Professor Kirk
RHET 1302.036
09 September 2017
Words to Monument
After World War II, the Cold War plagued the world with a nuclear arms race. During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union competed in order to establish the strongest military power. When first inaugurated to the Presidential Office on January 20, 1961, John F. Kennedy was caught up in the conflict of the Cold War. As President of the United States, he primarily aimed to dictate the values of freedom and liberty within the world while simultaneously addressing the conflicts that lay with the Cold War. Kennedy strategically addressed his inaugural speech by using anaphora to make his audience universal rather than just the United States, which allows …show more content…
Starting from the seventh line in the speech, he begins each line with “to.” “To those old allies… To those new states…To those people in the huts and villages…To our sister republics south of the borders… To that world assembly of sovereign states… to those nations who would make themselves our adversary (John F. Kennedy Quotations).” The use of this word allows Kennedy to address the entire audience under one umbrella: a listener. He incorporates people from all walks of life to dictate the idea that all people are affected by the Cold War, no matter how immediate. He presents the effects of the war and the values that people should hold during the hard time. By unifying the audience under this idea, he inevitably gains support from all areas. He speaks directly to people from poverty stricken areas and reminds them of the support they have from America. In addition to this, he invites people to stay strong and lend others a hand with in the time, further uniting on the idea of compassion for others. Kennedy begins the list of “to” with individual mentions. In other words, he starts small scale and gradually includes with entire world. This stylistic choice is important because it enforces the idea that all people are unified as humans who live on the earth, inspiring humanity within the …show more content…
Kennedy’s Inaugural Address is one of the most memorable speeches in U.S. history. His use of rhetorical devices such as anaphora and antithesis sparked a promise of freedom and equality on a global level. He inspired a new beginning to a different era by distancing the world from the conflicts of the Cold War. Kennedy not only is able to intensify the meaningful aspect of a universal resolution but is also able to generate a lasting impact on his audience. His speech not only had a drastic impact on his audience but also for him as his approval rating skyrocketed to about 75 percent of Americans (The Election of 1960). The Address’ universal connection brings about an importance in not only unifying people towards the Cold War but also creating a perception of global