Rhetorical Analysis Of Jfk Inaugural Address

936 Words2 Pages

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…

“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

Open Document