rhetorical analysis jfk moon speech

Speak to Lead!

An analysis of John F Kennedy’s Moon speech

JFK’s speech delivered in 1962 at Rice University in favour of the Apollo programme. Is in my opinion one of the best political speeches of the 20 th century. There is a lot that can be learnt from this speech.

As I mentioned in a previous blog post , this speech is a very good example of a speech with a clear purpose and a clear objective. The purpose of this speech is to persuade the audience that going to the Moon is a worthwhile endeavour. The objective is to make listeners see the Moon programme as the next step’s in mankind journey of progress. The objective is to be accomplished using all three components of tradition oratory, Ethos, Logos and Pathos.

Ethos is all about credibility and ethics. JFK’s opens right off the bat with references to the location of the speech to establish some rapport with the audience. He then establishes his mastery of the subject by taking the listeners on a whirlwind tour of scientific progress. Millenia of human history are condensed into just 50 years which is the lifespan of an average person. The following sentence:

“Last month electric lights and telephones and automobiles and airplanes became available. Only last week did we develop penicillin and television and nuclear power, and now if America’s new spacecraft succeeds in reaching Venus, we will have literally reached the stars before midnight tonight.”

Is masterful as it makes discoveries that everybody takes for granted look like recent achievements. It also concludes with reaching the stars which is a handy link to the speech’s topic.

Logos refers to logical arguments and facts. This part of the speech will appeal to logical minds. A lot of the timeline referred to earlier does appeal to the audience on a logical level. But the speech also includes a very factual assessment of the challenges of space flight.

“But if I were to say, my fellow citizens, that we shall send to the moon, 240,000 miles away from the control station in Houston, a giant rocket more than 300 feet tall, the length of this football field, made of new metal alloys, some of which have not yet been invented, capable of standing heat and stresses several times more than have ever been experienced, fitted together with a precision better than the finest watch, carrying all the equipment needed for propulsion, guidance, control, communications, food and survival, on an untried mission, to an unknown celestial body, and then return it safely to earth, re-entering the atmosphere at speeds of over 25,000 miles per hour.”

This whole paragraph explains the technical challenges associated with the Saturn V rocket. Facts are kept to a minimum and explained in a simple language. Two analogies feature pre-eminently too. The first one compares the height of the rocket to the length of a football field. The second ones compare the systems engineering of the rocket with a fine watch. To me though, the most masterful factual sentence of the speech is this one:

“That budget now stands at $5,400 million a year–a staggering sum, though somewhat less than we pay for cigarettes and cigars every year.”

While smoking was very common in the early 1960s the dangers of tobacco were already known back then. This sentence reduces the space programme to a matter of priorities, discovering a new frontier or indulging oneself.

Pathos is all about appealing to emotions and building a bond with the audience. JFK’s uses a number of techniques to take the audience on an emotional journey with him. The first one is to refer to himself and the audience as ‘we’. In fact, the word ‘we’ is used 46 times throughout the speech. That’s over 2% of the speech’s word count! Everybody is playing a part in this journey into space and the great endeavour will need everybody’s contributions.

Another way in which the speech appeals to emotions is through the use of imagery. Moreover, said imagery refers to symbols that will incite positive feelings in the audience’s minds.  

“Only if the United States occupies a position of pre-eminence can we help decide whether this new ocean will be a sea of peace or a new terrifying theater of war.”

Losing leadership and not embarking on this journey might mean losing the peace and space becoming a warzone.

“We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills.”

This sentence is strengthened by the use of repetitions. The goal is hard and worthy but this sentences also portrays it as a test of energies and skills. This is a subtle challenge to the audience and also an invitation to set asides rivalries towards achieving a common goal.

