Anaphora In Jfk Inaugural Speech

Corrina Quesada
October 6, 2014
Period 5
JFK Inaugural Speech Essay
Patriotic yet hopeful, John F. Kennedy urges the American citizens to act as a community with the rest of the world. Anaphora and abstract words aid him in highlighting his hopes for the pursuit of community in the world. Hortative and imperative sentences were also strongly delivered in his speech to justify what the citizens of America should be doing to make these hopes become a reality. With these devices, the pursuit of a sense of community between America and the rest of the world is desired amongst the American citizens and international audience.
Claim) Kennedy reaches out to the citizens’ emotional sense through abstract words in his clever application of anaphora.
Evidence) “To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins we share, we pledge the loyalty of faithful friends.” Kennedy delivers passionately these abstract words, such as “cultural” and “loyalty” to emotionally arouse the citizens in a positive way.
He continues by elaborating about and creating pledges with anaphora to further appeal to the American citizens’ emotions. “To those old allies”, “To those new states”, “To those people in huts and villages”, “To our sister republics south of our border”, and “To that world assembly of sovereign states, the United Nations” tie the world together through the pledges that follow this anaphora that Kennedy makes in the name of America. “Let both sides explore”, “Let both sides, for the first time, formulate”, “Let both sides seek to invoke”, and “Let both sides unite” was declared by Kennedy shortly after to show how “both sides” should come together also in rhythmic, catchy application of
anaphora.
Insight) Kennedy was able to captivate the American citizens through their emotional convictions through these rhetorical devices. Anaphora is applied to put great emphasis on these pledges and shift the speech to its climax. Abstract words create an emotional arousal in the citizens that should cause them to act on those pledges. This gets them to pay closer attention and feel more involved.
Claim 2) Kennedy exposes his earnest attitude on the matter of having the world come together through his sentence selection of hortative and imperative.
Evidence 2) Most of Kennedy’s sentences are either long and complex or short and declarative; however, a few sentences stand out that are hortative and imperative. “Let the word go forth from this time and place”, and “Let every nation know” were expressed by Kennedy as hortative sentences to show suggestion rather than demandingness. Kennedy re-establishes his grounds patriotically by reminding the citizens of America to “Ask not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country” in order to get an emotional response from his audience on the subject of serving their country.
Insight 2) Short, declarative sentences reflect on Kennedy’s confidence and his want of making his speech concise. Hortative and imperative sentences were used in order to show a sense of authority. At first, he suggests to do an action through hortative sentences. Progressively, he becomes more demanding on the theme of the pursuit of community in his speech.
Throughout his speech, Kennedy highly implements that America should come together with the world. The theme of community is suggested through pathos. Anaphora and abstract words are applied to emotionally stimulate the American citizens. Kennedy also expresses the importance of community through hortative and imperative sentences.