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President john f kennedy inaugural speech analysis
Jfk's inauguration speech analysis
Jfk inauguration speech analysis
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“Unity is strength. Division is weakness” is a Swahili proverb that mimics the message of President John F. Kennedy’s memorable inaugural speech. Kennedy was a president of many firsts, the first Roman Catholic president, and the first president to get inaugurated on television. Even with all of his honors distinguishing him from others, Kennedy never wanted to alienate or separate anyone in his country. All throughout Kennedy’s speech he stressed that through unification anything is possible. The rhetoric used in Kennedy’s speech helped strengthen and emphasize his message of unity and conciliation. Kennedy created an air of unity with his use of diction. In the very first sentence of his speech Kennedy uses the words “fellow citizens” (para 1). The word “fellow” implies equality, and demonstrates how no one is above one another, and how together we make up the United States. Words like “freedom, poverty, devotion, loyalty and sacrifice” are also used to create an emotional appeal with the audience. Kennedy won the election with a very small margin, and wanted to make sure he wasn’t a just a president for Democrats, Catholics or young people. He wanted to be …show more content…
For example he does this with the phrase “United there is little we cannot do … Divided there is little we can do.” (para 6). The opposing ideas of unity and division are being compared, and enables the audience to better understand the reason Kennedy was striving for unity. Kennedy used parallel structure alongside antithesis to show what he envisioned for the country’s future. “Abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life” (para 2). He compared the at the time state of the country, with what he believed was possible through unification.The parallel structure made the speech more memorable and allowed Kennedy to emphasize his point of progression more
The chapter, Church, has the troop hold up in a church for a few days. In the church, the monks take an immediately likely to the troop help with food and weapon cleaning. A few of the soldiers discuss what they wanted to do before the war. The troops learn more about each other and insight into what faith can be to them.
He used a very selective vocabulary, purposely using emotionally charged words such as: “wholly unjustifiable and irresponsible defiance” (lines 4-5), “ruthless disregard” (line 82), and “restraint and sacrifice” (lines 14-15). By using words with strong connotation, he powers the emotions of his audience once again directing support for himself and appearing as the calm figurehead amongst the emotional chaos. He also makes his speech very personal by mentioning individual American families, literally using the phrase “every American family” (line 25). He appeals to the strong sense of patriotism in the American public by mentioning the four servicemen who died in Vietnam. Despite the fact that they are almost completely unrelated to the rise in steel prices and, if they were alive, would be unaffected by the rise in price, either. And yet, Kennedy mentions the servicemen to make the situation appear that much more dire. By mentioning the tragic deaths of these men, Kennedy aims to trigger a strong emotional response in his audience that would turn into support for
“People who had incurred the displeasure of the party simply disappeared and were never heard of again.
Kennedy first point has to deal with the intolerance of religions and how we are all Americans and need to work together as one. Kennedy states in his essay ” When people agree on public policy, they ought to be able to work together, even while they worship in diverse ways ”. Kennedy saw that as individual freedom and mutual respect between civilians. You can work together but still have your freedom to believe in your own diverse way. Kennedy wanted tolerance for all religions and that we should all accept each other. Kennedy believes that we as people have the power to welcome in religion and use it when it is appropriate.
Kennedy was elected president in the year of 1961. Which was during the time that the Cold War was in full swing. The Cold War being the tension filled era between the superpowers in the east and the superpowers in the west. Contrary to the other two presidents, JFK was not speaking to the American public at the time of the war 's conclusion but right near the middle of the 40 plus year issue. Regardless he was assuring the public. He stated, “...that the torch has been passed to a new generation of American-”. That optimism cannot be matched. Even at the darkest of times could he stand up there, the president of the United States, and tell the young people of America that their time is now. Not only that but he attempts to inspire Americans when he says “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.”, which was definitely a knock at the Russians. JFK overall had this persona about him. This was the speech where muttered that historic and uplifting quote, “And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.” His message of peace and coexisting really stand the test of
Imagine the world we are living in today, now imagine a world where we are told who to marry, where to work, who to hate and not to love. It is hard to imagine right, some people even today are living in the world actually have governments that are controlling their everyday life. In literature many writers have given us a view of how life may be like if our rights as citizen and our rights simply as human beings. One day the government may actually find a way to control and brainwash people into beings with no emotions like they have in the book 1984 where they express only hate, because that’s what they have been taught by the party.
Though Kennedy and Clinton addressed their audiences nearly thirty-two years apart, each rhetor faced a common rhetorical barrier – an American populace too heavily focused on the personalities within each respective presidential election rather than the true issues confronting the United States. To overcome that barrier, both Kennedy and Clinton utilize definitional strategies – in the form of association – as well as language strategies –specifically, historical allusions. Whether or not the speeches directly correlate with both candidates winning their presidential elections does not concern the examination; this paper observes how exactly the rhetorical devices used served to dissolve the barriers between the rhetor and the intended audience.
