ipl-logo

Rhetorical Devices In John F Kennedy's Speech

667 Words3 Pages

A well written and effective speech cannot just be spit out, it has to be developed using vital rhetorical devices to help the speaker make his point and achieve what he wants. Rhetorical devices give the speaker the ability to connect to the audience, get his point across, and give the audience a sense of who he is. President John F. Kennedy was aware of these basic tactics and included them in his speech to have it delivered to it’s fullest. When Kennedy was writing his opening commentary regarding the price increase of steel, he wanted it to not only have it fulfill its effectiveness, but to also be memorable for all those that heard and read it. President Kennedy made the nation feel as one in his commentary, he made everyone feel as though they were all on the same page in regards to the issue of the price increase of steel. In his commentary, Kennedy stated, “In this serious hour in our nation’s history, when we are confronted with grave crises in Berlin and Southeast Asia, when we are devoting our energies to economic recovery and stability,” …show more content…

Logos, ethos, and pathos are all rhetorical devices that make a text effective. President John F. Kennedy was very effective in developing his opening commentary by using these rhetorical devices to promptly have his speech affect his audience. Kennedy gained the trust and belief of his audience when he applied facts in the very beginning of his opening commentary. He followed that up with using keywords and phrases that would tell his audience how he felt about the problem while not directly stating it. Lastly, he appealed to his audience’s emotions to form a strong emotional connection with them. Whilst using all three of these rhetorical devices together, he made the nation feel united as one during a time of

Open Document