JFK's inaugural address invokes the use of many rhetorical
devices:
1. REPETITION: Many of his paragraphs started with
"Let both sides..." I think this demonstrated his purpose to unify the country.
Partisian politics are difficult throughout the course of an election and he was trying
to bring the nation together after the contest.
2. PARALLEL
STRUCTURE: This use of repeating grammatical structures creates a rhythm that envokes
our attention:
Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well
or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship,
support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the
success of liberty.
These
italicized words share the same grammatical format: verb + any +
noun.
3. RHETORICAL QUESTION: These questions not meant to
be answered allowed are positioned to make the audience think about how they would
answer the question. Most speakers hope this create
action:
Can we
forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West,
that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic
effort?
4. ALLUSION
(reference to something famous, in this case... God): JFK was specifically elected
because of his Catholic background. He cites this at least
twice:
the
belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the
hand of God.
and
again:
With a
good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our
deeds, let us go 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 italicized is an
additional device: personification.
His rhetorical purpose
in addition to unifying the country can be summed up in the statement he used that has
certainly outlived his legacy: "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country
can do for you—ask what you can do for your country." He wanted to involve the people in
the process from here on out.
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