The first essential step in analyzing the speech is the process of identifying the purpose of the speech. In our case, both three representatives are the Presidents of the United States so we analyze their inaugural addresses. The purpose of the rhetorical speech allows us to see the objectives of the speaker and measure the success of his words. In other words, we can trace whether he or she achieves his or her certain objective or not (Zarefsky).
As for the particular inaugural addresses of John F. Kennedy, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Barack Obama, we may suggest that all of them belong to the ceremonial speeches. It means that the main purpose of such speech is to celebrate a certain event. In our case they celebrate the trust of the electorate and their choice. All of the Presidents thank the citizens of the country for the believing in them. They celebrate the victory of freedom, the victory of the democracy as well as their personal small victory.
The Presidents try to strengthen the commitments of their people and establish or even improve the values (Zarefsky). Therefore, the general purposes of each speech is to inform about some of the facts about the history, inform about the achievements of the whole country and certain politicians, persuade the audience in the trustworthiness and the possession of all the necessary skills and abilities to rule the country. The purpose we should not forget to mention is the entertaining as it is a public speech which needs to draw people`s attention.
As for another classification of the speech purposes, we may suggest that inaugural address of John F. Kennedy, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Barack Obama include the providing with the information. John Kennedy informs the audience about the ways money influences the civilization, the false values that exist in the modern society and are concerned with the hierarchy of wealth, how different is the world from the original idea of God ("John F. Kennedy: Inaugural Address"). Barack Obama tells people that according to the history, freedom is a gift from God, which unfortunately is taken with the help of blood and sword ("Inaugural Address By President Barack Obama"). Franklin Roosevelt emphasizes the significance of happiness and hardworking ("Franklin D. Roosevelt: Inaugural Address").
The common claim for all of the presidents is that they suggest that they are the ones that can improve the country and prove that they are worthy of it. In order to prove their point, the presidents use some common knowledge and personal experience in their narration.
In order to create a positive feeling, the authors of the inaugural addresses use several claims. First of all, John F. Kennedy pledge together with all citizens of the United States to all their allies that help them achieve all the heights, to the people who fight for their country and are always here to help the United States out of its issues, to the states that are always welcomed in the democratic world of Kennedy`s ruling ("John F. Kennedy: Inaugural Address"). He also calls for the search of the social issues within the area of the country, the unity and cooperation along to the way to peace ("John F. Kennedy: Inaugural Address").
In fact, all three Presidents use several types of reasoning in order to achieve their purpose. First of all, they use the reasoning through causal interference. They emphasize the certain prediction of the positive future of the country and explain the ways and means that may help to achieve such a future. They also use testimony and narrative or story as a part of their reasoning (Zarefsky).
Works Cited
"Franklin D. Roosevelt: Inaugural Address". Presidency.ucsb.edu. N.p., 2016. Web. 16 June 2016.
"Inaugural Address By President Barack Obama". whitehouse.gov. N.p., 2013. Web. 16 June 2016.
"John F. Kennedy: Inaugural Address". Presidency.ucsb.edu. N.p., 2016. Web. 16 June 2016.
Zarefsky, David. Public Speaking: Strategies For Success. 7th ed. Pearson, 2013. Print.
