Analysis of John F. kennedy’s Speech at Rice university, Houston , Texas – May 1963

JF Kennedy- Background

This clip is taken from a speech of John F. Kennedy; the speaker and his speech both are extremely popular with the public in general.

John F. Kennedy was the 35th president of United States of America and his tenure was from 1961-1963, a short one. However, he has been one of the extremely popular presidents of USA. The speech that is under consideration was his famous speech which he gave in Rice, city of Houston. This speech is considered to be a milestone in the history of USA and is said to have impacted the international scenario too.

Location and Audience

On September 12, 1962, this famous speech was delivered, in a football stadium at Rice University, Houston, Texas, before a crowd of 3500 people. Kennedy spoke at the stadium at 10 a.m. Sept. 12

As Jade Boyd (2012) wrote that it was a warm day, a sunny day and fall classes were yet to commence. Many of the new comers were there on the campus.  There were adults, kids and youth as part of the audience.

Context

According to Paul Burka (1963) executive editor of Texas monthly magazine wrote in his blog that the speech that Kennedy gave at Rice, was a phenomenal one in which he had addressed the Americans as a Nation. The speech came out at a time when it was most needed by the Nation. His words gave them hope in the future which seemed bleak at that moment.

As stated on the website “John F Kennedy, Presidential Life and Museum”, when John F. Kennedy was instated as the president, the race space was the most happening agenda globally. It had seemed that the United States was lagging behind in this arena and Soviets were leading the race. So this speech turned out to be a well thought out maneuver by the President, and he sensed that the nation needed a spirit and morale boost up. He had first stood up to the Congress and proclaimed that “this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before the decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth.”

Additionally, Kennedy had won the election by means of a popular vote margin in the history of USA. He wanted his speech as an inspiration for the nation. He also wanted to send across a message that would give his nation hope in the Cold War against Soviets and also the hope that they were still in the space race. At the same time, he wanted to be brief and precise.

Analysis of the speech in terms of Verbal Communication

There are various speech techniques used in the speech. These shall be visualized in a specific order:

  1. Word Choice

There are many word techniques that have been used in the speech for the purpose of persuasion of the audience (Harrington. M, 2011). These include the below terminologies:

  • Alliteration: same sound beginning a word. Some of the examples are “let us lead the land we love”
  • Anaphora: this is a technique in which a similar phrase or a particular word is used at the start of a sentence or a sentence clause, so that there are many repetitive words beginning a clause, consecutively in a sentence. Examples include: “Let both sides…” “To those old allies… To those new states… To those people…” etc.
  • Antithesis: this is the technique in which contrasting ideas are used in the same sentence. Some of the instances of these are:
    • We observe today not a victory of party but a celebration of freedom…”
    • “not because… not because… but because…”
    • “Not as a call to bear arms… not as a call to battle.., but a call to bear the
    • burden…””
  • Asyndeton : deliberate omission of conjunctions between a series of words, phrases, or clauses.
    • “that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship…”
  • Repetition: a word or phrase which is used two or more times closely with reference to one another. In the speech we can see this as below:
    • “For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life.”
  • Paradox: this is a statement which apparently seems to have a contradictory meaning to itself but in essence it is rational. This is also used in the speech as seen below:
    • “Only when our arms are sufficient beyond doubt can we be certain beyond doubt

that they will never be employed.”

  • Parallelism: this technique makes use of words, phrases or clauses etc. in a structural way that makes them resemble each other in structural form. In the speech, example of technique is given by the following instance:
    • “United there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided there is little we can do…”
  1. Vocalistics

This is also called the Paralnguage (class notes). According to the Mirriam Webster Dictionary this term means :

“:  optional vocal effects (as tone of voice) that accompany or modify the phonemes of an utterance and that may communicate meaning”.

These include other elements like :

  • Volume: Rate : The rate at which the speech is being delivered is consistent, neither too fast, nor too slow. This means the message is being put across smoothly to the audience at large.
  • Rhythm : The rhythm and tempo is in a smooth flow.
  • Articulation: He is clearly audible , not murmuring or chewing the words. There is clarity of speech.

JFK’s speech is thoroughly organized as far as the paralanguage is concerned. He has given the right pauses at the right time, emphasis where and when required.

He has not rushed through the speech; it is timed, eloquent and gives enough time to the audience to let the message settle in. The techniques of repetition have been used very timely and appropriately in the speech.  Moreover, the speech is divided into paragraphs which mean the audience can better understand the meaning of the message and be with the orator.

Analysis of Nonverbal Communication in the Presidential Speech

Communication through the body includes:

  • Facial Expressions
  • Anger
  • Fear
  • Happiness
  • Sadness
  • Gestures
  • Adapters
  • Emblems
  • Illustrators

These aspects are discussed below with reference to the speech.

JFK was a great orator; he had a remarkable command over using the power of speech to stir his audience. The same phenomenon is very clear in this speech too. Throughout the video of this speech, it is clearly visible that JFK is in control, not only of his words but of his body as well. He is calm, calculated and composed with the use of his words, word delivery and timing of that delivery (Biane. A, 2011). JFK has made use of hand gestures to emphasize his point where necessary. Then, he also makes a strong and confident eye contact with the audience, implying a sense of calm.

Feelings/ Emotions

Throughout the speech, the audience can get a sense of emotional connectivity with the president. Though he is the president, yet he does not make the speech boring or dry as political language is. You can connect to what he is saying even if you are not a native English speaker. 

It is very obvious from the speech that he wants his people to feel that he is a human being like they are. Though he is the president, yet he can understand and relate to an ordinary person’s life, their troubles and their life circumstances.  

