John F Kennedy Inaugural Address Essay

Inaugural addresses are important in a president’s administration. It is the mark of a beginning of a major public leader's term of office. The inaugural address President Kennedy made was a landmark in Americas past time. President Kennedy’s speech was aimed at The American people and citizens of the world with the main idea of supporting freedom around the world, help the poor and to work towards peace instead of war and incorporating logos, pathos, and ethos to emphasize the point.
The effect I believe John F. Kennedy wanted his audience to feel was a sense of everybody playing there part to help the country and to help other countries as well. I believe this because President Kennedy stated “And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you-ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man. Finally, whether you are a citizen of America or a citizen of the world, ask of us here the same

high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking his blessing and his help, but knowing that here on earth God’s work must truly be our own.” This statement shows a sense of really caring about the nation, the world and this is why I believe he wanted everybody to play there part in helping the country whether you were a citizen or not.
Presidents Kennedy’s main point I think was to list the goals he wanted to fulfill for his presidency.

One main point I got from his speech was to help the poor and I got this from when he stated “To those people in the huts and villages of half the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever periods is required- not because the communist may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right. If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.” Another one of goals was to work towards peace rather than war and he stated this when he said “finally, to those nations who would make themselves our adversary, we offer not a pledge but a request: that both sides begin anew the quest for peace, before the dark powers of destructions unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental

self-destruction.”
The Inaugural Address made by the President Kennedy is a landmark speech. In the speech, he uses rhetorical devices such as and logos, pathos and ethos to fulfill the goals of his speech. He immediately establishes his ethos by stating” Vice President Johnson, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chief Justice, President Eisenhower, Vice President Nixon, President Truman, reverend clergy, fellow citizens, we observe today not a victory of party, but a celebration of freedom—symbolizing an end, as well as a beginning—signifying renewal, as well as change. For I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forebears prescribed nearly a century and three quarters ago.” He then establishes logos with a few times stating “old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins we share,” then stating “new States whom we welcome to the ranks of the free,” next stating “people in the huts and villages across the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery,” then stating “that world assembly of sovereign states, the United Nations,” and finally stating “nations who would make themselves our adversary”. President Kennedy finally stablished pathos by appealing to patriotism and he does so by stating “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 human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe—the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God.” He reminds the audience of their forefathers and that what establishes pathos.