Media Literacy: Analyze Speeches Given in Historical Context Practice/Quiz Answers – Flashcards

The framing of words, phrases, or sentences should not be done in a speech.

Kennedy won the election by a very slight margin. He still had a lot to prove to many Americans regarding his ability to be President of the United States. Beyond the usual party line concerns, Kennedy's Irish descent, his religion (he was the first Roman Catholic elected president), and his age were serious concerns for many Americans.

John F. Kennedy set the tone of his speech with his presence and his word choice. Kennedy's use of short, simple, everyday words and clear and obvious references (such as to biblical quotes) add clarity. His organization of relevant issues by category and chronological order keep listeners' attention because they can easily follow his thoughts. Kennedy grabs and maintains his connection with the audience by directly addressing the audience and using "you." Throughout his speech, Kennedy balances his logos, ethos, and pathos and is able to alter his tone to match the effect he hopes to have with the audience. Kennedy kept his speech short without leaving out relevant information, which was a courtesy to his outdoor audience standing in the January cold. Because Kennedy was so prepared and had practiced this important speech numerous times, he was able to deliver his speech with confidence and very few unplanned pauses. Kennedy was able to emphasize ideas he wanted to highlight through changing his tone and voice.

Kennedy's speech encouraged Americans to participate in the goals of the nation. This speech really spoke to the audience of the day, who faced looming threats and concerns about communism, nuclear war, economic hardships, and civil unrest. The times were turbulent and Kennedy sought to unite Americans in such a way that everyone would want the same goals: freedom and liberty. As a young president, Kennedy used his age to his advantage, declaring the dawn of an era with youth leading the way to change and improvement. By phrasing this line in this way, Kennedy is able to arouse emotion in his audience rather than sounding like he is lecturing them.

Kennedy organized his speech chronologically using past, present, and future references. His past reference is to our forefathers and the founding of our country on rights of freedom: "For I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forebears prescribed nearly a century and three-quarters ago. . . . And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe . . . ." His present reference discusses the issues of his time: "we offer not a pledge but a request: that both sides begin anew the quest for peace, before the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction." His future reference gave American's and the world a goal: "Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us here the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. 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 . . . ."

" . . . a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, 'rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation' . . ."

inspiring

Kennedy uses alliteration, metaphor, allusion, and different parallel structures, such as chiasmus, anaphora, and antithesis. Kennedy alludes to two quotations from the Christian Bible. Kennedy uses alliteration, such as "friend or foe." Kennedy uses the metaphor of a tiger to represent communism. Kennedy used chiasmus: "Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate." Kennedy uses anaphora, the repetition of beginnings: "All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days, nor in the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet." Kennedy uses antithesis, the presentation of two contrasting ideas. The ideas are balanced by a word, a phrase, a clause, or paragraphs: "[A]sk not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country."

Kennedy's speech was well received because it was broadcast on television.

"[T]hose who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside."

using a loud voice, shouting key words

an appeal to moral responsibility

Kennedy had several years' experience working in the medium of television, but Nixon did not.

Parallelism keeps information organized, provides emphasis, and oftentimes adds rhythm.

the emotion that pervades a work or part of a work

indifferent

the use of repetition in opposite order with the focus on the structure of the phrasing

the use of pathos