John F. Kennedy Inaugural Address

Rhetorical Triangle Speaker Youngest US president voted into office First Roman Catholic president Won by a small margin

Purpose of the Speech Common heritage and purpose Human rights and obligations

What is the Purpose of Analysis? Identifying rhetorical tools is good but… Identifying their purpose and effect is what your goal should be

Appeal to Pathos Appeal Less to logos (logic) More to pathos – connecting with his audience emotionally

Appeal to Pathos and Ethos Audience Vast and diverse Millions on television Standing in freezing cold Speech is short Establishes pathos by reaching his audience physiologically Asking them what they can do for their country Establishes ethos by offering America as a partner with the “citizens of the world” to champion the “freedom of man.”

Rhetorical Devices Uses archaic diction Asunder Foe Writ Forebears So what? Underscores formality

Rhetorical Devices Use of word choice (diction) Tyranny Iron Power Tiger Poverty Chains So what? Make powerful connections Strong source of emotional persuasion

Rhetorical Devices Personification …”our sister republics” “with history our final judge of our deeds.” So what? Elevates the speech to a grand style Metaphors “beachhead of cooperation” “pushing back the jungle of suspicion” Rich and vivid

More Oxymoron Peaceful revolution Antithesis (opposition, or contrast of ideas or words in a balanced construction.) “We shall support any friend, oppose any foe.” Inversion (inverted order of words in a sentence) “United there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided there is little we can do.” Alliteration “Let us go forth to lead the land we love.”

Syntax Syntax adds to the development of tone Formality is sustained by a scheme such as anaphora (repetition of the same word or phrase at the start of successive clauses “Not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though embattled we are.”

“Bullet Points” Short paragraphs reveal another one of Kennedy’s principles or promises An early version of bullet points

Sentence Variety Many are very short, declarative statements Few are compound More than twenty are complex By starting sentences with a subordinate clause allows steam to build and energizes the sentence’s main idea “To that world assembly of sovereign states, The United Nations, our last best hope in an age…we renew our pledge of support.”

Syntax Parallelism (using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance) “…that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe…” Antithesis (an opposition or contrast of ideas that is often expressed in balanced phrases or clauses) If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich Juxtaposing the many and the few, the poor and the rich So what? Unite disparate groups and also to reassure the country that despite Kennedy’s narrow margin of victory, he will be everyone’s president.

Rhetorical Questions Rhetorical questions Paragraph 24 “Can we forge against…for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort? So what? He is reminding the audience that he is not dictating, rather he is building a consensus

Transitions Sentences begin with coordinating conjunctions so for but So what? Transitional words move us smoothly from one sentence into the next and represent continuity Passing of the torch  Like an inauguration helps the country make a transition into a new era

Bonus What is the antimetabole Kennedy employs? “Ask not what you can your country do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” What does this statement do to the speech? How does it affect the audience? Again…so what?