By delivering his inaugural speech, President Kennedy mentioned not only the American people, but also people from over the world including new states, old allies, and the Soviet Union. He also sought to inspire the nation after a long, divided election; to alleviate the growing fearful of drawn-out cold war, and to bless the hope for peace in the nuclear age. By using the extensive use of rhetorical devices, President successfully completed and fulfilled the goals of his speech. Therefore, after reading his inaugural speech, I strongly want to choose this speech to analysis for my research paper. I will analysis John F. Kennedy’s inaugural speech based on the idea of social cohesion about liberty, give evidence and number how this speech has influenced thousands of people based on its eloquence and persuasiveness.
Lots of things were happening in 1960 with John F. Kennedy was to be the president of the United States of America. America is going through a period of where they are scared and worried about what is going on in the world around them. They needed a strong leader to turn them around and get them back on top. John F. Kennedy gave them just what they need to hear with his inauguration address. He spoke of helping others, working together and protecting are freedom at all cost. It was exactly what the citizens of the United States needed to hear at exact moment.
In his Inaugural Address he said, that he would bear any burden, pay any price, and the hardship, to oppose any foe and success of liberty(Kennedy.5). This meant that he was to do as much as he possibly could to ensure and spread freedom around the world. Because European countries wanted a communist country which was to have all of your property owned not by you but everyone. Since there was no freedom or constitution Kennedy’s wasn’t going to approve of this idea. President Kennedy also stated, “...those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside.” (Kennedy.8). He stated something very powerful with how the Nuclear attacks were occurring then that he said, that people who want power and use force will be destroyed before he can control
In 1980 Ted Kennedy, John Kennedy’s brother, spoke at the Democratic National Convention. According to History.com, Kennedy had just recently left the race for the Democratic Primary against incumbent President Jimmy Carter. With Carter running for reelection, the Democratic Party had a chance to have strong stability in the White House. Democrats faced a strong Republican Governor Ronald Reagan, which made Kennedy’s speech very important for unifying Democrats and their shared values. According to HistoryPlace.com, this is the best speech given by Kennedy during his public service, and is seen as a defense of liberal ideals. I believe Mr. Kennedy unifies the Democrats in his speech by presenting how a strong group can rally over other ideologies
Scientists are constantly forced to test their work and beliefs. Thus they need the ability to embrace the uncertainty that science is based on. This is a point John M. Barry uses throughout the passage to characterize scientific research, and by using rhetorical devices such as, comparison, specific diction, and contrast he is able show the way he views and characterizes scientific research.
We Shall Overcome Rhetorical Analyses Throughout the history of the United States, racial discrimination has always been around our society. Many civil rights movements and laws have helped to minimize the amount of discrimination towards every single citizen, but discrimination is something that will not ever disappear. On March 15, 1965, Lyndon Baines Johnson gave a speech that pointed out the racial injustice and human rights problems of America in Washington D.C. He wanted every citizen of the United States to support his ideas to overcome and solve the racial injustice problems as a nation. Throughout the speech, Lyndon Johnson used several rhetorical concepts to persuade the audience.
In 1729, Jonathan Swift published a pamphlet called “A Modest Proposal”. It is a satirical piece that described a radical and humorous proposal to a very serious problem. The problem Swift was attacking was the poverty and state of destitution that Ireland was in at the time. Swift wanted to bring attention to the seriousness of the problem and does so by satirically proposing to eat the babies of poor families in order to rid Ireland of poverty. Clearly, this proposal is not to be taken seriously, but merely to prompt others to work to better the state of the nation. Swift hoped to reach not only the people of Ireland who he was calling to action, but the British, who were oppressing the poor. He writes with contempt for those who are oppressing the Irish and also dissatisfaction with the people in Ireland themselves to be oppressed.
He emphasized how African Americans fell short in everyday life during the Civil Rights Movement compared to white citizens during a struggling time period of segregation. Continually, he explained the situation in detail, “…has about one-half as much chance of completing a high school as a white baby born in the same place on the same day, one-third as much chance of completing college, one-third as much chance of becoming a professional man, twice as much chance of becoming unemployed, about one-seventh as much chance of earning $10,000 a year, a life expectancy which is 7 years shorter, and the prospects of earning only half as much.” With the goal to make his audience think about the big picture, Kennedy delivered a strong message of conviction to change the minds of Americans. He addressed this issue because most white citizens had no interest of looking through African Americans prospective. Kennedy then uses logical appeal, “This Nation was founded by men of many nations and backgrounds. It was founded on the principle that all men are created equal, and that the rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened.” Kennedy used a phrase that came from the Declaration of Independence. Reminding America that this is a country of all mankind, not just for whites only. Kennedy used strong appeals to change the way how white citizens treat African