Persuading with power

Watching a video of the speech provides a few clues regarding its delivery. JFK used s ascript to delivery this speech mainly read from it, making eye contact with the audience for about half of the time. The speech lasted for less than 20 minutes and the pace of speaking was only about 120 words per minute. This is an ideal speaking rhythm for projecting authority. It also provides plenty of time for the audience to absorb the speech as it is delivered. Specific emphasis is given to key words as “doing it right and doing it first.” Eye contact is spread across the audience, which is challenging given the huge size of the audience present.

All in all, this speech is a fine example of a great persuasive speech. Back in the day it wasn’t broadcasted live or widely shown. But it would have a similar impact if delivered today with only minor edits to give reference points to present-day audiences.  

Persuasive speeches can be difficult to get right and are sometimes confused with inspirational speeches. If you too are looking to persuade with power, get in touch with me and let’s craft a speech together.

1 thought on “An analysis of John F Kennedy’s Moon speech”

Thanks alot for the analysis. Really appreciate your viewpoint on this great speech.

I will want to hear more about your analysis of great speeches.

Leave a comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Essay Service Examples Sociology Rhetorical Strategies

Rhetorical Analysis of John F. Kennedy's Moon Speech

• Proper editing and formatting
• Free revision, title page, and bibliography
• Flexible prices and money-back guarantee

Our writers will provide you with an essay sample written from scratch: any topic, any deadline, any instructions.

Cite this paper

Related essay topics.

Get your paper done in as fast as 3 hours, 24/7.

Related articles

Most popular essays

• Rhetorical Strategies
• Song Analysis

This paper will give a rhetorical analysis, of both the music video and the lyrics, looking for...

• Media Influence

‘Is Google Making Us Stupid’ by Nicholas Carr, it expresses how technology has affected our lives...

Fia Cumming’s (2000) “Higher fuel tax slows us down; NEWS EXTRA” published by Sun Herald; a Sunday...

The essay “Waste” by Wendell Berry, written in 1989, is a powerful and insightful essay in which...

• Olaudah Equiano
• Slave Trade

The non-fiction piece “The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano” was written by...

Clarence Jones, a close advisor to Martin Luther King Jr., delivered a powerful and insightful...

Persuasion is the art of influencing people’s attitudes and behaviors either through speech or...

In the article, ‘Obama Sinks Family Savings into Developing Presidential Tabletop Game’, an...

• Conservation of Forest
• Conversation

In Aldo Leopold’s piece, “The Land Ethic” it creates an effective rhetorical analysis with its...

Join our 150k of happy users

• Get original paper written according to your instructions
• Save time for what matters most

Fair Use Policy

EduBirdie considers academic integrity to be the essential part of the learning process and does not support any violation of the academic standards. Should you have any questions regarding our Fair Use Policy or become aware of any violations, please do not hesitate to contact us via [email protected].

We are here 24/7 to write your paper in as fast as 3 hours.

Provide your email, and we'll send you this sample!

By providing your email, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy .

Say goodbye to copy-pasting!

Get custom-crafted papers for you.

Enter your email, and we'll promptly send you the full essay. No need to copy piece by piece. It's in your inbox!

• < Previous

Home > STUDENT > COMM300 > 3

Communication 300 Papers

Rhetorical analysis of choosing to go to the moon "and do the other things".

Skyler M. Kona Follow

On September 12, 1962, president John F. Kennedy visited Rice University in Houston, Texas, and delivered what is commonly known as one of the most iconic speeches in American history. The speech, titled “Address at Rice University on the Nation's Space Effort”, but more widely known as “We Choose to go to the Moon”, was an attempt to gain further support for the nation's efforts in the Space Race against the Soviet Union. In his speech, Kennedy uses various techniques in order to further boost the audience's understanding of the situation, as well as, crucially, inspiring them to lend their support to these efforts. The speech today is seen as a symbol of victory, given that since then, America has successfully landed the first astronauts on the Moon, but at the time the speech was given, it was difficult to gain public support while the nation was losing the Space Race. This paper is an examination on the rhetoric of the speech, and why it worked well.

https://youtu.be/XUVg8pipYTg

JFK, John F Kennedy, Moon Landing, Rhetoric, Rice University, We Choose to go to the Moon

Citation Style

Since December 15, 2022

Included in

Speech and Rhetorical Studies Commons

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately, you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.

