Some speeches really make a difference to Americans. Both Bill Clinton and Robert F. Kennedy have speeches that send powerful messages to their audiences. The speech, “A Eulogy For Martin Luther King, Jr.” by Robert F. Kennedy, was a news breaking event and eulogy for the death of Martin Luther King, given to African Americans and all Americans. Bill Clinton’s “Oklahoma Bombing Memorial Address” was given as a memorial speech to the families of the Oklahoma bombing victims and to all Americans. Both were somber and mournful in tone. Both speakers used ethos, logos and pathos to share their emotions about how America should mourn these tragic events, but recover and move forward in their fight for justice. Clinton’s message focuses on healing from, and preventing terrorist attacks on Americans, while Kennedy’s speech guides America away from racial polarization. …show more content…
As he stated, “Hillary and I also come as parents, as husband and wife, as people who were your neighbors for some of the best years of our lives.” His reference to being a parental figure makes the audience feel that he is more trustworthy. Kennedy uses ethos by talking about how he can relate to the feeling because one of his family members got killed. He mentions “I can only say that i feel in my own heart the same kind of feeling. I had a member of my family killed.” Kennedy shows credibility because he has felt the same feelings that the audience may have felt when they heard the news about King’s assassination. Clinton uses logos by reading a section of a letter he received from a young widow and wife of three. Clinton uses a part of the lady’s letter to say “The anger you feel is valid, but you must not allow yourselves to be consumed by it.” Clinton reassures the audience that it is alright to feel angry but we must move on and heal if we want to move forward as a
Robert Kennedy, a candidate for president in 1968, delivers a powerful speech on the evening of the death of the civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In the speech, Kennedy effectively uses rhetorical devices, ethos pathos and logos to calm his audience from riots. The speech was spoken with the purpose of keeping Dr King’s wish to act non-violently even after negative events. Although all three rhetorical devices are present, pathos and logos are the two devices mostly influencing his audience when calming them about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s death.
Clinton does this by comparing himself to the citizens affected by the bombing. For example, he says “But I have to tell you that Hillary and I come as parents, as husband and wife, as people who were your neighbors for some of the best years of our lives.” Basically, Clinton is explaining that he also shares the grieving that the audience feels. Kennedy also uses
In his Eulogy of Senator Edward (Ted) M. Kennedy on August 29, 2009, in Basilicas, Boston, President Barack Obama honors Kennedy by resonating with the audience of Kennedy’s family and friends with touching and wholesome tales of his life. Obama manipulates rhetorical devices to connect with the audience. The vital rhetorical devices he uses are ethos - to show his attachment to Kennedy, somewhat humorous anecdotes of his memories of Kennedy, and appeal to the congregation by enumerating his titles and achievements. The foremost three paragraphs of Obama's Eulogy for Kennedy are brimming with instances of ethos.
The power of persuasion is one that has proved its influence all throughout the history of humanity, convincing the masses to think as one body. This talent is not without practice or order however, even those talented with influence must be organized and eloquently sew their words together to prove a point. Only arguments that can appeal to all are able to be successful. In President John F. Kennedy’s Speech “Peace Speech”, examples of Aristotle's Modes of Persuasion are used. Kennedy uses the appeal of his credibility (Ethos), emotion (Pathos), and logic (Logos) to support his argument against war.
A domestic terrorist bombing in Oklahoma City on April 19th, 1995, killed 168 people (including small children) and injuring more than 680 others. Four days later, on April 23rd, 1995, President Bill Clinton gave a speech addressing this event at the Memorial Prayer Service. Clinton speaks to everyone affected from the bombing to unite the country in this feeling of tragedy, and to show the victims, and their families, that they are not alone. In his speech, President Bill Clinton uses pathos to unite the country in a feeling of tragedy and loss.
