Rhetorical Analysis Of John F. Kennedy

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 a cold January day America’s newly appointed president John F. Kennedy delivered his inauguration address that was incredibly important to America’s success during the Cold War. Kennedy uses his speech as a call to arms, but not only to America but the World and our allies as a whole. He uses his strong powerful voice to appeal to the ethics of the country in the beginning of his speech telling America about the promise we made when we were founded and that we must uphold it still today, telling America we must make a difference. Kennedy also uses ethics to explain that we the people are united no matter what your background or where you are from, he refers to the Americas as one place, because he wants for us to feel unified not divided. Furthermore Kennedy’s use of powerful imagery, logic and pathos allows for him to effectively call the people of the World together during this terrible time.

The first device that President John F. Kennedy uses to combat the issue of raising steel prices is parallelism. In the second paragraph of his speech, he begins listing outcomes of the dramatic increase in steel prices by saying, "...when we are confronted with grave crises in Berlin and Southeast Asia, when we are devoting out energies to economic recovery and stability, when we are asking Reservists to leave their homes and families for months on end, and servicemen to risk their lives..."(lines 6-12) This is an effective use of parallelism because he builds on the previous statement by starting out the one that follows with the same introduction: "...when we are..." He is trying to prove that America is in a crisis situation and the steel companies increasing their prices is only going to make the situation even worse. He is showing all of the sacrifices that people are making and proving to the steel companies that their high wages are going to have a very negative effect on a people who are sacrificing more than anyone would have ever expected for their country. The second example of parallelism is in the third paragraph of his speech, when he begins by saying, "...it would increase the cost of homes, autos, and appliances, and most other items for every American family. It would increase the cost of machinery and tools to every American businessman and farmer. It would seriously handicap out efforts to prevent an inflationary spiral from eating up the pensions of out older citizens, and our new gains in purchasing power."(lines 23-31) He is pleading to the steel companies to lower their prices through showing them examples

Throughout his speech, he frequently makes comments expressing his disappointment in the steel companies, and how he feels they have betrayed the American people. In the introduction, Kennedy states, “Simultaneous actions of United States Steel and other steel corporations, increasing steel prices by some 6 dollars a ton, constitute a wholly unjustifiable and irresponsible defiance of the public interest” (1-5). This quote demonstrates how Kennedy used his tone to take a stance on the issue, and let the steel companies know that he is outraged by their price increase. During this time period, Kennedy strongly believed that the American people and big businesses needed to work together to get out of the recession. In his final words, Kennedy says, “Some time ago I asked each American to consider what he would do for his country and I asked the steel companies. In the last 24 hours we had their answer” (107-110). In this quote, Kennedy is disapprovingly implying that the steel companies’ price increase is un-American and

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

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

In 1961, The United States of America was gridlocked with social injustice, inequalities, and intense racial tension, while combating the “red scare” of communism and protecting the population abroad from weapons of mass destruction and otherwise harbored by enemies both foreign and domestic. Terror and incertitude had seized the minds of the American people as the Cold War drew to its zenith. Desperate for a strong, reassuring leader, they turned to the young, former naval lieutenant and Presidential candidate, John Fitzgerald Kennedy who provided the reassurance the American populous yearned for as he charismatically and confidently addressed the nation. With critical rumination to the current national and international turmoil, Kennedy sought to ignite unity and esprit de corps in the American people in an endeavor to attain a lasting resolve. Kennedy’s inaugural address is imbued with rhetorical strategies to flatter and influence the emotions of the people through the use his strategic use of the rhetorical triangle without detracting from the truth and evidence expected from a national leader.