Advanced Search

• Notify me via email or RSS
• Collections

Author Corner

• Submit Work
• HSU Library
• Graduate Studies
• HDS Non-exclusive Distribution License
• Submission Process

Home | About | FAQ | My Account | Accessibility Statement

Privacy Copyright

Home — Essay Samples — Government & Politics — John F. Kennedy — Rhetorical and Literary Devices of John F. Kennedy’s Speech

Rhetorical and Literary Devices of John F. Kennedy's Speech

• Categories: John F. Kennedy

About this sample

Words: 1133 |

Published: Sep 4, 2018

Words: 1133 | Pages: 2 | 6 min read

Works Cited

• Brinkley, A. (2012). John F. Kennedy: The American Presidents Series: The 35th President, 1961-1963. Henry Holt and Company.
• Carver, R. (1994). JFK's inaugural address: Literary masterpiece. The English Journal, 83(1), 17-24.
• Dallek, R. (2003). An unfinished life: John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963. Little, Brown and Company.
• Divine, R. A., Breen, T. H., Fredrickson, G. M., & Williams, R. H. (2017). America: Past and present. Pearson.
• Garthoff, R. L. (1994). Foreign intelligence and the historiography of the Cold War. Diplomatic History, 18(2), 159-171.
• Kennedy, J. F. (1962). Address at Rice University on the Nation's Space Effort. Retrieved from https://www.jfklibrary.org/archives/other-resources/john-f-kennedy-speeches/rice-university_19620912
• Lewis, J. (1997). The American space program: A historical perspective. Johns Hopkins University Press.
• Logevall, F. (2012). Embers of war: The fall of an empire and the making of America's Vietnam. Random House.
• Morrison, P. (2013). Cold War on the airwaves: The radio propaganda war against East Germany. University of Illinois Press.
• Schlesinger, A. M., Jr. (2002). A thousand days: John F. Kennedy in the White House. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Cite this Essay

To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below:

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Dr. Karlyna PhD

Verified writer

• Expert in: Government & Politics

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

2 pages / 704 words

3 pages / 1188 words

3 pages / 1150 words

1 pages / 606 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Former President John F. Kennedy in his Presidential Inaugural Address, delivers a hopeful, inspiring speech about the actions he will take and the actions he expects citizens to take to achieve world peace. Kennedy’s purpose is [...]

President John F. Kennedy and President Abraham Lincoln are two such leaders. Although they lived in different eras, their lives and achievements bear striking resemblances. This essay aims to explore the similarities between [...]

Exploring Rhetorical Strategies Analyze the use of rhetorical strategies such as repetition, pathos, and direct address in John F. Kennedy's steel speech and how they contribute to the effectiveness of his [...]

John F. Kennedy's inaugural address is widely regarded as one of the most powerful speeches in American history. Delivered on January 20, 1961, it marked the beginning of Kennedy's presidency and set the tone for his [...]

The 35th president of the United States, John F. Kennedy, in his first Inaugural Address, aims to inspire Americans by outlining his plans for the future as he is being sworn into office. Kennedy’s purpose is to gain the [...]

June 26, 1963, post WWII, a time were the United States and the Soviet Union were the world’s superpowers. The two powers fought a war of different government and economic ideologies known as the Cold War. During the time of the [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

