Inaugural Address

1. Unit 4 Inaugural Address John F. Kennedy

2. Teaching Objectives • To know the features of a political speech • To appreciate the language features of Kennedy’s address • To acquaint the students with some famous English speeches • To take this speech as a good example to learn some techniques in writing a speech

3. Teaching Focus • The difference between a speech and an argument • Political background • Biblical and ancient Roman style writings and allusions • A round-about way in vague terms to convey political views which are not openly stated

4. Teaching Methods • Teacher-oriented teaching method • Student-oriented teaching method • The elicited method

5. Teaching Procedure Ⅰ. Introductory Remarks Ⅱ. Background Information Ⅲ. Learning Focus Ⅳ. Key words and Expressions Ⅴ. Explanation of the Text

6. Ⅵ. Division of the Text Ⅶ. The Writing Style Ⅷ. Rhetorical Devices Ⅸ. Exercises

7. Introductory Remarks

8. Ⅰ. Introductory Remarks • J. F. Kennedy addresses a worldwide audience in his inaugural speech. • He makes a general statement of basic policy goals.

9. The United States is prepared to pay any price, bear any burden, and meet any hardship to defend human rights, liberty and independence of free nations. • He addresses different groups of allied nations or would-be allies, as well as the United Nations.

10. He turns to his enemy, warning that the U.S. is prepared to oppose any foe at all costs, so they’d better negotiate and cooperate with U.S.. • He appeals to his countrymen and citizens of the world for support and sacrifice in order to defend human rights and freedom.

11. President Kennedy’s finest masterpiece and one of the best speeches. • It is a persuasive speech with the clear purpose: to explain, convince and persuade the people that what he is saying and what he is planning to do best represent their interests so they should support him.

12. Detailed Study of the Text

13. Ⅱ. Background Information 1. Brief Introduction to John Kennedy On November 22, 1963, when he was hardly past his first thousand days in office, John Fitzgerald Kennedy was killed by an assassin's bullets as his motorcade wound through Dallas, Texas. Kennedy was the youngest man elected President; he was the youngest to die.

14. 2．Inauguration • the peaceful transfer of power from one individual to another • going back to President George Washington • the induction of the new president was scheduled on March 4, every fourth year since 1793

15. it has taken place on January 20 since 1937 • the inaugural ball in 1809 • four or five ballrooms in Washington

16. 3. Solemn Oath “I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

17. Ⅲ. Learning Focus • To understand the political background • To appreciate the biblical and ancient Roman style writings and allusions • To understand a round-about way in vague terms to convey political views which are not openly stated

19. Ⅳ. Key words and Expressions 1. inaugural: a. of an inauguration • inauguration (n.), inaugurate (v.) • the professor’s inaugural lecture 2. symbolize: v. to be a symbol of; stand for • ---In Europe, the color white symbolizes purity.

20. 3. signify: v. to be a sign or indication of; mean ---Recent changes in climate may signify that global warming is starting to have an effect. 4. almighty: a. having unlimited power; all-powerful ---Almighty God / Father

21. 5. prescribe: v. to set down as a rule or direction; order ---what punishment does the law prescribe for corruption? 6. abolish: v. to do away with completely; put an end to; ---The legislature passed a law to abolish the surtax.

22. 7. temper: v. to strengthen through experience or hardship; toughen ---Those soldiers had been tempered by combat. 8. discipline: v. to subject to discipline; train; control ---Students must learn to discipline themselves.

23. 9. oppose: v. to resist; withstand; ---Many members of the council opposed the building of the luxury houses in the center of the city. 10. assure:v. to make (difficult thing) certain; guarantee ---I can assure you of the reliability of the news.

24. 11. venture: n. a business project or activity, especially one that involves taking risks ---a joint venture 12. iron: a. cruel, merciless ---iron discipline

25. 13. renew: v. to go over again; say again; repeat ---I renewed my spirits in the country. 14. forum: n. assembly for the discussion of public matters or current questions ---The letter page of this newspaper is a forum for public argument.