For my rhetorical paper, I decide to choose Senator John F. Kennedy as my candidate, because I felt that John. F Kennedy was very effective and confident in answering the questions. I felt that John F. Kennedy’s overall target audience are those who believes in freedom and supports the Democratic party. Those who also 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 John F. Kennedy wanted to achieve is to make America strong by promoting freedom, good leadership, and getting other countries to view America as a strong country just as China and Khrushchev as Kennedy stated “I want people in Latin

John Fitzgerald Kennedy represented the United States' pride, courage, perseverance, patriotism, and honor. He was able to incase the true persona of every proud American. Overall, the people loved President Kennedy. He represented a new generation of thought in the United States' society and world relationships. He exuded personal elegance in his decisions. The advantage of his oratory provided a voice of poise to the American nation. Lacking in Kennedy's life was only length. John F. Kennedy's legacy cannot be explained within one sentence or paragraph. Only in his own captivating words can his persona be explained. His style of writing captivated the nation. By using various rhetorical devices he enabled the public to feel emotional connected

John F. Kennedy was elected during the Cold War which was fought between the United States and the Soviet Union. Citizens of the United States needed a leader while communism was spreading and dangerous weapons were being manufactured. Kennedy’s inaugural address was delivered on January 20th, 1961 in Washington, D.C. Kennedy envisioned bringing peace with other countries and uniting democratic countries to conquer communism. He dreams of bringing enemies together and creating a global alliance. Kennedy provides appeal to patriotism, appeal to religion, parallelism and antithesis to express unity and peace.

John F. Kennedy is one of the most influential presidents of modern times. From having an airport, schools, museums, and even libraries named after him, his legacy is still present today. What made Kennedy special was the way he spoke to the American people. Rather than being just a politician, Kennedy showed a human side to him. He connected with the people. This is one of the reasons why his approval ratings are some of the highest in recent history. Kennedy was very captivating when speaking to the American people. When criticizing major steel companies for raising steel prices, Kennedy uses parallel structure, ethos, and an urgent tone to convince not only the people, but steel companies as well, to not raise steel prices.

For my rhetorical paper, I decide to select Senator John F. Kennedy as my candidate, because I felt that John. F Kennedy was very effective and confident in answering the questions. I felt that John F. Kennedy’s overall target audience are those who believes in freedom and supports the Democratic party. Also, individuals 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 John F. Kennedy wanted to achieve is to make America strong by promoting freedom, good leadership, and getting other countries to view America as a strong country like China and Khrushchev as Kennedy stated “I want people in Latin America and Africa

The whole first section of the speech was crawling with pathos appeals. For example, “When we are asking Reservist to leave their homes and families for mothers on end, and servicemen to rise their lives- four were killed in the last two days in Vietnam- and asking union members to hold down their wages request”. The quote goes on to also talk about how people are willing to give up things that are important to them in order to help the country in its time of need, but the steel companies can’t. This perceives the readers that the steel companies are just full of a bunch of inconsiderate people who aren't willing to contribute to their share of helping. Kennedy also says, “If this rise in the cost of steel is imitated by the rest of the industry, instead of rescinded it would increase the cost of homes, autos, appliance, and most other items for every American family.” This shows the effect behind the increase in steel production, because it shows the audience what could happen if cost do rise. People will lose their houses, cars and potential

He showed how Nixon is a good leader since he was nominated by the Republican party. Kennedy stays in past tense when he mentions the last twenty-five years and what the Republican Leadership did. “And it is a fact that through most of these last twenty-five years the Republican leadership has opposed federal aid for education, medical care for the aged, development of the Tennessee Valley, development of our natural resources.” Kennedy also uses pathos when he mentions how he hope Nixon would say the same thing about

I favor higher salaries for teachers. But, as Senator Kennedy said in January of this year in this same press conference, the way that you get higher salaries for teachers is to support school construction, which means that all the local school districts in the various states then have money, which is freed to raise the standards for teachers ' salaries.” I felt that Nixon had an ineffective approach in answering this question because he used Kennedy’s thoughts about what he thought about raising teacher salary instead of his own. Nixon then moves into logos when he mentions how the teacher salaries increases “Teachers ' salaries very fortunately have gone up fifty percent in the last eight years as against only a thirty-four percent rise for other salaries.” He then goes into pathos when he disagrees with the teacher salary increase and states he wishes it was more. “This is not enough; it should be more.” I found this statement ineffective because even though Nixon disagrees with how much teachers makes he had voted against increasing teacher’s salary as he states “I think that the reason that I voted against having the federal government, uh - pay teachers ' salaries was probably the very reason that concerned Senator Kennedy