Rhetorical Analysis Of Jfk Moon Speech

Show More Rhetorical Analysis – JFK Moon Speech Dreaming of being on the moon, President John F. Kennedy approached the podium on September 12th, 1962 at Rice University in Houston, Texas to inspire his audience of scientists, researchers and professors, while acknowledging he was talking to America as a whole. Kennedy composed a moving speech to inspire America, in the context of “The decision to go to the moon.” This speech utilized rhetorical strategies such as alliteration, metaphors, and rhetorical questions to influence the American public and others listening to instill the same desire that Kennedy had to accomplish the lofty goal of landing on the moon before the decade ran out. John F. Kennedy delivered his speech effectively, but his background …show more content… These statements strongly correlate to ethos with the credibility they gave. He explored and referenced credible sources from Newton’s assessment of gravity. He noted that just the month before his speech advanced forms of technology including, electric lights, automobiles, telephones, and airplanes were all available. He also mentioned that penicillin, television and nuclear power were available just a week before his speech. He emphasized the recent developments in technology and the short time frame they had all become available as evidence that America was ready to take on this new challenge of landing on the moon. A journey to the moon during this time period was no easy task, but that’s a big part of the reason why he wanted to do it and prove to not only the people of the United States but to everyone around the world that America was capable of this journey. He articulates that, “To be sure, we are behind, and will be behind for some time in manned flight. But we do not intend to stay behind, and in this decade, we shall make up and move ahead.” (Kennedy, John). Kennedy thought if the United States was able to successfully land on the moon before the end of the decade, it would not only benefit the government, but it would also open many job opportunities and help stabilize the economy through finance and education. He stressed …show more content… Kennedy noted in his speech that the United States was at a content spot in time but expressed his desire to expand technology and education. He knew accomplishing a task that required so much knowledge and innovativeness would open up new doors for the United States, some that were previously thought to be impossible. Kennedy makes a metaphor of taking a new path in the right direction to lead us to new information, “we set sail on this new sea because there is new knowledge to be gained, and new rights to be won, and they must be won and used for the progress of all people” (Kennedy, John) but none of that could happen if we are not presented with the opportunity to approach new things to accomplish in our path. He brought this up knowing it would boost the confidence of his audience, and inspire them with the opportunities that landing on the moon could bring. He ended his speech by recalling a statement from George Mallory, who climbed Mount Everest. When he asked Mallory why he decided to climb the mountain, he replied with, “because it was there.” When he made this connection, it reminded me of the beginning of his speech, where he talked about making a change, a challenge, and conquering both of them is a part of the human spirit. As such, conquering the challenge of landing on the moon is part of the American spirit. This quote from George Mallory ties all of his

Related Documents

Jfk inaugural address rhetorical analysis.

John F. Kennedy, former president of the United States, delivered a speech to express his support for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration program to land humans on the moon. Kennedy's purpose in doing so is to gain support as well as get recognition for the cause he is supporting. The audience is people at the Rice University stadium, citizens across the nation, and any listener willing to listen. Kennedy manages to appeal to the audience using hyperbole, peace, honor, and courage. Kennedy's choice of using hyperbole appeals to the audience to encourage them that human life is about progress.…

Rhetorical Analysis Of John F Kennedy To The Moon

President and CHief Executive, John f. kennedy, in his national speech,”to the moon”, promotes the notion of America to obtain the title of ‘the first country to reach the lunar surface’. kennedy’s purpose is to persuade the citizens of the United States to back the vision of lunar exploration. He adopts an influential tone in order to persuade citizens that the united states should conduct the first step taken on the moon. as America engages in the space race, during the cold war, the nation's objective consists of leading the exploration of the moon.…

With a clever use of schemes and energizing use of tropes, President John F. Kennedy creates an inspiring and unifying tone that, through effective organization and appeals to pathos, conveys the purpose of his inaugural address to the engaged American public. Kennedy, being well known for his captivating appeals to pathos, uses this strength to carefully craft several aspects of his speech including the word choice and tone. To invigorate his audience and capture their attention, the president strategically organizes his speech in a way that it first fills the listeners with pride to be Americans and second addresses the more serious and action-taking matters that the audience would be more likely to carry out once patriotism was practically…