Variation

The speech is not a monotone delivery of words, not the sort one would expect from a newscaster (Biane. A, 2011). They tend to bore the listener and chances are that they switch the channel after watching for not more than five minutes. However, this was not the case in this speech; JFK strove to keep it as real as possible and ass engaging as he could. The delivery of words is very accurately timed, it stirs emotions in people, and it is based on hope and spirit. That was one of the attributes of his leadership skills that were very obvious through his speech and presentation style (Christian H, 2007).

Postures

JFK’s posture in this speech is very open and confident. He is moving his body freely and as smoothly as his words (Atkinson. M, 2011). There is no stiffness, no shyness or no rigidity in his body as he delivers his speech. He looks to his right as often as he looks to his left, meaning he is in his element and extremely comfortable throughout the address.

Kinesics of the speech

Kinesics means the Communication through the body. Includes:

  • Facial Expressions
  • Anger
  • Fear
  • Happiness
  • Sadness
  • Gestures
  • Adapters
  • Emblems
  • Illustrators

Some of these aspects with reference to the speech are discussed as below:

Gestures

There is an excessive use of hand gestures by the president at important points where he is raising his voice pitch to emphasize a crucial point.  He raises and presses his hands to the rostrum in an attempt to underline the importance of his arguments at a particular station in the address.

 

 

Facial Expressions

The facial expressions that were seen on the president’s face were primarily of an open, approachable and candid person ‘Sorensen, T. 2011’. He is not intimidating anywhere in the speech. As he puts suggestions and hopeful ideas into words, people clap appreciatively showing that they seem to applaud the president in general.

Emotions

While he speaks, there is no sign of confusion, or nervousness in his speech, posture or facial expressions. His presence is exuding an aroma of self-confidence, candidness, openness, hopeful attitude and leadership.

He is not jittery; neither is he fidgeting with anything. He did not clear his throat; his voice was clearing, unbroken. There is no aggression in his approach.

Oculesics of the Speech

This is the part which focuses on eye contact and eye movement. This is important because maintaining an eye contact with the audience during speech means multiple things ‘Sorensen, T. 2011’. These include:

  • Regulating of interaction
  • Signals thinking
  • Can signal intimidation or submission.

Then there is the Eye Movement which is indicative of assertiveness or evasiveness.

In this speech, JFK has kept an eye contact but mostly he is looking into the papers from which he is reading the speech. This could have been improved upon in addition to longer pauses. This could have been used for more emphasis.

Proxemics of Speech

This is when focus is given to the use of space and distance while delivering a speech. It covers matters like:

  • Territoriality: Are you sitting in the same spot each week?
  • Space invasion = intimidation.
  • Space concession = accommodation
  • Personal space culturally specific.

JFK speech was not very expressive of this phenomenon as he was only standing at a rostrum. This did not give him much room to show territoriality or space invasion and other concepts. He is mostly standing at the same point hence not much can be concluded on the proxemics in his speech. 

Conclusion

The whole speech can be summed up to be hopeful and meaningful. The speech was powerful.  John F Kennedy’s personality and his profile as an orator were highly influential and stirring. His speeches were very popular among the USA public. People would patiently and willingly hear out what he would say. He possessed a strong and commanding voice. Most importantly his hopeful speech and open style of delivery made him a favourite among people.  He knew very well the points where he had to stall and the points where he had to continue the flow of speech.

On the whole, the things that made John F Knnedy were the paralanguage, his structure of the speech, adding to his social status and popularity with the people at large.

 

References

  1. John F Kennedy, Presidential Life and Museum n.d., Address at Rice University on the Nation’s Space Effort viewed September 28, 2013. http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/Historic-Speeches/Multilingual-Rice-University-Speech.aspx
  2. Profile JFK , n.d., viewed on 28th September, 2013, https://wiki-land.wikispaces.com/profile+JFK
  3. Mirriam Webster Dictionary. Viewed on September 28th 2013, http://www.merriam-webster.com/
  4. John F Kennedy , n.d, viewed on 28th September, 2013 http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/johnfkennedy
  5. Boyd, J, 2012. JFK’s 1962 moon speech still appeals 50 years later. Viewed on 28th September, 2013. http://news.rice.edu/2012/08/30/jfks-1962-moon-speech-still-appeals-50-years-later/
  6. Anderson, A R 2013. Successful Business Communication: It Starts At The Beginning. Viewed on 28th September, 2013. http://www.forbes.com/sites/amyanderson/2013/05/28/successful-business-communication-it-starts-at-the-beginning/
  7. A, 2011, ‘The Timeless Speech: A Close Textual Analysis Of John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s Inaugural
  8. M, 2011, ‘LEADERSHIP: Presenting Your Ideas the “Kennedy Way”, viewed on 2nd Oct 2013 < http://newdirectionsconsulting.com/4607/blog/presenting-your-ideas-the-kennedy-way-2/>
  9. A. Speech Tips. Speech Structure – How to organize your Speech. Viewed on 28th September, 2013. http://www.speechtips.com/structure-of-a-speech.html
  10. Rosenberg, J. n.d. President John F. Kennedy’s Man on the Moon Speech. Viewed on 28th September, 2013. http://history1900s.about.com/od/1960s/a/jfkmoon.htm
  11. M, 2011, ‘JFK’s inaugural speech: Six secrets of his success’, viewed on 1st oct 2013 < http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12215248>
  12. H, 2007, ‘John F. Kennedy -Leadership Qualities That Moved A Nation’, Thesis, University of Pittsburgh.
  13. Sorensen, Ted. 2011,“Obama Inauguration: John F Kennedy’s Speechwriter Hails Obama’s Address”Guardian. CO. UK. 1/20/2009. Guardian News and Media Limited, <http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/20/obama-inauguration-ted-sorensen-speech>.