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
John F. Kennedy delivered his Inaugural Address in 1961 to the entire nation. He establishes a conversational tone through the use of rhetorical devices. His use of metonymy and asyndeton elicits a feeling of solidarity and unity in the masses who listened to their new President. JFK’s catchy usage of chiasmus institutes compelling structure and an open, friendly attitude. These aspects of his speech were necessary for seeming like an approachable figure instead of the formal, far-away airs that are associated with the title President. Metonymy, asyndeton, and chiasmus were essential actions towards Kennedy’s goal of reaching his audience in a compelling and conversational way.
While the speech’s respectful eloquence is appropriate for the occasion of an inauguration, its youthful energy and look to the future make it distinctly John F. Kennedy’s. , The people of the United States desperately needed a boost in morale with ongoing tension of races, inequalities, the fight against communism and the cold war. The people were convinced that this war would be never ending, and believed in another inevitable war. From the beginning to the end of JFK’s speech, he uses a plethora of rhetorical devices to comfort the people and fill them with confidence.
But let us never fear to negotiate.” This states his commitment to dialogue for resolving conflicts and advancing national interests. By outlining specific policy goals and strategies, Kennedy appealed to the logical reasoning of his audience, demonstrating his leadership. In conclusion, John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address stands as an example of effective rhetoric, employing ethos, pathos, and logos to inspire, challenge, and persuade his audience to help the nation become an overall better place to live and work. His establishment of ethos gave him credibility as a leader worthy of trust and respect.
John F. Kennedy will always be remembered for two things; his triumphant inauguration and his tragic assassination. After being sworn in, Kennedy gave the traditional inaugural speech. He addressed America, as well as the rest of the world, to inform them what his intentions were during his presidency. By referencing current events such as the Cold War, he was able to identify dilemmas in need of a remedy. Kennedy's overall message was meant to inspire his nation and convey strength and hope to the world abroad. At the beginning of his speech, Kennedy condensed his message. He stated the problems in need of fixing during his presidency while also proposing solutions for them. By doing this, Kennedy was able to evoke confidence from Americans that he will follow through with his claims. Kennedy used anaphora, allusions, and emotional appeal to create an effective argument in the first half of his inaugural speech.
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.
The aim of this case study is to provide a detailed account of a patients holistic health care needs from a health promotion perspective utilising the Tannahill Model which will be described. In promoting the health of the patient maintaining individuality within a diverse community will also be discussed by the application of the model to the patient.
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.
Kennedy begins his speech expressing how “the world is very different” from what it used to be. He uses multiple rhetorical strategies that express and describe how he is going to lead their “very different” country by providing his audience with a sense of community. For example, Kennedy applies juxtaposition to his phrase, “United there is little we cannot do… Divided there is little we can do…” to compare what America can and can’t do when everyone is united. During the time when Kennedy was elected president, the Cold War was at peak of its period. He bravely announced that “we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty,” using the rhetorical strategy asyndeton. He uses this particular mechanism to attract his audience and give emphasis to the ideas he wants to communicate. He starts the phrase off with “we,” as he wishes to convey to his listeners that we are going to pay any price, that we are going to bear any burden, that
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.
John F. Kennedy Inauguration speech uses a different style to portray the president 's legacy. Here we get to hear a first person account of what he hopes for the nation and what his objectives ultimately are. The prominent method of persuasion used is ethos while there is also a presence of other key rhetorical terms throughout the speech. The readers are compelled to listen and take in all of the words given by John F. Kennedy since there is that sense of trust or credibility in his statements. He has now become arguably
His use of Pathos includes many uses of patriotic expressions and words to rally the country in unity. In chapter 3 of our book Introduction to the Speechmaking Process, it discusses knowing your audience. For example, JFK takes his audiences demographics into consideration before delivering his speech. This is because he wants his use of Pathos to work effectively so he must take his audiences gender, race, and religion into account. By doing this he can help his audience see what his ultimate values are and connect with his audience. His phrases such as “a celebration of freedom,” “cultural and spiritual origins,” “forge against these enemies” and “fruitful life” (Kennedy, 1961) are inspiring making the war sound like a moral duty rather than a political issue. However as well as these phrases depict an emotional portrait of civic duty nothing compares to the renowned quote: “Ask not what your country can do for you but ask what you can do for your country.” (Kennedy, 1961) This quote is so powerful because it uses one of the strongest objects of emotion, the United States, with moralistic responsibilities. It speaks to every person who lives in America on a personal level. It is the use of these expressions which JFK eloquently spoke in 1961 that made this speech so memorable, emotional, and
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) was put under a microscope during the summer of 2014 after the public learned that dozens of veterans died while awaiting medical care in multiple veterans’ hospitals (Andrews, 2014a). After beginning an investigation, it was discovered that veterans were forced to wait exorbitant amounts of time in order to see doctors, specialists, have tests run, and receive other kinds of medical care (Andrews, 2014b). President Barack Obama and Congress took quick action to investigate the claims and provide new legislation to remedy the newfound, but long lasting problems.
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.
Kennedy uses pathos to begin his speech, when he says the following, “I'm only going to talk to you just for a minute or so this evening, because I have some -- some very sad news for all of you -- Could you lower those signs, please? -- I have some very sad news for all of you, and, I think, sad news for all of our fellow citizens, and people who love peace all over the world; and that is that Martin Luther King was shot and was killed tonight in Memphis, Tennessee.” (Kennedy) Kennedy touches into the sadness not only he is feeling, but many are feeling. He does this by his usage of the word ‘sad’, in contrast with ‘love’ and ‘peace’. Also, he speaks personally with the crowd when asking them to lower their signs. This makes him seem relatable to the crowd. Kennedy uses
Foucault argues that the panoptic gaze and the diary or memoirs are in a way opposing principles. Diaries are narratively private, self reflectively written, and read only by the diarist whereas the gaze is an unspoken communication between the observer and the observed. However, both the gaze and the diary are, in a sense utilised by both Ishiguruo in his text The Remains of the Day, and Levy’s, The Long Song. For the reader to realise a complete overview of the protagonist’s private thoughts both the gaze and the memoir are used as structuring devices throughout the novels. Foucault argues that the dyad of the gazed at and the gazer defines the balance of power between the two. In the periphery, he asserts, ‘one is totally seen, without ever