Rhetorical Devices In Jfk Inaugural Address

On January 20, 1961, President John F. Kennedy, in his Inaugural Address, unified the American people, as well as people around the world. With the threat of nuclear war and global catastrophe, the human race was at its highest levels of potential danger it had ever witnessed. Kennedy wanted to enlighten the American population with hope and the means to move forward with the nations of the world in a peaceful manner. His tone of strength and hopes for a brighter future helped JFK achieve this goal while addressing the people in Washington D.C. He uses a variety of rhetorical devices, in addition to persuasive modes in order to get his message across to the audience.…

John F Kennedy Inaugural Address Rhetorical Analysis

Throughout Kennedy’s speech, he appeals to our emotions through charged language, which gives a sense of urgency regarding the situation, and how integral unity is to the survival of humanity. One example of emotional language is when Kennedy says, “...bring the absolute power to destroy other nations under the absolute control of all nations” (285). Through the use of words with strong, negative connotations in this quote, such as, “absolute power to destroy other nations”, he evokes a sense of uneasiness and concern in the listener; persuading the listener to follow Kennedy’s advice. Kennedy also appeals to the listener’s emotions through restatement; where he expresses similar ideas in different words. One example of this is when he says, “Together let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths, and encourage the arts and commerce” (285).…

Rhetorical Analysis Of John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address

The inaugural address of the president has always been the primary step in the new government. It’s the first time that the president can tell the American people the plan they have made in leading the country and how they will legislate that plan. These speeches are always powerful and memorable , and John F. Kennedy's was no different. Through the use of rhetoric, he was able to clearly describe his plan for the nation, a plan of peace, fellowship, and celebration. Kennedy's use of antithesis, sentence structure, and parallelism, all contribute to the success of his speech.…

Rhetorical Analysis Of Jfk Inaugural Address

Kennedy applies that by empowering other nations, we can create a global sense of unity. By applying pathos, Kennedy convinces his audience that science can bring great discoveries despite the dangerous weapons that he mentioned earlier. He quotes, “Together let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths, and encourage the arts and commerce” to cite examples of how we are only scratching the surface of what this new technology can enable us to do (Kennedy Paragraph 18). When Kennedy states: “For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life”, it is particularly powerful because it stresses the fact that we have a choice as society: we can continue the arms race and risk destroying each other or we can unite as one people and live in harmony regardless of beliefs (Kennedy Paragraph 3). Another powerful use of pathos is Kennedy’s statement, “Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring the problems that divide us” (citation).…

Rhetorical Analysis Of President Kennedy's Moon Speech

Analysis of President Kennedy’s moon speech The moon speech was given by President Kennedy on the 25th of May 1961. During the speech, President Kennedy announced the national goal which was landing on the moon and returning to Earth safely. He also indicated that this goal would be one of the most difficulty and impressive in the history of exploring the space. Landing on the moon was also one of the most remarkable events of mankind.…

President Kennedy's Space Race

He basically said that we are in a race with the Soviet Union to get a man on the Moon. Also, he stated that we have all the technology necessary to accomplish this mission. President Kennedy said “First, I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth.” He said no single project in this time period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important for the long-range exploration of space; and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish. At the speech he was announcing at Congress, he was feeling all the pressure because we were trailing this “Space Race” for most of the time.…

Space Race Research Paper

To boldly go where no man has gone before. The launching of the Soviet Union’s Sputnik satellite on October 4, 1957 unofficially launched the space race, a battle of scientific might against the United States and the Soviet Union, and a continuation of the struggle of power between the two superpowers. Both nations would go on to fight a close battle to show the world which nation had the greatest technological ability, and the fight was close too. The space race would come to its climax on July 20, 1969, when the pilots of Apollo 11 landed on the Moon’s Sea of Tranquility, with Neil Armstrong’s famous words, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” His words would echo not only across the United States, but across the…

Jfk Persuasive Essay

“Things do not happen. Things are made to happen,” is not only something John Fitzgerald Kennedy said, but also something that he followed. Kennedy was the United States of America’s 35th president. Although he was only in office for almost 3 years, many still believe he was an effective president and got much done in that time. Kennedy accomplished many things in his two years, which lead to his great success as a president, such as making the Peace Corps, instilling fitness programs in certain schools, and challenging the nation to win the race to space.…

