Rhetorical Analysis Of John F Kennedy We Choose To Go To The Moon

On the 12th of September 1962, U.S. President John F. Kennedy presented his address "We choose to go to the Moon" to appease and inform his citizens of America’s space efforts to land man on the moon and return him safely to its shores. His eighteen-minute speech, which was delivered in Texas, became a turning point for the United States of America in the “race for space”, as his intention to further the space program was supported by his citizens.

Kennedy’s address at Rice University was written to inform and persuade the audience of America’s space efforts. His oration informed his citizens of their country’s decision to proceed further with its space program and furthermore, that it would “go to the moon” within “ this decade. “ He appealed

to their rational by reminding them that such a feat was “not easy” but scientists would not stop trying to achieve their goal simply because it was “hard”. To appease his country’s frustration that Russia launched and had orbited the moon first, with Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becoming the first man in space, he appealed to their patriotism and declared that America would “not see [the moon] governed by a hostile flag of conquest, but by a banner of freedom and peace”. He also promised that his country would commit itself, within the decade, to “landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth.“

In the midst of the Cold War whilst America and Russia were in competition with each other, Kennedy presented the speech at Rice University, as he desired to transform the Nation Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Space Task Group into a Manned Spacecraft Centre. He purposefully chose to do so in Houston, Texas and consequently, the Humble Oil Refining Company pledged to donate land in 1961 towards the space effort, which also initiated a relationship with Rice University. Later in 1962, Kennedy delivered the speech together to an assembly of individuals consisted of students of Rice University, media, and citizens concerned that America was failing in the “space race”. To further the development of the space program a budget of over five billion American dollars was required and the revenue had to be sourced from taxpayers. To achieve this and not cause an uprising Kennedy’s words focussed upon the need for advancement, pride, and nationalism, all of which endeared him to his audience.

Kennedy delivered his speech in a formal and convicted tone, leaving no doubt of his belief in the need to expand the space race and why such an expansion was necessary. With the structure of his presentation focusing on four key main points, he articulately addressed the evolution of technology, the progression of the exploration of space, possible criticisms and lastly, the steps in which the United States had already taken to achieve this objective. Presented logically, he introduced his speech by acknowledging the past successes and failures of the space program and the rapid pace in which technology was developing. To convey his theory of the evolution of technology, he condensed the past 50,000 years of human history into fifty years and stated that only “10 years ago, under this standard, man emerged from his caves”. In his body of information, he proceeded to list possible concerns and criticisms surrounding the exploration of the moon such as safety and cost as the dangers of space “are hostile to us all.” In finality, he concluded his speech by summarising what has already been achieved in regards to the progression of the exploration of space such as “a great number of new companies, and tens of thousands of new jobs”.

Kennedy utilised various language techniques to inform and persuade the audience to support the decision that had been made to send an astronaut to the moon and safely return him to Earth.

Through rhetorical questions such as "But why, some say, the moon? Why choose this as our goal? And they may well ask why climb the highest mountain? Why, 35 years ago, fly the Atlantic?", Kennedy conveyed his opinion that no matter the size or difficulty of the challenge, the United States of America would conquer it and stand proudly. His use of short, sharp statements such as “We meet at a college noted for knowledge, in a city noted for progress, in a State noted for strength” reinforced why the school, state and facility was the perfect place to deliver a speech on the nation's space effort. Kennedy also cleverly used alliteration when he stated that the space budget was a “staggering sum” of $5,400 million, as the repetition of a consonant is assistive in conveying the significance of the amount in which the United States is contributing to the space effort. The alliteration of “change and challenge” is used to add emphasis and highlight his intention to address the importance of his aim to further the space program and successfully send a man to the moon. As a master at the use of metaphors, Kennedy employed them to give richness to his presentation. Metaphors such as “space is there, and we’re going to climb it” and “shift our efforts to space from low to high gear” creates a sense of awe, pride, and determination in the audience, as the exploration of space was a monumental undertaking. The speech also used contractions such as “I don’t think we ought to waste any money”, however, he also adopts humour in his speech when he states “I'm the one who is doing all the work, so we just want you to stay cool for a minute” and “Why does Rice play Texas?”. This assists in creating a more likable and inclusive tone, in which his audience is more likely to be convinced by what he

was proposing. Through the use of many techniques, Kennedy left his audience feeling inspired and enthused for the future of the United States’ endeavour to land man on the moon.

U.S. President, John F. Kennedy successfully presented his inspiring, informative and very persuasive speech ”We choose to go to the Moon” to his captive American audience. The 12th of September 1962 changed the course of America’s space history and it started with Kennedy’s conviction that The U.S. would have a man on the moon within the course of a decade. Kennedy’s oration was responsible not for the advancement in space technology but it resulted in a domino effect for the success of many space-related endeavours, many of which today are a legacy of his commitment to his country and passion for the space program.