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President john f kennedy speech analysis
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Every president since GeorgeWashington has given an inaugural address. They all attempt to unify the audience of America whilst laying out plans for their following years in office. Many have taken their own spins on the idea of the address and taken different routes to give the address. John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s address took place on a 20 degree day in Washington D.C. Removing his overcoat, the President Elect expressed a vibe of youth and new life to the presidency. JFK’s address employed strategies varying from an emotional appeal to more artistic phrasing allowing his speech to flow and leave a lasting message on those who were there to hear it. His delivery of one of the most memorable inaugural addresses from a president of the United States sealed his fate as one of the most memorable presidents. With an audience ready for captivated listening, Kennedy laid out a speech which dramatically attempted to unify the people of America. JFK’s use of pathos is within the entirety …show more content…
of his address. Littered throughout the entire article are uses of massively patriotic, pride inducing, and emotion arousing words. Freedom and liberty are the most recognizable of these words. The words are the literal embodiment of what it means to be an American citizen. Liberty and freedom draw forth a large emotional response from the listeners. But JFK uses more than a few touchy-feely words to remind us of our heritage of greatness, he also employs regular use of references to the past in his address. “For I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forbears prescribed nearly a century and three-quarters ago… 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.” (JFK 1-2) JFK wastes no time in immediately connecting our nation’s creation to our nation now. He makes the wise distinction that the world has changed dramatically, but affirms that our nations beliefs have not. We still stand as a force for what is right in the world. His affirmation that our nation still believes in what it did at first shows that our nation has incredible integrity and strength, and that it is something that the American people can be proud of as its citizens. “We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution. Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans--born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage--and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world.” (JFK 3) JFK states that the American people remember the sacrifice made to earn the freedom and liberty that they now have. He asserts that the mantle of being an American citizens is being passed from one generation to another, and the new generation is ready to receive it. JFK brings up that America should not allow the rest of the world to slip downward, and that it’s America’s duty to stop it’s downward spiral. The feeling of responsibility and superiority is a valid reason to unite under a single cause. Appealing to our nation as a whole are the themes of fear and possibility, each of them unifying in their messages. The remarks about helping less fortunate people and governments cover the grounds of possibility. The ideas of mass war and nuclear extinction are the center of the fear aspect in JFK’s speech. The all of these ideas unify the United States as an audience. Another very evident theme in JFK’s speech is a somewhat peculiar syntax at some points, which might seem strange to some, but inevitably makes the speech flow better and makes it more enjoyable and powerful.
“Let us go forth to lead the land we love… Pay any price, bear any burden.” (JFK) The repetition of the same sound for several words in the sequence, or alliteration, allow the speech to be more memorable. “To those old allies… To those new states... To those people…” (JFK) Anaphora allows for memorable transitions between points, all addressing different areas of interest, but all connected through the wording of them. Assonance and consonance, or the repetition of vowel sounds and consonant sounds respectively, are also very evident throughout the speech. “…the steady spread of the deadly atom… whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall…” (JFK) The repeated sounds make the speech easier to remember. Many of these literary devices add to the notability and power of the
speech. JFK’s inclusion of many literary devices and emotional appeal dramatically added to the effect his speech gave. It started of one of the most unique presidencies and will be remembered as long as the JFK is remembered. The inaugural address sets the goals for a president, and lays down his policy. Henceforth, his time in office should mirror what he has said he would do. JFK followed his speech and achieved greatness in his presidency because of it. This was not just another inaugural speech, this was a promise to the United States of America..
“Born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage.” (Miss, Daly, Pg.). This show the U.S. people that he really loves this country and really cares about what’s going on and what happens to it in the future. Another way he brings pathos into his speech is by the language/words he uses in his speech. When he is talking he uses a lot of words like “we”, “us”. This makes the U.S. people feel very connected to him and makes the feel like they are a part of it to, it is like they made the decision to vote him president and now they get to help him make his decisions about the future of America. In his address he says “In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course.” (Miss, Daly, Pg.). which again he connects to the people by making them feel involved and by basically saying the future of America is even more in our hands then in his and it really depends on us in how we want America to turn out, and again makes the U.S people feel very patriotic and proud of their country. Overall John F Kennedy was very successful in persuading the U.S. people about their choice by using pathos and by just talking to
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.
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 nations 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.
...very once in a while to maintain the formality of the speech and to convey imperative messages to his audience. Interchanging between the short sentences and the lengthy sentences grabs the audience’s full attention, permitting Kennedy to most persuade them that he qualifies for his position as U.S. President.
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.