Essay On Sally Ride

The big space race started on May 25, 1961, when President Kennedy delivered his famous speech about how the United States was going to beat The Soviet Union in putting a man on the moon. His speech encouraged the U.S. Congress to appropriate more funding to put a man safely on the moon before the decade was over. As Kennedy stated, “I therefore ask the Congress, above and beyond the increases I have earlier requested for space activities, to provide the funds which are needed to meet the following national goals: First, I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth” (May 25, 1961: JFK's Moon Shot Speech to Congress). On July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 landed safely on the moon making Kennedy’s dreams a reality.…

John F. Kennedy's We Choose To Go To The Moon

The effect of Kennedy’s “We Choose to go to the Moon” speech impacted everyone in that time period. History was being made right before their very eyes. In conclusion, the moon landing was a significant part of history and the speech given by John F. Kennedy used the rhetorical appeals of anaphora, metonymy and parallelism. Those devices were used to be able to present his noble speech that represented the entire nation. Throughout his speech he used those devices to get his message across to everyone.…

Apollo 11 Speech Essay

The success of the Apollo 11 mission forever changed the idea of “the sky’s the limit.” On July 20, 1969 at 3:39 A.M. Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin became the first human beings to walk on the moon. Authors Ayn Rand, William Safire,and The Times all wrote about this world-changing event. These authors effectively communicated their purpose by using rhetorical strategies such as ethos, pathos, and logos. William Safire, President Nixon’s speechwriter, wrote the speech “In event of Moon Disaster” as a contingency just in case the astronauts became stranded on the moon.…

Why We Chose To Go To The Moon Speech Analysis

During his speech, Kennedy raises his voice and the intensity of his message when he is delivering to his audience the part of the speech of “why we chose to go to the moon,” to emphasize the significance that this near impossible goal has on the United States. By using terminology that can be used to create a connection between the president’s speech and the Science community as well as the general American public, Kennedy is able to make his points come across as crucial and beneficial for…

Related Topics

• John F. Kennedy
• John F. Kennedy assassination

Ready To Get Started?

• Create Flashcards
• Mobile apps
•   Facebook
•   Twitter
• Cookie Settings

Rhetorical Analysis Of John F Kennedy's Moon Speech

In September of 1962, President John. F Kennedy gave his influential “Nation’s Space Effort” speech at Rice University in Houston, Texas, or better known as the “We choose to go to the Moon” speech. President Kennedy was able to utilize rhetorical strategies to help him influence the American people in order to push the nation’s goals. His speech was given during the beginning of the “space race”, between the United States and the USSR, and during the Cold War which makes his promises significant. At the time of the President Kennedy’s speech, the Soviet Union (USSR) had already successfully launched and maintained a satellite for the last four years, moreover, the Soviet’s had already successfully put the first man in space. The space race

Rhetorical Analysis Of President Kennedy's Speech

At the start of the recession steel prices increased by almost 6 dollars a ton. President Kennedy addressed the issue on April 11th, 1962 at a news conference. During this conference President Kennedy stated on line 5 that this was “wholly unjustifiable and irresponsible defiance of the public interest”. Throughout the conference President Kennedy uses many rhetorical techniques such as using an ethical appeal through shared values, diction through a somber tone and word choice, and an emotional appeal to illuminate the issues that increased steel prices have caused. President Kennedy also uses intelligent, formal fiction through this speech regarding the increase in steel prices.

After a recession in 1962 steel companies decided to raise prices dramatically. Consequently, President Kennedy approached the steel companies and asked them to lower prices, but they continued to raise them. The steel company raised prices, therefore, America could not afford it with a war occurring. President Kennedy then held a press conference for the public, with many different rhetorical strategies, turn the American public against the steel companies.

