A Rhetorical Analysis Of John F. Kennedy's Speech

On April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr., American Baptist minister and equal rights activist, was assassinated in a balcony of a motel where he was preparing for a protest of equal rights for all citizens in America. After Robert F. Kennedy, the brother of the late president, John F. Kennedy, have heard the news about the assassination, he gathered a crowd of people to give a speech regarding Dr.King’s death. In this speech he uses two main rhetorical devices, which is pathos and ethos, to calm his audience and to promote the ideas of Dr. King, which is peace among one another.

On April 11, 1962, President John F. Kennedy held a news conference to discuss the 3.5% increase on steel prices across the country. With the country at war, and struggling to emerge from a recession, increasing the price of steel would have a negative impact. After his administration had taken steps to aid the steel companies to reach a non-inflationary steel workers union contract, the decision to increase steel prices was deemed to be a betrayal of the President and the American people. The speech was directed towards the “common man” in opposition to big steel companies. He speaks for the purpose of not only persuading the companies to lower their prices, but also to convince the public that he is looking out for their best interest. Kennedy employs a disapproving tone and strong diction in an effort to clearly achieve his goal in influencing the steel

A leader should be able to diagnose problems in his country and effectively navigate his people safely through that trouble-spot. President John F . Kennedy was a great leader, who was able to lead the United States through several crises. One prime example of his navigational skills through such hardships is in his dealings with the rise in steel prices in 1962. In his news conference, on the issue of steel price, President Kennedy uses parallelism and juxtaposition to create the idea that the increase in price from the steel companies is detrimental to the United States' economy.

Remarks are only reflections on things that occurred. In his news conference, president, John F. Kennedy remarks that he repeatedly calls for stable prices and wages as part of a program of national sacrifice during a period of economic distress. Kennedy develops his purpose by choosing to use a formally justified tone, by devoting his energies to economic recovery and stability, and by not making any unnecessary increase in prices.

Civil rights activist and humanitarian, Martin Luther King had said: “Today the choice is no longer between violence and nonviolence. It is either nonviolence or nonexistence.” Such wisdom was echoed by Senator Robert F. Kennedy as he broke the news of Martin Luther King’s assassination to Indianapolis. Through “Remarks on the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.”, Kennedy effectively appeals to allusions and anaphoras to reinforce the cause Martin Luther King had devoted his life for, and to inspire unity amongst black and whites.

The distinctive voices, inherent in any text, are intended to have an impact on the audience. Significant voices are influenced by the values and beliefs of the composer, as well as cultural, political and historical content. Composers use a range of language tools and features to successfully covey messages to their audience. John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address, Severn Cullis-Suzuki’s Address to the Plenary Session, Earth Summit and Charlie Chaplin’s Let us all unite, all provide excellent examples of a distinctive voice. Each of these distinctive voices is formed through the use of emotive language, tone, repetition and rhetorical devices.

He was an expert on plain speaking and was able put to use emotional language effectively to engage his audience and make them feel included in his goals as the President. One of the most convincing aspects of his speech, is the fact that President Kennedy uses the word, “I” only four times in the 1,365 word address. With his famous line of “ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” (Kennedy, Paragraph 25), Kennedy is able to unify the people of America with the goal to promote and work to benefit the country. He stirred up pride and honor with his quote, “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.” (Kennedy, Paragraph 3). His devotion for his people made the nation support him, no matter what party. John states, it was “not the victory of a party, but a celebration of freedom” (Kennedy, Paragraph 1). The President’s address, intentionally written simply, was also writing with purpose. It had been intended to demonstrate his dedication to help and defend his allies from any

I choose to pick John F. Kennedy as my rhetoric candidate. Kennedy’s overall target audience are those who wants freedom and to maintain it. Those who supports the Democratic party. People who agree that the Congress should give medical aid to the aged, a comprehensive minimum hourly wage bill, and federal aid to education. I feel that the purpose and goal that Kennedy wanted to accomplish is to make America strong by promoting freedom, good leadership.

