John F. Kennedy's January 20, Term Paper

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There are no props per se, although the presence of his youthful wife in the background might be one 'prop' as a reminder that the torch had been passed to a younger generation, from the older generation embodied by the Eisenhowers. Kennedy's athletic physique dominates the podium. But he does not use aggressive body language, like stretching across lectern which might make him seem as if he were overreaching or too small for the space. Instead, Kennedy comfortably fills the space and commands attention through firm gestures, punching and pointing at the air with determination and a sense of calculation, not moving about for the sake of movement alone.

In terms of overall effectiveness, this may be one of the most effective inaugural speeches given by a president in memory. Few other speeches can be quoted, in terms of its key phrases, more easily than Kennedy's. His language and also his unique voice and persona cause the words to remain in the listener's mind, almost like a song or a great poem. This suggests that the communication recognize the needs of the audience by conveying an image of strength, yet not a strength that was simply militancy -- it also commanded people's attention through its use of effective idealism. The speech made listening Americans feel safer because of Kennedy's confirmation that he would not let the Soviet Union run roughshod over American interests in the world.

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However, the speech also conveyed an image of compassion, as the president acknowledged the poverty and injustice at home that must be addressed as well as the national security needs of the United States. And even the harshest phrases are softened with the idea that Kennedy wants to make the world a better place, not that he simply wants the United States to win the Cold War.

What is most striking about the speech is how much it asks of its listeners. It is easy to listen to, because of its effective use of oratory and rhetorical techniques, like rhetorical questions, parallel sentence structure, and intense, physical images that paint a picture for the listener. This is especially important in an age before television was common in all households, to satisfy listeners far away as well as the immediate, watching audience of the speech in front of the Capital. Yet the speech also demands that young Americans press themselves to answer the call to liberty, to pick up the set-down torch of the previous generation, and bear the burden of giving back to their nation. The effectiveness of the speech was sufficient that Americans listened with pleasure not simply to the image of themselves they wanted to have of peaceful and freedom-loving people, but that they were also inspired to exceed their own comfort zones and the expectations they had for their future.

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