Rhetorical Analysis Of John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address

Before all else, John F. Kennedy respectfully acknowledges and establishes his ethos through the introduction of his speech:

With the threat that the Cold War brought to America Kennedy’s use of Ethos incredibly helps him to thoroughly get his point across to the rest of the World that they must band together. His use of ethos is primarily found in the beginning of his speech where he reminds America that “we are heirs of that first revolution” and that now we are “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

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.

In his inaugural address, Kennedy uses ethical appeal to establish credibility throughout his speech. He uses this appeal in his very first statement: “Vice President Johnson, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chief Justice, President Eisenhower, Vice President Nixon, President Truman, reverend clergy, fellow citizens, we observe today not a victory of party, but a celebration of freedom – symbolizing an end, as well as a beginning – signifying renewal, as well as change” (Kennedy). By making this statement, Kennedy establishes himself as a president who values unity amongst the Democratic and Republican parties and the American people as a whole. Kennedy was inspired by Thomas Jefferson’s inaugural address, which followed an election similar to the election between Kennedy and Nixon, so he wanted to make sure to state that he does not want his victory to just be a victory for the Democratic Party. Later in the speech, Kennedy shows

This previous knowledge and image of JFK builds up his ethos before the address was even given. The speech has many quotes that are still well remembered and hold a deep impact in many American lives today. Most notably was the qoute, “And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country”(JFK Library). This quote is a prime example of how JFK bridges appeals, pathos and logos, it creates a middle ground and commonality between JFK and the citizens. Also the sense of patriotism brought from this quote is a great example of pathos.

Politician and 35th President of the U.S, John F. Kennedy- more commonly known as JFK- in his inaugural address, encourages Americans to begin anew and prepare for change. Kennedy’s purpose is to fuse America in a united cause, and reassure them of their strength and power. This purpose is achieved through figurative language that aids the audience in visualizing Kennedy’s goals, and creates the desired optic emotion. He continues with feelings of patriotic pathos, and an inspiring tone to project to people of all status and origin, that unity is strength, and you can do anything when people help each other out. He focuses on the strength of individuals pooling together, to accumulate vigor as a whole.

One of the most influential presidents in United States history, John F. Kennedy was a brilliant politician and public speaker. In his inaugural address, he sparked hope around the world by discussing the hardships faced by all of society in the present time and then leaving them with a message of freedom, power, and hope. This measure of impact is not achieved easily; Kennedy masterfully utilized the art of rhetoric to emphasize his message and win the hearts of his people. In the middle of the speech, he discusses the dangers of the modern world and his drive toward international peace and cooperation. These messages are stressed through his use of charismatic language to signify his vision of a new and better world.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy, arguably one of our greater presidents in our nation’s history, was assassinated on a Friday in the early stages of winter in 1963; however, he had accomplished much more than a man with lesser courage could have in his services to our country. One of President Kennedy’s most memorable actions while in office, actually took place very early on in his presidency; his Inaugural Speech in January of 1961. When attempting to motivate our citizens, Kennedy speaks of our citizens being “tempered by war,” and “proud of our ancient heritage,” he very successfully appeals to the emotions of his audience. Furthermore, his use of ethos quite effective when he speaks of

On snowy, freezing cold January morning in 1961, five hundred thousand people lined Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. The temperature was only twenty-two degrees Fahrenheit and eight inches of snow blanketed the ground in the American capitol that morning, causing even more traffic than usual, but that didn’t stop these hundreds of thousands of people from attending John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s inauguration ceremony. Little did they know, they would be hearing one of the most famous and memorable speeches of all time. Out of all forty five presidents, the inaugural address that American citizens would remember more than all the rest was that of John F. Kennedy. But what made it so memorable? After all, each president has given at least one, sometimes even two or more, inaugural address. Kennedy’s speech was neither the most elaborate nor the longest; it had one thousand three hundred and sixty four words and took thirteen minutes and fifty five seconds to read and it used relatively simple language. The importance of the address laid not in the length or the intricacy, but in the theme and the rhetoric. With figurative language, themes of unity and freedom, and appeal to Ethos, Logos, and Pathos, Kennedy’s address became not only one of the most memorable inaugural addresses, but one of the most memorable speeches of all time.

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

John F. Kennedy incorporates diverse rhetorical devices into his Inaugural Address on January 20, 1961. Kennedy proves to be selective with his diction by using words such as “we” and “us” to integrate his audience into his speech to provide a more personal tone. The diction Kennedy uses displays his value of national unity in a personal context. Kennedy successfully invokes the audience’s emotions throughout his speech by addressing each of them as his “fellow Americans”. JFK manages to maintain a clear, conversational tone, and compelling structure by using literary devices such as anaphora, speaking with clear diction, and addressing his listeners emotional appeal.

The inaugural address and the other documents have parts in common. As the tone and style all were written. They all are based around John F. Kennedy and the way he was portrayed in this nation. The documents that were used were his inauguration address,Inside Kennedy’s Inauguration and a photo of JFK Inauguration. The documents and photos all concluded that JFK was seen as a great president and only wanted to move the country forward to the future.

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.

Initially, President Kennedy addresses broad issues facing the country and the world. He adds further emphasis on some of these concerns, for instance a dash in the transcript of the speech provides emphasis on a particular concern such as, “Divided there is little we can do — for we dare not to meet a powerful challenge at odds split asunder.” Addition in regards to these concerns Kennedy appeals to ethos, or ethical credibility, in one instance through expressing basic morals. He states that we must pledge our support to those who face misery “not because the communists may be doing it, no because we seek their votes, but because it is right.” This appeals to ethos because it displays that Kennedy’s focus is not based on defense and strategy against enemy nations, but on support of

One metaphor he starts with is, “The torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans” (Kennedy 3). This torch that he brings to light is the spirit of America that has been passed down from generation to generation from our forefathers. Later in his address