In the speech “On the Death of Martin Luther King Jr.” Robert Kennedy must address the American people on the tragic death of King. This event proved to be a difficult subject for many Americans especially since King became a very influential figure. Robert Kennedy could easily relate to this death since his brother was recently killed just as King was. It did not make the topic any easier to address in front of the nation's eye but he could relate to everyone and step into their shoes as well. Kennedy establishes common ground to make an attempt at unifying the United States as well as inputting a direct reference to a greek poet and an empathic tone to convey his emotions.

Manitonquat, an American author, once said, “It is clear that the way to heal society of its violence... and lack of love is to replace the pyramid of domination with the circle of equality and respect.” Violence is everywhere and inside of every person in the world. From the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, to tragedies such as the Columbine shooting and the attack to the Twin Towers on 9/11, violence has undeniably shaped America. Consequently, with such tragedies, the nation is filled with immense sorrow and disbelief. This is the time that America’s citizens need a strong leader to speak to them. In a speech following a tragic death and one of resistance to violence, Robert F. Kennedy, a past American politician

A leader’s legacy is portrayed in a multitude of ways: from the goals and dreams he sought for, from stories and memories of the people he’s touched, and from snapshots of his accomplishments. John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address of 1961, his most famous speech, “Inside Kennedy’s Inauguration, 50 Years On”, an article by Eleanor Clift that gives a detailed description of the president’s inauguration, and an image, “Inauguration of John F. Kennedy”, by the United States Army Corp, all convey the impact of John F. Kennedy in their own unique fashion. The legacy of John Fitzgerald Kennedy is expressed through a variety of similar and contrasting styles appealing to the same rhetorical appeals but further differentiated by their syntax and

Senator Robert F Kennedy’s speech delivered on April 4th, 1968 in Indianapolis soothed the anguished masses, distressed over the assassination of civil rights hero Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. Earlier that day Doctor King was shot on the balcony of a motel in Memphis, Tennessee by an escaped white convict named James Earl Ray. He had initially planned to give a speech in Indianapolis concerning his running for the Democratic party's nomination, but upon hearing the news of King being shot, he scraped his original speech and started writing a new one on his flight to Indianapolis. Instead of using Doctor King's death as an addition to his original speech, or using it to further his personal political agenda, he instead informed the

There are many things that a speech must contain to make it a well written and spoken speech. John F. Kennedy 's speech he gave on September 12th 1962, titled “Address at Rice University on the Nation 's Space Efforts”, better known as “We Choose to go to the Moon” contains many of the important factors of a successful speech. Kennedy used rhetorical strategies and skills to help him influence the American people to help accomplish the major goal of reaching the moon. Kennedy did not only want to reach the moon, but he wanted to be the first country to do so. President Kennedy effectively told the objective he found important by using ethos, pathos and kairos throughout his speech to help get the support of the people. By using these three rhetorical strategies Kennedy gave a moving speech.

On January 20, 1961, John Fitzgerald Kennedy became the youngest man to possess presidency in the United States of America. As a young, wealthy man Kennedy rapidly climbed the political ladder by initially representing a working class Boston district in the United States Congress, then continuing on to the House of Representatives, followed by the United States Senate, and ending with the victorious defeat of his presidential opponent, to become the 35th president of the United States. According to theatlantic.com, Kennedy was so admired by the public, that “in the eyes of the world, this reticent man became a charismatic leader who, in his life and in his death, served as a symbol of purpose and hope.” As a result of John F. Kennedy’s

On April 4, 1968 Robert F. Kennedy began his political campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination in Indiana. Before boarding his plane, Kennedy found out that Martin Luther King, Jr. had been shot in Memphis, Tennessee. At his arrival in Indianapolis, Kennedy was informed that Martin Luther King, Jr. had died from the incident. Kennedy was scheduled to speak to a large African-American audience, and was advised by the Indianapolis Police to not speak. The Chief of Police warned Kennedy that he would not be responsible for whatever may happen, making this speech even more dangerous. Kennedy chose to ignore the warning signs, went into the conference campaign, and spoke to the audience. Robert Kennedy, putting his political aspirations aside, advises the Indianapolis African-American audience not to retaliate to Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination with violence, but with prayer, understanding, and love as Martin Luther King, Jr. taught. This is done through the use of motivational appeals, rhetorical devices, and expressing to the audience a purpose.