Rhetorical Analysis Of John F Kennedy Speech

President John F. Kennedy's Speech As the United States was emerging from recession, President John F. Kennedy held a news conference to articulate the involvement of steel corporations and their effect on stable prices and wages. As stated by Kennedy, citizens of America were told they have a right to expect “a higher sense of business responsibility” (103-105) for their country. To enhance his ideas for America’s steel prices, Kennedy uses a variety of rhetorical strategies including: repetition and formal diction, an allusion towards his earlier speech, and using forlorn facts to ridicule steel corporations. In order to articulate his need for stable prices and wages, Kennedy uses repetition and statistics to convey a logical viewpoint for the reader, while using formal diction and long syntax to establish credibility. By restating his words, Kennedy adds conviction towards the Steel Corporations and connects the audience to his judgement. He repeats the words, “when we” (9), and “more difficult” (36) to enhance his conviction. Kennedy also provides the reader with statistics to present more background knowledge. He incorporates statistics such as, “employment costs per unit of steel output in 1961, were essentially the same as they were in 1958” (60-61). The audience …show more content…
Kennedy references his earlier speech, which was well-known among Americans. He had asked “each American to consider what he would do for his country” (108). The question elicited contemplation among the audience of what they would do, connecting Kennedy and his audience. However, when Kennedy asked the steel companies, “the last 24 hours” (109) had showed their detrimental response. The companies were dominating over the economy and destroying it. By speaking of the allusion, Kennedy publicly shames the corporations and connects himself with the audience by showing a common