhetorical strategy that Kennedy implements is first-person-point-of-view. He emphasizes America’s commitment to these countries…

    • 228 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    John F Kennedy delivered one of the finest speeches on January 20, 1961 after being sworn into office. His inauguration speech was so powerful that it captured the entire nation attention, and quotes from it are still remembered by people today. It is one of the finest speeches ever written. It provides a strong appeal to pathos, ethos and logos, and it is because of this that people who never heard the speech can quote lines from it.…

    • 878 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Equally important, Kennedy effectively uses rhetorical devices such as parallelism, alliteration, and repetition in his Inaugural Address to successfully express his goal for his presidency. For example, Kenney uses parallelism in perhaps his most memorable line of his Inaugural Address, “Ask not what you can do for your country- ask what you can do for your country” (Kennedy). Through parallelism, John F. Kennedy dramatically symbolizes his entire speech into one sentence. By reversing the order of the sentences, the president challenges mankind to withhold personal desires and instead focus on the needs of others. By using parallelism, President Kennedy is able to keep his audience interested. For instance, the president illustrates “power…

    • 366 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In his speech on April 10,1962, John F. Kennedy accentuates the corruption and negligence of United States Steel and other leading steel corporations for raising steel prices that would in turn have an immense, financial-burden impact on everyday Americans. The intended purpose of his writing piece was to chastise and defame the greedy steel corporations as well as obtain support and unification from Americans. Through the use of patriotic diction, hypothetical reasoning, and consistent factual evidence, John F. Kennedy generates a logical and emotional appeal in order to exemplify the urge to resolve the devastating economic and social distress Americans had faced from the recession.…

    • 522 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    In a brief word, JFK wisely involved the use of rhetorical devices and appeals within the above excerpts by persuading the audience in an innovating approach using alliteration, antithesis, and pathos. Because of such devices, indeed, influenced the mindset of the addresses Kennedy’s inaugural address turn out to be stronger and inspirational to advocate individuals to eradicate every problem that might affect their success or purpose and life.…

    • 1652 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    There is a young man sitting in front of the television staring into the eyes of the viewers before he glances down to start speaking. Edward Kennedy’s speaks on the tragedy that happened on July 18, 1969 on Chappaquiddick Island, that resulted in the death of a young woman named Mary Jo Kopechne. Mary Jo was a secretary of the late Robert Kennedy and was still working with the Kennedy family. He begins his speech to communicate that he has “entered a plea of guilty to the charge of leaving the scene of an accident.” (paragraph 1, line 2-3) This confession of the proceedings he has gone through is an example of Bitzer theory on exigence based on the fact that he is not only admitting his crime but stating that there are more proceedings to…

    • 482 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    A successful speech is often combined lots of factors, especially the use of rhetorical. Throughout the various periods of the famous speeches in the United States, all of the speechmaker used a variety of rhetorical devices and made their speech greatly appreciated, which is the magic of rhetorical. Kennedy was the youngest person elected U.S. President .His presidency came to represent the America youthful idealism in the aftermath of World War II. And Kennedy’s address was considered as one of the most wonderful in American history. Let us analysis the use of rhetorical in Kennedy’s inaugural speech.…

    • 372 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Along with chiasmus, Kennedy decided to, on many occasions in his inauguration, use anaphoras. An anaphora is the deliberate repetition of a word or a phrase at the beginning of a sentence, clause, or paragraph. The first incident in which this device is used is when JFK is making pledges to all different kinds of people around the world about varying things. He continuously begins sentences with "to...(blank)" (Kennedy, 2-3 and by doing so, JFK is trying to show the American people that he is setting out to change the entire world for the better, not just the US. This appealed to the people because it showed them that JFK was very responsible and clearly wants to make positive changes. Another example of anaphora is when Kennedy says "let...."…

    • 669 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Although John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address is one of the briefest documents in history, it perfectly describes what he plans to do in his time in being president. This speech goes over the period of the Cold War and other matters going on in the world in the early sixties. This was a period in which most Americans were worried about the planet, goals that need to be achieved to ensure the safety of the people of the U.S. and also the new technological advances that were being made. The United States was torn between racism in the 1960’s and Kennedy had to address that in his time in being the president. The Cold War was also at its peak during that time (Bragdon) and the people of the U.S. knew that Kennedy was a young and inexperienced president and were worried about how he was going to lead the nation in times of crisis.…

    • 1119 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    John F. Kennedy's Speech

    • 500 Words
    • 2 Pages

    John F. Kennedy promoted change and sought to have peace. The structure of Kennedy’s speech is also parallel. He uses a repeating grammatical structure to create a rhythm that evokes the audience’s attention. His address is empowering to the american people and he was very clear on his view of america. Kennedy called upon his fellow Americans to start getting involved in the government and to start serving their country and he invites a new era of peace and cooperation. He calls upon Americans for cooperation, sacrifice, and idealism.…

    • 500 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Prior to President John F. Kennedy’s election, The cold war continued between America, China, the Soviet union, and Germany, America was facing civil unrest regarding race and segregation with extraordinary figures like Rosa Parks fighting for equality, and lastly tensions rising high with the soviet union shooting an American plane out of the air- the same year President Kennedy is elected. Assuredly, America was facing a great deal and basically implanted in the right very center of a chaotic time. Knowing this, President Kennedy precisely chose to create his inaugural address to represent a sort of beacon or light to all of America to lead them out of the chaos and into what’s important; liberty. The purpose of President John F. Kennedy’s…

    • 2439 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    He wanted his people to, “unite to heed in all corners of the earth the command of Isaiah,” his allusions throughout his speech show that he is not only trusting the people, but he is also trusting his beliefs. Kennedy uses personification when he states, “with history the final judge of our deeds,.“ He is explaining that their children and grandchildren of this country will live in the world they make for them, so they want it to be good. Finally in exclamatory phrases he asks his fellow Americans, “ask not what your country can do for you-ask what you can do for your country,” and to his fellow citizens of the world, “ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.” Kennedy had a plan, and he was talking to whoever would listen, because eventually he would need their help to success in making better of the…

    • 987 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Synthesis Essay – John F. Kennedy SMSgt Patrick S. Simmons Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy February 8, 2015 Instructor: HptFw Rainer Lichtsinn John F. Kennedy President John F. Kennedy stated “However dark it looks now, I think that ‘westward, look, the land is bright,’ and I think that next summer it may be.” President Kennedy was speaking about his Civil Rights Bill. President Kennedy was a visionary and ethnical leader during his presidency, fighting for equal rights for all Americans and creating programs to better the quality of life for people around the world. In this paper I will review how and what President Kennedy did as a visionary and ethnical leader. Then I will reflect on President Kennedy’s leadership…

    • 1175 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays