John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address Joha F. Kennedy's inaugural addres isa perfect text for practicing close reading and developing an Tetinen about bow sile-the speeets dition and symtax-—can communicate edistinet vision. It {ellos chance to look at why the speech remains a mode f rhetorical excellence that has withstood, the tex of time Tris. we believe, very important for stents to watch the speach. You can fn it with quick Google starch oF on bectondstmartinsconslanguageofeomp. This wil help students take in some of fhe deals ofthe day the cold weather: who ie wesring hat and who isnt the wives, especially the hs dca tal duequine Kennedy Robert ost an Fay tramsan, represen te OWeT ge ‘ration: Richard Ninon's mise hnadliake; oven President Kennedy's strong Boston accent. The photo ‘Gn page 78 wil give you achance to examine these participants more closely ‘Much has been made ofthe influence of Kennedy’ sje of speechmaking on Barack Obst. We suggest that students analyze conteraporary political speechmaking.consiering the rhetorical triangle: sppetet ethos, lope sd pathos; and, ofcourse deton and syntax. Meithough the speech ls short, only 1.343 words, stadents can find reading it daunting. Its probably usail to read it sloud tothe clase, even after watching it on video. Stadens ean then Ennotae itor use graphic organizer or dlalctical journal, We recommend having students work in groupe onthe following questions, each group answering (wo oF three. The groups can then sare thelr answers, with al students taking notes on the responses, after which the groups can work on ‘denifying the spece’s tone. Atle point, stadents may have quite a lot of noes about the speech tnd may be ready to develop an argument for an essay about the purpose ofthe speech and how its tiple helped Kennedy achieve it- One method we recommend is begining withthe text's tone, which fs reated by is diction and syntax, and creating a thesis statement that connects the text's tone to Sts purpose | Why are so many ofthe words abstract? How do words like freedom, poverty, devotion, loyalty, and sacrifice set the tone ofthe speech? ‘These words ae strong sources of emotional persuasion. They touch chords in us whl allowing listen {ato lnterpret the ideas in personal way. They als set the tone as formal, appropriate to the oa Sion ofa new president ofthe United States ring office. 2. Find examples of mhetorical devices such as metaphor und personitention. ‘Some examples of metaphor ere “bonds of mass misery” (para. 8), “beachhead of cooperation” (par, 19, ‘and “jungle of suspicion” (para, 19), sister replies (pare. 9) san example of personification 5, Does Kennedy use any figures of speech that might be considered clichés? Which metaphors ae fresher? Is there a pattern to their we? “This is peobubly a tough question fr yone and will depend on the background of both teacher snd Students Some might conslder "bonds of mass misery” ad ‘ehains of poverty” to be clichés: they “ork in these paragraphs (@ and 9), however, beeauee Kennedy Is not telling = new story here. The language in the next couple of paragraphs i reser perhaps bocause Kennedy is talking about hope forthe futre both through the United Nations, a faily new organization, and through technology and 4. Doany words inthe speech seem archale, or old-fashioned? If so, what are they? What i clfeet? Words such as forebeas, fe, asunder, snd writ are somewhat archale, but they help crete both the formal tone ofthe speech and the tielessness of ts concerns. 5. The speech isa succession of twenty-seven short paragraphs. Twelve paragraphs have only fone sentence, eight have two, and six have three sentences. Why do you think Kennedy used these short paragraphs? “The short paragraphs are aneaty version of bullet points cach one reveals one of Kennedy's principles trpromises. Tey also offer natal pauses in the delivery ofthe speech. 6. The speech contains two extremes of sentence length, ranging from ninety four words (para. 3) foske words (para 8) A high proportion of the sentences are on the short side, Why? Brevity Isa hallmark ofthe spesch, which may have been a nod tothe cold weather, The short sen {ences are declarative and communicate suthorty nd confidence. The long sentence in paragraph 3 fakes is tme mating the connection between the revolution that ereated this country andthe peners tion hardened bythe recent world war7. More than twenty sentences are complex Sentences—that is, sentences that contain sub ‘dinate clause. What is ther effect? How are they different from the speech’ simple or com pound sentences? “The subordinate clauses that bepin many of the complex sentences help build stam: they energize the sentence’s main idea In some cases, such asthe sentences tbt begin paragraphs 6-13, he sb- ‘ordinate clause is uted to creste community, each inviting a particular group tobe part of Kennedy's ‘slon 8. The speech has many examples of antthess In parallel grammatical structures: “To those old ‘ilies’ (para 6; to those new states” (para 7); "It ree soetety cannot help the many who are poor, cannot save the few who are rich (para. 8) and of cours, “[Alsk not what your country Condo for you--ask wht you ea do for your country” (para. 28). What does this use of oppo “sites suggest about the purpose of Kennedy's speech? “The young Kennedy, who had won the election by a small margin, focused on unity inthis speech, ‘Addressing opposites, a he does here, reassures is audance thet eine to he everyone’ president 9, Why is the dominance of declarative sentences, which make statements, appropriate in an Inaugural address? [As mentioned previously, the declarative sentences communist confidence. They also help crate the fone of youthful energy Try reading some sloud to hear the zip that comes from the classic subject vexbobject structure 10. Paragraph 23 consists of two rhetorical questions. How do they at as a transition to Ken ney’ eal for action? Inthls speech the rhetorical questions remind ws thatthe young president was interested in building Consens rater ian dictating They ave unifying rather than divisive. The Sst asks Ifthe weld ean ‘Bork together to become better. The second asks us tobe par of the mission that he will propose in ‘helast fee paragraphs. 11, Find examples of rhetorical schemes such as anaphora (the repetition of aword or phrase the berinning nf successive phrsres lauses lr) and zeus (one verb ar adjective having {nultiple and incongruous object) (On pages 78-80, we offer glossary af syle elements with examples from Kennedys speech Although {tis fun to know their echalel names, recognizing the paral! quality af, say, zeugma or antimetabole js more important. And even more important srecogalzig the unifying effect of paral strucre 12, Consider the speech's many examples of parallelism: "born tn this ‘war, diseiplined by « hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage” (para. 3) price, beat any burden, meet any hardship, spport any friend, oppose any foe" (para. ). How {io they lend themselves to Kennedy's purpose? ‘bs memioned previously parallel structre baste effect of uniying and reassuring, suse shows that ‘Kennedy understands the connections among the people hes pling to serveas wells the common goals theyll share, 13, Kennedy uses hortaive sentences (language that urges or calls to aetion) in parsgraphs 3 through 20: "Let the word” “Let both ses,” and so.0n. Later, in paragraphs 28 aid 26, e uses {he imperatives “ask” and “ask not.” What ithe difference between the two forms, and why did hhestar with one and end with the other? Asin, the purpose of Kennedy's speech so bild unity. The hortatve sentences’ use of Let” suggests ‘hat he willing to oll up hit sleeves and dig in with the est of us. AS the speech nears its end he toe demanding. Perhaps ts because he has already shown his commitment to service and is amost demanding the ns fF sto do the sare leanor Cit nse Komnedy’sInperation, 50 Years On Thisterfi pic, rst published online nd then In print in Newsweek, =n pin Newsweek, captures the excitement ofthe Kennedy inauguration through «combination of ecaltons cl people who were thre an opor ‘the ever might be meresting fo stdeas a separ the wo pepecines To cone ew Ce ‘weaves then topeter and how the helper ahve her purpose US. Army Sigal Corps nauguration of John F. Kennedy 1m aldition to identfying the people in the photo, students might aotce the photo's composition: the