On January 20, 1961, President John F. Kennedy was sworn in to office and delivered one of the most famous presidential speeches of all time. He did so despite nearly having to reschedule the inauguration due to a heavy snow storm the night prior. The day of the inauguration was a chilling one with below freezing temperatures. President Kennedy’s breathe hung frozen in the air as he gave his speech. The Soviet Union had become a huge threat to the American way of life at this point with nuclear war just over the horizon, and Kennedy chose to address the relationship between the United States and the U.S.S.R. directly. Through the use of a multitude of rhetorical devices, President John F. Kennedy outlined his plans for the foreign policy, and
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An example of this appears early on in the speech when he addresses the responsibility of protecting freedom when he says: ”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.” The use of a tri-colon crescendo allowed Kennedy to emphasize the experience that generation of people has, and also to excite feelings of pride in the nation and its history. The effect rhetorical uses such as this one have on a crowd can be extremely important to the success of a speech. Kennedy realized this and put to use a multi-colon clause so that he could emphasize America’s persistence in its cause when he stated: “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” President Kennedy raised the energy with this repetition, and matched it as he placed heavy emphasis on the word “any” while delivering this line. He knew the effect such language would have on the audience, and it showed, as this line was met with applause and cheering from the
An example of this appears early on in the speech when he addresses the responsibility of protecting freedom when he says: ”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.” The use of a tri-colon crescendo allowed Kennedy to emphasize the experience that generation of people has, and also to excite feelings of pride in the nation and its history. The effect rhetorical uses such as this one have on a crowd can be extremely important to the success of a speech. Kennedy realized this and put to use a multi-colon clause so that he could emphasize America’s persistence in its cause when he stated: “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” President Kennedy raised the energy with this repetition, and matched it as he placed heavy emphasis on the word “any” while delivering this line. He knew the effect such language would have on the audience, and it showed, as this line was met with applause and cheering from the