Canons of Rhetoric

Through both John F. Kennedy’s and George W.Bush’s speech several canons of rhetoric are utilized. Although a lot can be said about the delivery of both speeches, the fact that the speeches are still looked at today by contemporary commentators carries a lot of weight. Stylistically, to contrast the speeches, I felt as though Kennedy appealed more in that regard by using more descriptive terminology and appealing more to a sense of exigence. Both speakers appeal greatly to pathos, and employ methods to pull at the heartstrings of the audience; in Kennedy’s case that being based on impending fear while Bush’s argument resting on the past trauma and united as a nation in a time of crisis. Both speakers establish a present an argument to stir the emotions of the audience hearing their speech, one of the five canons of rhetoric. Overall, the speeches were effective at addressing the American nation in times of need, and many noticeable similarities can be observed when granting a difference in time period.