Rhetorical Techniques In J. F. Kennedy's Speech

J.F Kennedy, the president of United States wanted to put the first Americans to the moon-America exploring the moon, so he directed his speech to the people of taxes and Rice University to promote his space exploration program that will help America to be the first country to explore the moon. He believes that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth. Throughout J.F Kennedy's speech, the speaker makes effective use of evidence, reasoning, rhetorical elements, and rhetorical devices that together form his argument to gain people support for his space exploration program. J.F Kennedy was trying to prove his point of view by giving examples and using a lot of Rhetorical devices and appeals that would grab the reader's attention

The Brutal Taking Of One's Peace: Frederick Douglas And Harriet Jacobs

The Brutal Taking of One's Peace Fredrick Douglas stated in his narrative, “No man can put a chain about the ankle of his fellow man without at last finding the other end around his own neck”. This darkening illustration of the taking of not only taking the slaves freedom, but taking their “masters” freedom in the process shows just how sick, and twisted slavery had to be to change everyone involved. Harriet Jacobs, a former slave, had similar views to the horrendous changing of each individual. Stating “Yet few slaveholders seem to be aware of the widespread moral ruin occasioned by this wicked system. Their talk is of blighted cotton crops--not of the blight on their children's souls.”

Rhetorical Analysis Of John F. Kennedy's Speech

On April 10,1962; President John F. Kennedy gave a speech about how the nation’s largest steel companies raised the price of steel by 3.5%. The nation was in an economic distress and and Kennedy had repeatedly asked to keep prices at a stable rate and to have stable wages so that America does not crash into anymore economic distress. Kennedy tries to reassure the people that there will be action taken to create an “Us and Them” mentality. President Kennedy made an effective argument to demonize the cooperation leaders, he effectively demonizes by portraying them as “Un-American” because it is unfair to raise the price of steel when America, as a whole, is going through a time of economical crisis. President Kennedy states in his speech, “a

Jfk Race To The Moon Speech Analysis

Spoken Word Speech Sentence Outline The Inspiration Behind JFK’s “Race to the Moon” Speech General Purpose: To inform Specific Purpose: To show the inspiration behind JFK’s speech Central Idea: You can accomplish anything no matter how unreal it may seem.     Just imagine standing in the crowd at Rice University Stadium in Houston, Texas on September 12th, 1962 listening to John F. Kennedy give his “Race to the Moon” Speech. You hear him talking about his challenge for the United States to go to the moon. This very idea seems quite impractical for the time right?

Rhetorical Analysis Of Kennedy's Inaugural Address

In his speech Kennedy uses different rhetorical devices to unify the citizens of both the United States and the world. Kennedy was giving this speech after winning by a very small margin of votes so he was trying to unite the people of the United States and show he was the correct choice for the president. This speech was given during the Cold War so he was trying to connect the people around the whole world and establish peace. Kennedy was able to unify the people and try to establish peace while at the same time making himself seem like a very competent leader. In his speech Kennedy tries to build his credibility as a personable leader by creating ethos.

Rhetorical Analysis Of John Fitzgerald Kennedy's Speech

John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Junior’s, speech at his inaugural address in 1961 is undeniably a masterpiece of the persuasive arts. Although the speech is short as such speeches go, and although its main persuasive device is pathos alone, the masterful skill with which Kennedy’s speech is written makes it one of the most moving and effective political speeches to date. Kennedy’s vivid use of diction and metaphor, as well as his extremely memorable syntax, are particularly strong and successful. Every intelligent debater, speech-writer, and generally argumentative person knows that there are three main techniques which can be used to manipulate an audience and engage them in the speaker’s topic and purpose: ethos, logos, and pathos.

Rhetorical Analysis: Kennedy's Inaugural Speech

Oziel Rios S. Nambiar English 1302. SP3 12 February 2018 Kennedy Inaugural Address Rhetorical Analysis On Friday, January of 1961, John Fitzgerald Kennedy delivered a speech to the citizens of the United States of America and the world. Kennedy made a speech that he knew would be remembered for many years to come even after his presidential term.

