Jfk Inaugural Address Rhetorical Analysis Essay

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Rhetorical Analysis: President Kennedy’s Inaugural Address Thirty-fifth president of the United States John F. Kennedy, in his inaugural address, expounds upon the need for the world to strive for peace. President Kennedy’s purpose is to impress upon his audience that the ability to change the state of the world lies within each nation and within the people themselves. He adopts an inspiring tone in order to call his audience to action and start on a path of global harmony. In his speech, President Kennedy first addresses his fellow Americans and appeals to their sense of patriotism. He reminds his audience that freedom and God-given rights, “the same revolutionary beliefs for which [their] forebears fought” (paragraph 3), are being He urges them to , along with America, embark on a “quest for peace” lest the “dark powers of destruction...engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction” (12). President Kennedy’s utilization of distressing diction with words “dark powers” and “engulf”, he evokes a sense of fear in his audience and a desire for an alternative to the fate he predicts if the hostility resumes. He then provides the very solutions he attempts to convince his audience to long for. He once again uses parallel structure, beginning each paragraph with “Let both sides…” He includes America in the solution for peace, acknowledging that the United States needs to change as well. Lastly, President Kennedy directs his attention back to the American citizens. He declares that “the final success or failure of [their] course” lies in their hands. After hearing the possible result of continued hostility in the world, the audience is prompted to commit themselves to striving for peace. With President Kennedy’s famous line, “ask not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country”, he solidifies his message that the citizens determine the course of the world. President John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address inspires his audience to work towards change and calls the United States and the other nations of the world to attempt to achieve global

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