John F. Kennedy discusses and analyzes on how the nation differs from the past and present day in that time period. Kennedy narrators on the division and war in the the world to appeal to the audience patriotism by using pathos and logos. In this speech President Kennedy states “to thoses who would make themselves our adversary, we offer not a pledge but a request; that both sides begin the quest for peace, before the dark power of destruction unleashed.” He uses this quote to obtain a logical appeal to the appeal to the people. Kennedy uses logos to show that he wants the nation to come together and be humble together in one peace.
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.
During a funeral for Reverend Clementa Pinckney, a Charleston shooting victim, President Obama delivered an influential eulogy. This eulogy turned out to be so powerful that it traveled throughout the internet and became known as one of Obama’s best speeches from the duration of his presidency. The speech resonated so well with many citizens because of its relatable content and connections to passionate issues in today’s society. The delivery of the eulogy played a gigantic part in its effectiveness to Americans as well. President Obama’s eulogy contained beyond relatable content and various connections to the issues racking society’s bones today.
His diction is very inclusive; he commences his speech with several uses of the words ‘we’ and ‘our’, which makes way for inclusivity. JFK is blurring the distinction between citizen and superior governor by including the people in his proclamation. While describing the hardships and challenges that the country is facing, Kennedy mentions how imperative the occasion is on a global level; in the midst of the Cold War, he reminds his audience of the importance of uniting. Through the use of the lexical field of danger — words such as: ‘defiance’, ‘serious’, ‘risk’, and ‘sacrifice’ — he creates a feeling of tension and urgency, and engages his audience to the concern. To conclude his speech, the President mentions self-guilt on the part of the country on how they had not displayed the “sense of business responsibility” that they should have, a rhetorical strategy that approximates the audience to the government.
“In our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart until, in our despair, against our will comes wisdom through the awful grace of God”(24-30). RFK used this quote to say people may want to stay angry and bitter, but anger will eventually be replaced with wisdom and understanding no matter how much they try to fight it. Kennedy recognizes his audience as Americans, but especially
These three pieces all share a common goal but approach that goal in a variety of ways. John F, Kennedy’s inaugural address is known as one of the most impactful and authoritative of all United States presidents. In his speech Kennedy includes personal goals, challenges to US citizens, religious elements, and warnings to other nations. Some of the
In fact, Kennedy accomplished his goal and is still remembered today, as the best speech ever written and delivered. Kennedy presents his speech with strong Aristotelian appeals of ethos, pathos and the stylistic devices of alliteration and antithesis. Kennedy accomplished what every speaker strives for and surpassed it by capturing the hearts of the audience and inspiring the people’s trust. Ethos is a very important rhetorical device in speeches because it establishes a sense of credibility and trustworthiness with the audience. Ethos permits the audience to feel a sense of trust that is missing in some people’s speeches.
On April 4, 1968, Robert F. Kennedy was in Indianapolis for a campaign stop, when he received news that Martin Luther King was killed, causing Kennedy to write and deliver a speech regarding the assassination. This speech was succinct but not only was it about the assassination, it was also to tell the people there is still wisdom and hope in this time of turmoil. To reach this purpose, he first builds up his ethos, uses pathos to add mood and hope, and unifies the people. The combination of these elements makes it a very powerful and memorable speech. Robert F. Kennedy builds his credibility by relating his personal experience and knowledge of what the audience is feeling to the current events.
For Kennedy to sway his audience, he connects to and unifies all who are listening to his address by using the rhetorical appeal of pathos. Kennedy is a favored and
The Inaugural speech by John F. Kennedy is a landmark type of speech that was given to the American populace in order to inspire confidence and to provoke them to take immediate action. His speech made extensive use of rhetorical devices in order to successfully express his goals. His stylistic devices include antithesis, parallelism, and varying structure flows in order to attract attention and to show what his service will accomplish. Kennedy details “a new generation of Americans” by contrasting old and new with his antithesis. He states, “Symbolizes an end as well as a beginning” and “signifies renewal as well as change” in order to do so.