John Fitzgerald Kennedy – the 35th president of the United States is said to have delivered one of the most inspiring inaugural addresses in American history, often times compared to that of Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural address. Kennedy’s speech is described as having further invoked the American dream and extending its promise to the rest of the world. Alas, it is also a speech that is riddled with propaganda techniques incorporated into its very roots, hence giving it the ability to stand the test of time. Kennedy’s speech came in a very tumultuous time of American history. The height of the Cold War, the arms race to build nuclear bombs (for fear of nuclear war), and the Big Red Scare of communism had severely damaged the ties between …show more content…
The speech had a plethora of glittering generalities with the more emphasised and powerful ones being “our ancient heritage,” “rights of man,” “peace,” “liberty,” and “national loyalty.” These words created a false sense of connection amongst the people because the concept of peace and liberty was something that every American held dear to. It was the very idea of America being the “Land of the free” that spurred sentimental feelings for the people and motivated them to take the message of the speech to heart. But these words don’t actually hold any actual meaning, in fact, only a handful of people could actually define the concepts behind these words. This is because the terms used hold a very connotative meaning that can be severely biased based on a person’s perspective, giving way to huge disparities in …show more content…
In fact, the greatest emphasis of this technique is incorporated into the very beginning and end of his speech. The first being “For I have sworn before you and Almighty God…” this statement is used to transfer the status of the citizens to the same level as God himself. This is a very effective technique used to patronize the citizens and make them believe that their importance is just as equal as that of God for the American government. However, the very last words of his speech exemplify this technique. His statement, “here on earth God’s work must truly be our own,” makes the American people believe that by working for the government they are doing what God is advocating. The technique links two unrelated topics that hold little to no practical meaning. How can following the government’s message or being a good citizen be God’s message? This technique relies on the fact that a positive image, in this case God’s shadow, is projected at the linked concept to lure the audience into ‘religiously’ following the
It was on January 20th 1961 that John F Kennedy gave his inaugural address after winning the presidential race and beating future president Richard Nixon. President, John F Kennedy in his speech, The Inaugural Address, he describes his plans for growth in America. Kennedy’s purpose is unite the people of the U.S. and bring everyone together for the good cause of promoting growth in the country. He creates a very inspirational tone in order to establish a connection with the U.S. people. In his speech Kennedy really used several rhetorical strategies of persuasion to motivate and persuade the U.S. people that they made the right choice in choosing him.
John Fitzgerald Kennedy was the 35th president of the United States. He graduated from Harvard, and joined the navy. He worked as a reporter before entering the political arena. He later wrote “profiles in courage” which won the Pulitzer Prize Award. Being that JFK was the youngest president to ever be in office there is no doubt that he encountered a lot of skepticism. This speech had many purposes but most importantly it gave him positive recognition. The inaugural address was written to encourage the American public to get actively involved with their country. It also reassured them that it was not a contest that he won but rather chance at a beginning. This speech reassured the voters that they made the right choice and informed a country that they were going to see some changes.
Throughout the speech, the Former President George W Bush strives to empower Americans by instructing them to remain resolute, but to “go back to [their] lives and routines”. He uses the personal pronoun we and the common pronoun us repeatedly to indicate that the people of the United States, who either saw the event on television or experienced this event firsthand, were and still are involved in this national tragedy. He implements this emotional appeal into his speech to involve all Americans--people living in the United States of America, regardless of their ethnicity, race, or culture, and to acknowledge that the American people have endured this together, and that they will continue to advance after this event with stronger resolve, stronger than ever. In addition, he implements personification to motivate and empower the American people. “Our nation, this generation, will lift a dark threat of violence from our people and our future” (Bush, 2001). “This generation”, again a synonym for the American people, with its unwavering resolve, will fight for its freedom persistently. He intimates that the future of America and of democratic freedom is in the hands of the American people: that the American people have the power to control their fate. The next sentence leads into America’s “philanthropically” democratic nature: “We will rally the world to this cause, by our efforts and by our courage” (Bush, 2001). This statement has been followed up by action only a few years later, when the United States intervened in the Iraqi War, Libyan Revolution, and even more civil wars to ensure the freedom of citizens from dictatorships, which in Islāmic nations, were militant groups, like the Hamas and Taliban. Lastly, the president utilized anaphora, specifically a tripartite structure, by affirming that the American people “will not tire”, “will not falter”, and “will not fail”. He implies that the American people will relentlessly fight for the worldwide establishment of peace and democratic institutions, a promise which America has kept even in the face of its own national crisis.
