Kennedy's Inaugural Address
Madison Temme
2/7/14
AP Lang.
Period 4
Kennedy's Inaugural Address John Fitzgerald Kennedy won the U.S. 1960 election by one of the smallest margins in history. With a win by only a tenth of a percent almost half the country felt that Kennedy should not be president. The new president was left to convince that half that his win is one of the best things that could have ever happened. In his inaugural address he states not only what he was going to do in his time as president but bring the divided nation together to move forward. By using diction and figurative language as well as triggering patriotism, Kennedy creates a sense of unity for all his listeners. Kennedy develops patriotism through figurative language. Kennedy claims that "the torch has been passed to a new generation." The is no physical torch literally being passed but it serves a more subconscious purpose. The torch stands for liberty and wisdom and with that, responsibility. Different and new people are responsible for America and keeping it safe. In a sense, these people are going to have to do it themselves by their own efforts. The responsibility is not for one person or a group of people it is for the entire nation depending on one another to do good. Near the end of his speech Kennedy intends to inspire the people to do good by saying that "history will be the final judge of our deeds." History is not able to judge because it is a thing and not a person. Instead he means that those who learn history are going to look at this event. Those people will then judge as to whether a decision was wise. The simple word "judge" is used rather than "criticize" to imply that there is a choice in how the future will view that moment in history. There is a possibility that the future could see good and be grateful which is a feeling predominantly desired by humans. Kennedy's audience will want to do a good deed to be judged in a better light. He also attempts to unify not just the U.S. but the
2/7/14
AP Lang.
Period 4
Kennedy's Inaugural Address John Fitzgerald Kennedy won the U.S. 1960 election by one of the smallest margins in history. With a win by only a tenth of a percent almost half the country felt that Kennedy should not be president. The new president was left to convince that half that his win is one of the best things that could have ever happened. In his inaugural address he states not only what he was going to do in his time as president but bring the divided nation together to move forward. By using diction and figurative language as well as triggering patriotism, Kennedy creates a sense of unity for all his listeners. Kennedy develops patriotism through figurative language. Kennedy claims that "the torch has been passed to a new generation." The is no physical torch literally being passed but it serves a more subconscious purpose. The torch stands for liberty and wisdom and with that, responsibility. Different and new people are responsible for America and keeping it safe. In a sense, these people are going to have to do it themselves by their own efforts. The responsibility is not for one person or a group of people it is for the entire nation depending on one another to do good. Near the end of his speech Kennedy intends to inspire the people to do good by saying that "history will be the final judge of our deeds." History is not able to judge because it is a thing and not a person. Instead he means that those who learn history are going to look at this event. Those people will then judge as to whether a decision was wise. The simple word "judge" is used rather than "criticize" to imply that there is a choice in how the future will view that moment in history. There is a possibility that the future could see good and be grateful which is a feeling predominantly desired by humans. Kennedy's audience will want to do a good deed to be judged in a better light. He also attempts to unify not just the U.S. but the