Although both Mark Antony’s and Robert F. Kennedy’s speeches were successful largely due to the strength of their arguments, their careful choice and placement of their words and sentences is also an important factor in the delivery of their messages. The clever use of stylistic devices and techniques of both Antony and Kennedy’s speeches is a testimony to their much admired speaking styles. The use of repetition, caesuras, and personal references augment their speeches so that it is concise, purposeful, memorable and emotionally engaging. The influential nature of both Mark Antony and Robert F. Kennedy is in part due to their high level of skill in speech-making, a rewarding skill to have in any language, and an important asset required for any leader.
John F Kennedy delivered one of the best speeches on January 20, 1961.His inauguration speech was very powerful and it gathered the attention of every single person in the nation. It uses a strong appeal to pathos, ethos and logos. Kennedy was the youngest president to be in office. He got his degree from Harvard and later on joined the navy. He wrote “ profiles in courage” which has received one of the most recognized awards, the Pulitzer Prize. This speech had a lot of positive sides to it, but one of the most important things was that it gave him a good look from the outside. The inaugural address was written to let the citizens of America know that they could change this country for the better. It assured all voters
The emotion in his speech is perfectly used by making the American people feel truly responsible for the well-being of our country. John F. Kennedy 's logic was the best example of ethos, pathos, and logos that he used in this speech; with quotes like “If a free society cannot help the many who are poor; it cannot save the few who are rich.”, and “ Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate.”. With all the uses of ethos, pathos, and logos he defended the vision of our forefathers and that the world could be a better place. All this speaking not only to the United States, but the
The president’s inaugural address allows the president to lay out his plans and intentions to excite and motivate people across the country. Since the main reason for his sermon is to inspire rather than educate, Kennedy rarely uses any logical pleads. Yet, Kennedy adequately uses passionate dialect to make the people sense their involvement in what the President says. Kennedy composes the assignment to bring back tranquility and good-wealth as not only his aim, but of the public as well.
President John Fitzgerald Kennedy uses ethos in his inauguration speech to appeal to the audience. Halfway down the second page President Kennedy says “...not because the Communists are doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right.”. This phrase appeals to the audience ethically by saying “right”. President Kennedy strengthens this use of ethos by saying two choices followed by the ethical decision. Then near the end of page three President Kennedy says “...to struggle against the common enemies”. President Kennedy appeals to his audience by calling them to “bear the burden of a long twilight struggle”. President Kennedy calls the audience to do the right thing and not to surrender to “the common enemies of man”. Which,
If anyone ever tells you that speeches does not make a difference, point them at JFK's Inaugural Address. Throughout his speech, President Kennedy uses several techniques to gain the trust of his audience. Nevertheless, the purpose of his speech was to inspire and not necessarily educate; However, Kennedy effectively used emotional language to make his audience feel included in his goals as President When he discussed previous leaders, Kennedy used a source of element to emphasise his opinion by stating, “But we shall always hope to find them strongly supporting their own freedom, and to remember that, in the past, those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside, (Language Awareness 283).” This implies that
Kennedy's Inaugural Speech is an unforgettable one. At the end of this speech most people would've taken action against poverty if they weren't so appalled and/or completely frozen. Nevertheless, Kennedy was able to warm the hearts of the people through the use of parallel structure, antithesis, and balance.
John F. Kennedy was the newly elected president of the United States during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He was the youngest president ever voted into office in American History, making him seem vulnerable to opposing political leaders such as Soviet Union's Premier, Nikita Khrushchev. Kennedy had only been in office for a short time before signing the authorization of the Bay of Pigs Invasion in 1961. Kennedy was a part of a capitalist country, and he, like most capitalists, feared the effects of communism. Kennedy addressed in his speech on the matter that “ it is clear that the forces of communism are not to be underestimated, in Cuba or anywhere else in the world.” Kennedy largely disagreed with communism, and believed that the effects could
The sixties was a time period marked by complex political and social issues in the U.S. and internationally. The U.S. was caught between 2 major international conflicts: the Cold War and the Vietnam War. Other countries and political systems threatened America’s stability as a world power when John F. Kennedy was elected into office by a narrow margin. As the youngest man elected into presidency, he had to prove to the people that his leadership was capable of motivating and uniting the Americans to work towards the progression of the nation. In his nationally televised inaugural speech, John F. Kennedy calls Americans into action through his impactful and contrasting language.
John F. Kennedy delivered an inaugural speech that can be described as the most famous inaugural speech that any president has ever given. Following a close presidential race, Kennedy uses this speech as a celebration of victory and unite his audience. During this cold and snowy day, Kennedy stepped to the podium, but he wasn't wearing a coat and tie. Standing in the bright winter light, he stood out against the backdrop of politicians and family. President Kennedy delivered some words of wisdom that have not been forgotten and have been nominated as one of the most inspiring speeches a president has ever given. From examining the physical breakdown, the deeper meaning, and the delivery of the speech,