Kennedy's Inaugural Address

In the "Inaugural Address" (1961), John F. Kennedy suggests that the people of America, newly emancipated countries, and adversaries should put aside their differences, and work together for world peace. Kennedy uses tropes and schemes in order to motivate American people to do something, and other countries for world peace. Kennedy explicates his deliberation by using figurative diction, inspirational tone, and parallel syntax. Kennedy uses figurative diction to bring attention to these phrases that address his main purpose of motivation to the people, and world peace. One part of figurative diction would be the rhetorical trope of a metaphor revealing his emotion of passion. An example of a passionate metaphor would b paragraph 25, "The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to the endeavor will light our country and all who serve it. And the glow from that fire can truly light the world." This metaphor that Kennedy gives is passionate; it is implying that if Americans put in an effort, then they will "light out country and all who serve it." This will pull at the heart strings (pathos) of Americans and will motivate them to do something; so the "glow from that fire" can change the world for the better. Another rhetorical trope is personification. One example would be paragraph 28, " With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us fo forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing, and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own." The personification of this quote is that history is the final judge of our deeds; which addresses his purpose of motivating the Americans and citizens of the world to do work of good deeds so that "God's work must truly be our own." The figurative diction used in rhetorical tropes have addressed Kennedy's purpose of motivation to Americans and people of the world. John F. Kennedy also uses inspirational tone to connect with Americans