Rhetorical Analysis Of John F. Kennedy's Inauguration Speech

John F. Kennedy’s was known as a very patriotic person, and that would raise the question why. Well, the answer can simply be found in his inauguration speech. He gave the speech to bolster the fighting spirit and act as an inspiration for the Americans. How he does this is interestingly simple by smart actually. He used a plethora of stylistic devices extensively in his speech.

President Kennedy's Moon Speech Summary

President Kennedy’s moon speech at Rice University came at a time of high uncertainty regarding technology and the threat of war. Kennedy’s emotive speech aimed to lift and inspire those who feared the worst and to encourage the population to grow and achieve their greatest potential. The ‘moon speech’ will be analysed by uncovering key components of the speech that created a lasting impression on the authors of this report. It is important to firstly explore and identify the traits and attributes of leadership exhibited by President Kennedy in this speech. Additionally, a discussion amongst group members will be necessary to ascertain how and why this speech was inspiring, and whether this speech could be considered as the greatest speech

We Choose To Go To The Moon Speech Analysis

Our Journey to the Moon On September 12, 1962 President John F. Kennedy gave a speech in Houston, Texas at Rice Stadium. This 18 minute long speech was made to convince the people of the United States as to why we should go to the moon. The “We choose to go to the Moon” speech was written by both John F. Kennedy and his speech writer, Ted Sorensen (Press). The purpose behind this speech was to gain America’s support and to get everyone on board with the idea of space exploration. The reason for the embarkment of space exploration was due to the ongoing space race between the U.S. and the USSR.

Rhetorical Analysis Of Robert Kennedy's Speech

Robert Kennedy’s speech was given during a campaign rally in 1968, he broke the news to a crowd of supporters that MLK had been killed. This speech was analyzed through a PDF copy of the text. The purpose of RFK’s speech is to inform the audience of MLK’s death, create a sense of comfort and calmness. RFK includes a quote from the poet Aeschylus

Rhetorical Analysis Of Jfk Moon Speech

On September 12, 1962, at Rice University in Houston Texas, John F. Kennedy gave a powerful speech to garner support for the funding of the space race for the USA. He stated the importance of putting a man on the moon before the end of the decade in its efforts against the Soviet Union and the expectation was met in 1969 by the astronaut Neil Armstrong. His speech forged a new path that the US was heading and inherently started the revolution of the exploration of outer space. Kennedy’s “Moon Speech” makes use of ethos and Kairos to persuade the people of America to become interested in and invest in the ongoing space race. A very important factor in JFK’s speech was his effective use of rhetoric, notably ethos, which he used to make himself become more believable and authoritative.

Rhetorical Analysis Of JFK Gone To The Moon Speech

Rhetorical Analysis on JFK Gone to the Moon Speech The Gone to the Moon Speech was written by John F. Kennedy and announced on the day of May 25, 1961. The speech was given the title Gone to the Moon because Kennedy wanted the first man to be sent to the moon and surface the moon in achievement. It was the foundational standpoint for technology to advance. JFK uses logos, ethos, and pathos to relay his statement in a unique way to connect with the audience.

More about Rhetorical Analysis Of John F Kennedy's Moon Speech

Related topics.

• Space exploration
• United States
• Soviet Union

The Space Race, a Rhetorical Analysis

A rhetorical analysis of presidential speeches given during the space race and modern eras.

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Audience in jfk's speech, 2 comments:.

I agree with your analysis of the audience being students from Rice University, but I think you should talk more about the audience in a larger sense (all Americans). How did he appeal to those watching on television/listening to him on the radio?

You did a great job mentioning university students as the target audience and how they embrace a patriotic mindset that supports space exploration. I think you could also discuss the other perspectives including the older American public that watched the speech. Those people may have more conservative and traditional views that might not have agreed with the innovative perspectives.