On January 20, 1961, President John F. Kennedy delivered his inaugural address to millions of hopeful Americans. In the midst of the Cold War and Civil Rights Movement, recently elected JFK is present with the task of handling a disgruntled and divided America. His speech is marked with a commanding tone that uses rhetorical devices to emphasize his ideals for the country. In his inaugural address, John F. Kennedy uses a variety of rhetorical devices to establish credibility, calls people to action, and unify America. JFK establishes his credibility using ethos in order to achieve the purpose of his inaugural address. JFK was the first Catholic president and the youngest, which in turn, concerned a lot of Americans. In order to settle their worries, JFK connects himself to past leaders. First, he addresses past leaders such as President Eisenhower and President Truman. Along with his introduction, he says, “I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forebears prescribed nearly a century and three quarters ago.” (JFK p.1). JFK communicates that he took the same oath that all the previous …show more content…
By calling people to action, JFK expresses people should stand up for the rights and freedoms of others regardless if they are on their side or not. For example, he calls the American public to “bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend”, in order to preserve the “success of liberty” (JFK p.3). In the hortative statement, JFK promotes any action that sustains liberty. Because JFK uses a hortative sentence to call people to action, people are more likely to complete actions that protect liberty. Furthermore, JFK says Americans should “convert our good words into good deeds” (JFK p.4). He calls Americans to no only say positive things but to act on their words also. Kennedy uses the hortative statements to make people work towards a better
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.
In a tradition dating back to George Washington, every newly-elected president gives an inaugural address at the time of his swearing into office. Many of these inaugural speeches have been given during times of war. Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address was given on March 4, 1865, near the end of the American Civil War, Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Fourth Inaugural Address was given on January 20, 1945, in the last year of World War Two, and John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address was given on January 20, 1961, during the darkest years of the Cold War. Each in their own way, in their respective inaugural addresses, spoke words of reassurance and encouragement to a nation’s people troubled by war and anxious about peace.
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.
After being elected the 35th President of the United States of America, President John F. Kennedy delivered his inaugural address on January 20, 1961. He spoke of his intentions of being the leader of the United States of America and stressed unity and the hope for a better future. The inaugural address is regarded as one of the most famous and well-written speeches in history; it was brief yet contained countless examples of beautifully executed literary devices. The concepts along with many quotes are often still valued and used in society today. In his inaugural address, John F. Kennedy’s use of metaphor and parallelism effectively motivated American’s to do their duty for their nation and the human race.
Even though much of the address is fervent in tone, Kennedy devotes a large section of his topic to outline his ethos to all inhabitants of the world. JFK introduced the use of the ethos at the inception of his address. Kennedy was very young when he came into office, but he was still obliged to act at the same level as former presidents. Attentive to this condition, Kennedy states, “[he] has sworn before [the audience] and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forbears prescribed nearly a century and three quarters ago.” Kennedy wants to make it clear to everyone that he has endured through the same operation as all the other leaders, and intends to uphold the American principle that this country was Jensen 3rd.
On January 20th 1961, John F. Kennedy delivered his inauguration speech to thousands of Americans after being sworn into office. Not only did Kennedy’s speech capture the attention of the country, it was so powerful that quotes from the dialogue are still remembered today as one of the most moving speeches to be given. Through different alliterations and gestures, the speech inspired the country to have hope for it’s future as well as realizing the importance of our country. Looking over a crowd filled with thousands of people during a snowy afternoon, Kennedy projected a voice filled with vigorous ambition and youthfulness; catching the attention of the country. During his preparation for the big moment, Kennedy desperately wanted to inspire his nation; sending the message overseas to those in the Cold War, ultimately hoping for peace.
... Americans are so happy in this country. Freedom is was what this country was founded on and he wanted to spread it to the world. Ethos is quite simple in his speech. John F. Kennedy is obviously a smart, brilliant man that became president. He wouldn’t be where he was if he wasn’t those things, there American people would not have elected him to office.
Kennedy’s inaugural address speech was completely focused towards the American people which he was persuading. He used different techniques to present his speech so that the information being presented would be clear and concise. He used the rhetoric to persuade the audience, and in his speech he states “..Where the strong are just and the weak secure and the peace preserved.” By using this statement in his speech he was able to convey to the audience something that would be easy to remember as well as keeping them interested in what he had to offer. The speech encouraged the use of ethos, pathos and logos. He describes and establishes his ethos as all of the speakers and other presidents who were present. He starts to persuade his audience that he is the right man for the job and that they did not make any mistake in electing him to lead the United States. Kennedy states in his speech that this isn’t just a victory for the Democratic Party. He goes to great lengths to show the American people that he is a president who will stand for the joining of the country as a whole and will not be bias towards the Republican
Kennedy used this to support his claim and put the nation as a whole to do things together and never be in doubt of their goals and have the common knowledge set in mind. So when you look over to the inaugural speech there is no doubt that the usage of ethos was on point. His morals about religion and doing stuff that led to the right way became very keen. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth and lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing here on earth God’s work must truly be our own.” (Kennedy, 1961)
In January 1961, President John F. Kennedy gave his inaugural speech in front of the entire nation at the peak of the Cold War, which became one of the most memorable speeches he would write. The purpose of his speech was to unite the people of his country as one and to acquire diplomatic relations with enemy nations and allies alike. As the first speech ever given during his presidency, Kennedy wanted to make an intensive, effective speech and incorporate his expectations for America, as well as for himself. But as the bitter cold winter morning caused concern towards the people’s safety, Kennedy put faith in the style of his speech to fortify his hopes and goals during the course of his presidency. John F Kennedy’s style of his inaugural address augmented his vision to unite the nation together by incorporating abstract nouns, applying pathos, and having a declarative tone.
Atkinson, Max. "JFK's Inaugural Speech: Six Secrets of His Success." BBC News. BBC, 19 Jan. 2011. Web. 26 Nov. 2015.
Inaugural speeches are intended to reach into the minds of people and connect with their morality. United States’ presidents are symbolic leaders of a nation, and they must use rhetoric to express their ideas to the public. Elected at a critical time in United States’ history, John F. Kennedy’s (JFK) first inaugural speech was a call for action against “… the common enemies of man: tyranny… poverty… disease… and war itself” (Kennedy). He aspired for the American people to become united against these issues. Communism was spreading, countries were manufacturing powerful weapons of destruction, and Kennedy desperately needed to prove to the public that his term would hold change and hope. In his first inaugural address, Kennedy used emotional language to establish his ethos to his audience.
In his prominent 1961 Inaugural Address, John F. Kennedy extensively employs pathos, parallelism, antithesis, and varied syntax to captivate millions of people, particularly to persuade them to stand together and attempt to further human rights for the “betterment” of the world. Kennedy’s effective use of various rhetorical styles succeeds in persuading his audience –the world and the U.S. citizens—that his newly-seized position as the U.S. President will be worthwhile for all. Evident throughout his entire address, Kennedy employs a cogent pathos appeal to keep his audience intrigued. This can be demonstrated when Kennedy initially proclaims: “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.” who he urges to be “unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of.human rights to which this nation has always been committed.”
“Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty. This we pledge-and more.” (Kennedy, 1961)