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Rhetorical Analysis Of President John F. Kennedy's Adgural Address

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As a President of the United States, one should be expected to hold a level of charisma and eloquence that can sway a nation for the better in trying times. The inaugural address of the 35th President John F. Kennedy on January 20, 1961 is no such exception; orchestrating a symphony of emotion in words that would prove to be effective among the millions watching him – U.S. citizen or not. Kennedy’s inaugural address would be rhetorical hallmark in history, skillfully weaving a high intensity of pathos and logos throughout his speech, as well as making use of certain rhetorical strategies relating to repetition, rhetorical questions, and the types of diction he uses. The amount of pathos in Kennedy’s speech is quite significant. That is a given however, as an inaugural address’s objective is to garner support for the president’s administration, and playing to the tune of people’s emotions will ultimately win them over in most cases. That being said, Kennedy plays quite a tune in this speech, as he instill several emotions throughout his speech, ranging from pride to fear – in many cases in conjunction with each other. For the latter, Kennedy starts off his speech with a morbid thought, stating that “The world is very different now. For a man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life” (2). In essence, we as humans have advanced to the point in that we now hang on a balance between the greater good and the greater

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