Zach Ness Kennedy Rhetorical Analysis Essay

During the early 1960s, the United States was facing many problems politically,
economically, and socially. This increase in steel prices did not help the matter at all. Making
Kennedys response seem natural and rational. He thoroughly condemns the steel companies for
their defiance of American interest and uses multiple rhetorical strategies to criticize those
corporations. Kennedy appeals to the patriotic spirit of proud Americans, shows the communal
sacrifice of the U.S. and illustrates the collective responsibility of both sides of this nation-wide
dilemma.
At the time of this news conference, the United States was locked in the Cold War with
the Soviet and tensions were running very high. Kennedy is appealing to the American people as
they ask, Reservists to leave their homesand service men to risk their lives to protect the
United States and its free citizens. He also extends it to every American businessman and
farmer, demonstrating how their professions show a fighting, hardworking spirit in the rugged
individuals who are trying to live the American dream. Kennedy is trying to boost the peoples
morale and spirit to help make America greater than it was and show how the steel companies
could ruin that. Kennedy catalogs how these price increases will hurt national security, defense
measures, competition with other countries, and commitments abroad. This would weaken
America and its hardworking spirit. This is in stark contrast with the vision he is trying to share
with the average Americans and depicts how the steel companies are the bad guys in this
situation.
Similarly, Kennedy puts himself with the struggling people and describes their daily
communal sacrifice to help America. He uses inclusive language in his speech, notably we,
illustrating that he is one of the 185 million Americans, who has felt these sacrifices. Kennedy
portrays the situation as asking union members to hold down their wage requests, at a time
when restraint and sacrifice are being asked of every citizen Kennedy also labels the group
being condemned the tiny handful of steel executives, to ostracize them and present how the
American people making the sacrifices are on the right side and that the steel executives deserve
contempt and criticism. Moreover, Kennedy explains that everything is going very well for the
steel industries and exposes that this price increase is not necessary whatsoever. This makes these
extra sacrifices by the people who are suffering because of it for nothing.
Furthermore, Kennedy disdains the steel companies for their pursuit of private power
and profit exceeding their sense of public responsibility He sees this rise in prices as an act
against the people and their interests, thereby ruining the spirit of America. Even though he says
price and wage decisionsare and ought to be freely and privately made, to ensure that he is
for a growing economy and on the side of progress, Kennedy says that the people deserve an
assurance that the businesses will uphold a responsibility in return for that freedom. Kennedy
praises the labor unions for upholding their responsibilities in the agreement and dares the
businesses themselves to not go against public interest and be selfish, but to help the United
States and its people.
Kennedys purpose is successfully achieved through his use of strong rhetoric and it
resonates with the country that is just emerging from a recession. His ability to conjure
patriotism, a feeling a communal sacrifice and responsibility not only attacks that actions of the
steel companies but pulls the country together to prosper and aspire for excellence in this decade.