Andrew Haas

Writing 2010
2/4/2016

JFKs Speech

Throughout history there have been a number of amazing speeches. One of

these amazing speeches include JFKs Inaugural Address. JFK was the 35th President
and said this speech on January 20, 1961. His audience for this speech was not only
the 50,000 people attending his speech but also the entire world. The purpose of his
speech was to introduce what he was going to do as president, promote patriotism, and
to motivate americans to defend the freedom of all. Through his speech he uses Ethos,
Pathos, and Logos.
Although it can assumed that JFK is already credible since many people believed
in him and elected him president, he still uses ethos in order to make himself seem
even more credible. Ethos is used to appeal to the authors credibility. JFK says, For I
have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forbears
prescribed nearly a century and three-quarters ago. By saying this JFK gains credibility
by saying that he has already sworn in front of not only the american people but also
god himself. He gains trust by saying that he will keep his word. This is significant
because during this time many americans went to church and even more believed in
God. In this quote he also use ethos by saying that he is continuing the work of the
previous presidents. This is important because by associating himself with the previous
presidents he uses the their credibility to increase his own.

JFK also needed to inspire the american people with Pathos. Pathos is
considered to be appealing to the audiences emotion. Kennedy uses pathos a number
of times to promote patriotism and to motivate americans. Early in his speech, JFK
describes his victory in the presidential election as a celebration of freedom. By calling
his victory a celebration of freedom, JFK expresses that he is emotional about granting
the entire world freedom. He uses the audiences own feelings for the need of freedom
to empathize with them. This uses the emotion of the audience to listen to his speech,
and believe him. This causes the audience to believe that he is a driven and
hardworking person who can lead the country. Later in his speech JFK says, Now the
trumpet summons us again--not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need--not as a
call to battle, though embattled we are-- but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight
struggle, year in and year out, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation--a struggle
against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease and war itself. Here
JFK is trying to promote peace, instead of war. He wants to come to a peaceful
compromise with the soviet union. He implies that both America and the USSR are
wasting money building weapons to wage war. He implies that both nations failures or
successes depend on his generation. This is a use of pathos because he uses the
promise of peace to inspire many americans. After many years of one war after another,
the promise of peace greatly catches peoples attention. By wanting to stop war with
other countries and start war against things that affect all people he gathers a lot of
support. JFK also uses religion to help him get emotional support from the citizens of
america. JFK quotes Let both sides unite to heed in all corners of the earth the
command of Isaiah--to undo the heavy burdens . . . (and) let the oppressed go free..

JFK uses this quote to get support from the citizens of America by showing that he too
is religious. This is to invoke a connection between him and many of citizens by
showing that they both are religious and believe in god.
JFK also uses logos in his speech. Logos is the appeal to logic. JFK says, In
your hands, my fellow citizens, more than mine, will rest the final success or failure of
our course. This means that the country success or failure of the country is caused by
the citizens of the country and not by their leader. This uses logos because even though
the president has a lot of power over the country, the country is made up of the people
the country cant do anything without the people and is reliant on the citizens. He uses
this to remind the people that they are a part of the country and can make decisions.
Later JFK says, But neither can two great and powerful groups of nations take comfort
from our present course--both sides overburdened by the cost of modern weapons, both
rightly alarmed by the steady spread of the deadly atom, yet both racing to alter that
uncertain balance of terror that stays the hand of mankind's final war. By this JFK
means that both countries are suffering due to the threat and cost of nuclear weapons.
He uses the logic that if the countries gave up on creating more weapons, they would
both have more money and feel safer. If the US and USSR were to continue on the
current path that they would eventually end the world in a nuclear war.JFK also says,
Let both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science instead of its terrors. Together let
us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths and
encourage the arts and commerce. With this JFK mentions that if the US could achieve
peace with the USSR that together they could do anything. He uses the logic that if the
two strongest countries work together they invent and discover new amazing things. He

believes that together they could cure diseases, explore space, and discover new things
in the ocean.
Overall, JFK uses ethos, pathos, and logos, to gain support from his audience
and to help achieve the purpose of his speech. JFK uses ethos by associating himself
with the past presidents and by saying that he will keep his word. He uses pathos by
having the audience empathize with him through their love of freedom and religious
beliefs. Finally he use logos by reminding the people of their power and duty to the
country, and by explaining what is possible if the US was at peace with the USSR.
Overall, JFK uses ethos, pathos, and logos to gain support from his audience.

Sources
http://www.jfklibrary.org/Research/Research-Aids/Ready-Reference/JFKQuotations/Inaugural-Address.aspx