Question 1 Violence does not solve our problems it only creates more violence in a different form. It is a vicious cycle that does not end.

Question 2 In this essay, Kennedy sounds resentful because he constantly expresses displeasure towards people’s choice of violence as solution towards their problems. One example is his series of rhetorical questions at the beginning of paragraph 3: “Why? What has violence ever accomplished? What has it ever created?”. Through these questions, Kennedy shows his hatred for violence as the obvious answer to these questions is that violence could not accomplish anything, and only creates more violence. Another example is in paragraph 6, when he says “Yet we seemingly tolerate a rising level of violence that ignores our common humanity and our claims to civilization alike”. Kennedy, again, blames society for allowing violence to continue.

Question 3 The method of development used in paragraph 6 is example (anecdote). The use of examples is effective because the examples used by Kennedy relates to the majority of the people in his audience. The examples he gives are everyday real life activities most citizens do. For example, watching tv., reading the newspaper. It serves the purpose of making members of the audience feel as if Kennedy is talking to them specifically which will make them relate to the topic more. By saying “we” … he reminds us that we are all guilty.

Question 4A In paragraph five there is an allusion. An allusion is an indirect or direct reference to something you assume your audience will understand and appreciate. Kennedy refers to Abraham Lincoln, a well-known former president of the U.S. By alluding to a well-known figure it gives the audience a better idea of this endless cycle of violence and shows how history repeats itself. In the past, Abraham Lincoln fought for equality, such as legal rights for slaves. For that, he was assassinated for his beliefs, just like MLK and JFK.

Question 4B An example of alliteration used in this speech is in the first paragraph which says, “…about the mindless menace of violence in America..” Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds, mindless menace is an example of alliteration because the m sound is repeated. This serves the purpose of emphasizing important ideas in the essay. “mindless menace, terrible truths”. The rhythm draws attention to the sentence so that reader focuses on the idea that sometimes we don’t think before we act.

Question 4C In paragraph nine, there is an analogy. An analogy is a situation that is similar or comparable; a likeness in some respects. There is an analogy because Kennedy compares physical violence to the violence of institutions. He blames institutions such as schools and the media for a different kind of violence that affects us. He states that his kind of violence is “slower but just as deadly destructive as the shot or a bomb in the night.” He does this to help emphasis the endless cycle of violence and helps support his thesis on the mindless menace of violence. He shows that are different types of violence that are but of the endless cycle and the way society is structured. He reminds us that we have yet to achieve total equality. We put people down, for many reasons (race, gender, economic and social status, etc.)

Question 4D Kennedy asks a series of rhetorical questions in the beginning of paragraph 3: “Why? What has violence ever accomplished? What has it ever created?”. These questions are rhetorical because their answers are obvious – violence never accomplishes anything, and only creates more violence. Kennedy asks these to help the audience reflect on violence and realise how pointless it is, and this helps with the delivery of his argument. Kennedy answers his own questions after he poses the rhetorical questions. This provides a transition into his arguments.

Question 4E In paragraph 10, there is parallel structure. Parallel structure is the repetition of a grammatical structure in a sentence. The author, Robert F. Kennedy states, “when you teach a man to hate and fear his brother, when you teach that he is a lesser man because of his color or his beliefs or the policies he pursues…”. In using parallel structure, Kennedy is notifying how when you teach someone to treat their citizen as enemies, you are going against your instincts what you know. You are not trying to achieve true justice among citizens.

Question 4F In paragraph 9 he uses anaphora. He repeats “this is the…”. Anaphora is when you repeat a group of words at the beginning of every sentence. Here repeats “this is”. The repetition of the words draws the reader’s attention to that specific arguments. This also connects to his idea that we repeat our mistakes. Kennedy uses anaphora to show his support for Martin Luther King who had just been assasinated. MLK Jr. was also famous for using anaphora in his speeches and this pays tribute to him.

Question 5 He made the audience feel important by saying that he, the president, planed only to speak to them on that day and nothing else.

Question 6 Two of the problems pervading American society are tolerating a rising level of violence, and honouring “swagger, and bluster and welders of force.”

Question 7 The purpose of this inconsistency is to be persuasive not overpowering. He allows his readers to have their own opinion by stating, “I have not come here to propose a set of specific remedies nor is there a single set.” However, by stating, “yet we know what we must do,” he slips in his opinion about the negative impacts of violence. It keeps the readers attentive and convinces the audience to take action against violence.