As President of the United States, John F. Kennedy strove to keep prices and wages stable. The United States was nearly in a state of recession. As a result, corporations and companies came to an agreement to postpone their requests for the inflation of wages. However, some of the nation’s biggest steel companies still raised prices by nearly 3.5 percent. Kennedy approaches the problem by appealing to the American people and condemning the companies to undergo such an action that was already upon agreement. Throughout his speech, Kennedy enabled a strong connotation with regard to what the steel companies are truly doing.
He employs rhetorical devices such as appeals to logos, ethos, and pathos which strengthens his diction to make an impression in seek of making an effect on American public interest, and their opinions upon what the steel industries have done. Throughout his speech, Kennedy emphasizes how America is trying to become internally stable during such a time of economic affliction. Without a doubt, Kennedy has a strong connotation in regard to what the steel industries are doing. However, as president, he is looking out for public responsibility. For instance, Kennedy uses examples of citizens and soldiers who are being made to make sacrifices for the public good. He proclaims, “...when we are devoting our energies to economic recovery and stability, when we are asking Reservists to leave their homes and families for months on end, and servicemen to risk their lives…” (Kennedy 6-12). Here, Kennedy stresses the significance of public responsibility and interest. In fact, Kennedy uses repetition for effect to appeal to pathos. This is in which Kennedy continuously repeats, “when we” before explaining the state of which America is trying to recover.
Kennedy accentuates the sacrifices he and his own citizens have been willing to make whereas the steel companies have deemed their actions necessary in terms of greed. This then evokes emotion in the audience because he creates a depiction between public responsibility and private power, which allows his audience to be with him politically and against the antagonist; steel companies. Furthermore, as Kennedy enacts his impression upon American society, he establishes a very strong and stern tone which he establishes through his word choice. Kennedy addresses the situation, along with the potential risk and harm it may bring to the American public and economy.
Kennedy describes the actions of the steel industries as “a wholly unjustifiable and irresponsible defiance of the public interest” (Kennedy 4-5). Eventually, he then goes on to elaborate upon the anguish that could potentially be brought upon America, such as an “inflationary spiral” (Kennedy 29). Therefore, Kennedy reckons that the steelworkers increased their prices, even after agreeing not to, which demonstrates their “ruthless disregard of their public responsibilities” (Kennedy 82-83). These distinct words and phrases employed by Kennedy create a stern tone that reveals Kennedy’s sense of disapproval and disappointment. This is in which by the end of his speech, he nearly poses a threat to the steelworkers in regards to their ignorance and greed. Although Kennedy acknowledges the capitalist system, he also promulgates that the American people have their rights. Overall, Kennedy conveys his beliefs on the price and wage decisions of the steel industries within his stern, passionate, and principled sense of word choice and revelation of tone.
Ultimately, President Kennedy utilizes several rhetorical devices throughout his speech in order to halt the rise of steel prices for the sake of the improvement of the American economy. In order to appeal to his citizens, Kennedy establishes a stern, yet passionate tone through word choice and diction. By doing so, he also appeals to his audience to which he stimulates emotion for the American people and creates a sense of unity. By reinforcing his ideas throughout the speech, he simultaneously reprimands the steel companies and allures his audience through the depiction of public interest and private power.