26. 15. shield: n. any person or thing that guards, protect or defends 16. unleash: v. to release or let go from or as from a leash leash: n. (lead esp. AmE) ---All dogs must be kept on a leash in public places. leash: v. to control an animal, esp. a dog, with lead or leash

27. 17. stay: v. restrain ---The government tries to stay the progress of the disease. 18. invoke: v. to ask solemnly for; beg for; implore ---I invoked their forgiveness.

28. 19. eradicate: v. to get rid of; wipe out; destroy ---Their goal was to eradicate the poverty in the countryside. 20. testimony: n. form of evidence, indication; proof ---These results are a testimony to your hard work.

29. 21. shrink: v. to avoid or wish to avoid taking action; be reluctant; withdraw ---A shy man shrinks from meeting strangers. 22. at issue: in dispute; to be decided; in disagreement ---What is at issue is the extent to which exam results reflect a student’s ability.

30. 23. at odds: in disagreement; quarrelling; antagonistic ---He was at odds with his colleagues. 24. cast off: to discard; abandon ---The town is still trying to cast off its dull image.

31. Ⅴ. Explanation of the Text Para.1: Kennedy emphasizes the importance of his election as president. It is not simply a victory of the Democratic Party over the Republican Party. It celebrates the freedom of people to elect freely their own head of the state. It symbolizes the end of one presidential term and the beginning of new one. The presidency is continued, but the president has changed.

32. Para.2: Not only the administration has been changed, but the world has changed a lot. Para.3: Kennedy exhorts his countrymen and forcefully declares his determination to “pay any price” to defend human right and liberty at home and around the world.

33. Para.4: Like the preceding one, Kennedy addresses to friend and foe at the same time. It promise to support any friend and oppose any foe. Para.5: transition from the general countries to specific ones.

34. Para.6: It refers to those old allies with the same cultural and spiritual origins, esp. English speaking countries, such as Canada, Britain, Australia, New Zealand etc.

35. Paras.7&8: Kennedy addresses the governments and people of newly independent countries, the third world developing countries. He promise to give them economic aid but warn them not to go over the Communist.

36. Para.9: Kennedy addresses all the countries lying to South of the U.S. in central and south America. The U.S has always tried to dominate these countries and has quite often interfered in their internal affair.

37. Para.10: Kennedy pledges his support to United Nations. Para.11-13: Kennedy addresses his enemy. He points out the destructive power of war and put forward proposal for arms control negotiation, cooperation in fields of science and space exploration.

38. Para.14-20: Kennedy puts forward his different proposals by employing the parallel structures throughout these paragraphs.

39. Para.21-27: Kennedy appeals to his fellow Americans to support him and be ready to do everything they can, even to sacrifice their lives, if necessary, for their country.

40. Main Points The Appropriate Use of Words a. “To our sister republics…” (para.9) b. “… make themselves adversary…” (para. 11)

41. 1. Three ways to sway people 1) through evidence and reasoning; 2) through his own credibility; 3) through appeals to the people’s basic social, biological, and psychological needs, wants, and desires

42. 2. The deliberate use of a pseudo-Roman style and Biblical language a. “ and yet the same revolutionary … from the hand of God.” (para.2) b. “Let the world go forth from this time and place … (para.3)

43. c. “to strengthen its shield of the new, …which its writ may run.” (para.10) d. “And so, my fellow Americans … your country.” (para.25)

44. Ⅵ. Division of the Text • Part 1 • Paras.1-5 : a general statement of basic policy goals. • Part 2 • Paras.6-9 : Kennedy addresses different groups of allied nations or would-be allies.

45. Part 3 • Paras.11-19: Kennedy speaks to his enemy. • Part 4 • Paras. 21-27: Kennedy appeals to his countrymen for support and sacrifice.

46. Summary of the Text

47. Ⅶ. The Writing Style • Well organized and highly rhetorical • Various figures of speech • The appropriate use of words, parallel and balanced structures

48. Repetition of important words and phrases, and antithesis • Deliberate use of a pseudo-Roman style or Biblical language in some places

49. Summary of the Text ---one of the best inaugural addresses ---its object: to explain, convince and persuade people that what he is saying and planning to do best represents their interests so they should support him

50. ---addressing a worldwide audience and appealing not only to the American people but also to the different groups of nations in the international community