of patriotism in his speech. He wants America to be proud even in the face of
John Fitzgerald Kennedy delivered one of the most important American speeches after being sworn in as president on January 20, 1961. His inauguration speech was so influential that it seized the nation’s attention, and quotes from it are still clearly remembered by people today. It is considered one of the best speeches ever written and ever delivered. It presents a strong appeal to pathos, ethos, and logos and accomplishes what any speaker strives for – it speaks straight to the heart of the audience and inspires people.
In the speech, President Bush uses several metaphors to show that the United States is a strong country. Bush leads into the comparison of America, to the bending still occurring from the planes flying through the
He makes sure his audience connects with him directly by making them feel at his level, and at hiss. This way he connects to the audience, and in exchange, helps his statement of unity. Using various examples of parallelism, anaphora and refrain, Obama brands the theme of equality and togetherness in our country throughout the speech, vital to gaining the respect of his audience. Obama recalls the ‘enduring strength of the constitution’ by delving into the past alluding to America’s allegiance to the Declaration of Independence by quoting “we hold these truths. that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”.
It was a brief speech that captivated a lot of matters that concern the American citizens exclusively and the world inclusively. He divided his speech into different sectors which are citizens’ sacrifice, the idea of service, adopting changes, promise of wealth, government harmony and dignity. The language used in the speech was flawless and applicable to the audience, who was the public, since he was using every day vocabulary. Therefore, the speech has a strong structure that can be easily understood by the majority of people. The audience typically will and was the American citizens, but since the United States has many international relationships, President Obama was trying to reach beyond the nationwide concerns and meet a mutual background....
He mentions the very recent violence that occurred in Selma, Alabama; where African Americans were attacked by police while preparing to march to Montgomery to protest voting rights discrimination. Without mentioning this violent event that occurred a week prior, there would not be much timeliness to his argument, and it wouldn’t have been as effective. The timeliness of his argument gave the speech a lot more meaning, and it heightened the emotions of many who heard the address. He is appealing to the emotions of many American people, both Congressmen and ordinary citizens, to encourage them to support his cause. He reminds us of all of the Americans around the world that are risking their lives for our freedom.
John F. Kennedy’s speech was revered then and it is revered now. He talks on peace and freedom will never be forgotten. JFK arrived when America was going through a rough patch and delivered a speech for the ages. His line “…My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country” still applies even today. Even though John F. Kennedy’s live was tragically cut short in 1963, his speech on freedom and peace will always be remembered and it carries on with JFK’s legacy.
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
Opening with "We the people, in order to form a more perfect union.” conveys an image of the constitution for the purpose of the speech; what comes next is “Two hundred and twenty one years ago,” an opening that places him in the tradition of Lincoln at Gettysburg and Dr. King at the Lincoln Memorial “Five score years ago.” Concentrating on the nation’s misunderstanding and miscommunication connected to racism in America.
John F. Kennedy was an American politician and the Democratic runner in the 1960 Presidential Election. This speech was written by JFK once he had won the 1960s Democratic Nomination and was to speak at the 1960s Democratic Convention. As this time, JFK, was still Senator John F. Kennedy and was running against Richard Nixon for
On January 20th, 1961, John Fitzgerald Kennedy gave a speech to the nation, which encompassed a new vision for the country with a new generation. That speech was JFK’s Inaugural Address. As the new 35th president, JFK was the youngest president to enter the oval office at the age of forty-three ("Inaugural Address."). The nation was still in in the process of healing after World War II. In the eyes of the masses, John Fitzgerald Kennedy was a breath of fresh air for the American People. He was a youthful president, with his youthful image; he was able to rally the younger generations with a progressive vision. This speech was a message to the nation in which JFK outlines a new direction for The United States by securing it’s freedom, being a competitive nation in all aspects, and rallying the citizens behind the government.
Kennedy’s brilliant use of pathos, parallelism, antithesis, and varied syntax successfully conveys his ambitions and hopes for America, as it makes Kennedy’s speech a very memorable one in history.