Carlee Thomsen
“Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your
country.” This is a very powerful quote from a very powerful speech. Friday,
January 20, 1961 was the day John F. Kennedy was inaugurated as President of
the United States. Immediately after taking the presidential oath of office at the
U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C., he gave his address.
After defeating Richard Nixon in the 1960 presidential election, Kennedy
thought long and hard about what he wanted to say and how he wanted to say it.
He sought ideas and suggestions from various friends, counselors and aides,
and then made several drafts using his own thoughts and those suggestions. He
wanted to encourage the American public to get actively involved with their
country. He ended up writing a very motivational, persuasive and inspirational
inauguration speech.
In this speech, J.F.K. strongly appeals to logos, pathos, and ethos. The style
and rhetorical devices he uses in this address make it memorable to not only
those of that generation, but to millions in subsequent generations. President
Kennedy used many effective methods of speaking, but I have chosen just two of
these methods to focus on. First, he used repetition to create rhythm. This
created a lasting impression, thereby implanting his ideas in people’s minds.
Second, he enlivened his speech by using vivid imagery that appealed to the
listeners’ senses, and helped them “see” and almost “feel” what he was saying.
Use Repetition to Create Rhythm
To implant important ideas in the minds of the listeners, use repetition.
Repeating key words, phrases or sentences at various intervals will create a
distinctive rhythm, which they will remember. Anaphora is a form of repetition
where the speaker repeats a word or phrase at the beginning of successive
phrases, clauses, or sentences. Alliteration is the repetition of the same sounds,
usually initial consonants, in two or more neighboring words or syllables.
John F. Kennedy uses the method of repetition the most in his inaugural
address. The famous words “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask
what you can do for your country” are just one example of the many repetitions
he uses. He also says, “Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear
to negotiate.” In another part of the speech he says, “Now let 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.” By using repetition and rewording in
these phrases Kennedy created a rhythm that makes the passages more
memorable.
President Kennedy also uses anaphora in his inauguration speech. He says,
”All this will not be finished in the first 100 days. Nor will it be finished in the first
1,000 days, nor in the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime
on this planet.” This is an excellent example of both rhythmic repetition and
anaphora. Another passage using anaphora – “Let both sides explore what
problems unite us instead of belabouring those problems which divide us. Let
1
both sides, for the first time, formulate serious and precise proposals for the
inspection and control of arms - and bring the absolute power to destroy other
nations under the absolute control of all nations. 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. Let both sides unite to heed in all corners of the earth
the command of Isaiah - to ‘undo the heavy burdens -. and to let the oppressed
go free’.”
More phrases from President Kennedy’s address which use repetition and
anaphora - “…not because the Communists may be doing it, not because we
seek their votes, but because it is right.” and “…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.”
I like the alliteration Kennedy uses, “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.” The poetic way he wrote this passage sticks in my mind.
Today, President Kennedy’s inauguration address is remembered by many.
This speech was given in 1961, yet people still quote it. It has had a lasting
impression on many people of the world. I believe that it is because of his choice
of words and using the style of repetition.
Offer Vivid Imagery and Concrete Words
Try to avoid nonspecific or general language. Use descriptive adjectives and
adverbs to convey meaning that is specific, tangible and definite. Selecting
colorful and concrete words will paint vivid images in the listeners’ minds. These
images will appeal to the senses, which will help the listener be more engaged in
your speech.
Number four of the five points in “The Language of Leadership: The Churchill
Method” is to paint a picture in the listener’s mind. President Kennedy did just
that in his inauguration address by using words like “jungle of suspicion”, “man
holds in his mortal hands”, and “the glow from that fire can truly light the world”.
When I read his words, “bear the burden of a long twilight struggle” and “the
chains of poverty”, images are painted in my mind and I can “see” what he is
saying. The words, “Let the trumpet summons us again” make me almost want
to stand at attention.
President Kennedy also used concrete imagery when he said, “those peoples
in the huts and villages across the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass
misery.” The phrases used in this speech help me “feel” his words.
John F. Kennedy’s inauguration address is an example of his excellent ability
to effectively communicate with his audience. By using style and language that
created a lasting impression, he got his point across. His choice of words and
phrases connected him with his listeners. He got the audience’s attention and
kept it by using the method of repetition. He also used vivid imagery and
2
concrete words to paint them a picture. By using these methods, he was able to
implant his ideas in the listeners’ minds. Because of this, these immortal words
will not be forgotten - “Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you
can do for your country.”

References
www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/jfkinaugural.htm-21k

www.youtube.com/watch

O'Hair, Rubenstein, Stewart, Dan, Hannah, Rob. A Pocket Guide to Public
Speaking. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2007.
James C. Humes The Language of Leadership: The Churchill Method
1991

3