TOW #27: Written - "Inaugural Address" by John F. Kennedy

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=8032

With the scare of Communism, the Cold War, and the conflict with Vietnam, the United States was in an unstable situation; the future president, who must be chosen wisely, had a heavy burden and weight on his shoulders. President John F. Kennedy understood the importance of his term, which is seen in his inaugural address. By utilizing an optimistic tone and chiasmus, Kennedy reassures the American people by speaking of a time of change and transition.

President Kennedy knew that the inaugural address would be a small reflection of his term as president; Kennedy established an optimistic, hopeful tone to provide a fighting spirit and peace to the American people who were fearful of the chaos. As Kennedy states that "the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans" and  "let us begin anew," the president speaks of a transitioning period, in which there will be a new start and a new age of America. In addition, Kennedy states that "the energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it--and the glow from that fire can truly light the world," which, once again, shows Kennedy's attempts of bringing reassurance and hope for the future under his guidance and leadership.

One of the most famous lines from President Kennedy's speech is "and so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country." This famous usage of chiasmsus gives the effect of parallel structure, which allows the ending of Kennedy's address be memorable and easy to understand. Not only does the usage of chiasmsus help Kennedy's flow and impact, but it also gives a call to action to the people. In the beginning of Kennedy's speech, he specifically addresses nations, adversaries, and the world. The transition from the address to the world to the address to the people is powerful; Kennedy stresses that in order to achieve the hope and peace that the country desires, the people must also take an active role. 

In a time of chaos and fear, Kennedy's inaugural address has been remembered throughout history due its brilliant usage of rhetoric that addressed the problems that occurred at the time. With his usage of an optimistic tone and chiasmsus, Kennedy successfully reassures the American people. As the inaugural address signified Kennedy's first words as president, he understood the weight of his words and with his meticulous selection of rhetoric, Kennedy's entrance into the presidency is one to remember.  

TOW #26: Written - "Sinews of Peace (Iron Curtain Speech)" by Winston Churchill

The craze and chaos due to Communism has terrorized America for about a decade after World War II. As United States's former ally in World War II, the USSR has refused to remove its hold and influence over a part of Germany, America attempted to intervene. The USSR was influencing the surrounding nations as well, such as Poland and potentially Greece and Turkey. With the worry of Communism spreading throughout Europe, western democracies, specifically America and Britain, attempted to preserve and prolong democracy. In Winston Churchill's famous speech, Sinews of Peace, he utilizes a famous metaphor and inclusive diction to advocate a call to action: unite together to achieve peace.

The famous metaphor that Churchill mentions is the comparison of the Communist nations in Europe to an iron curtain; this usage of figurative language shows the invisible potential harm that can be caused due to unawareness, which must be prevented through unification and combined efforts. Churchill states that "in front of the iron curtain which lies across Europe are other causes for anxiety" (1), reflecting the potential dangers that accompany the unknown happening and plannings of Communist nations. In a time where the world is worrisome and suspicious of other nations, due to World War II which ended not long ago, Churchill stresses the potential harm of the lack of democracy via his metaphor.

Throughout Churchill's speech, he continuously uses the words "we" and "our" in order to have an inclusive tone that seems to unite himself not only with the audience, but with all of America. Churchill mentions that "the safety of the world, ladies and gentlemen, requires a new unity in Europe, from which no nation should be permanently outcast" (1), and he displays his attitude towards unity by his diction. With a mindset that already displays unity, Churchill, through his inclusive diction, shows that the nations must stand together to combat against the unknown dangers of Communism while preserving democracy.

The effectiveness of Winston Churchill's rallying speech is evident through the combined efforts of Western democratic nations in the fight for democracy for all. By utilizing a brilliant metaphor and inclusive diction, Churchill is not only able to successfully relay a call to action (to unite together), but also is able to place a sense of responsibility on the shoulders of free nations. Churchill's speech shows that it is in the hands of those who are free to save those who are, apparently, oppressed by the chains of Communism

Source: http://historyguide.org/europe/churchill.html

TOW #25: Visual: "Hope" by Shepard Fairey

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ben-arnon/how-the-obama-hope-poster_b_133874.html

 In 2008, the election for the next president of the United States of America took place. With Barack Obama as the candidate for the Democratic party and John McCain as the candidate for the Republican party, the election received much participation and passion due to one of the candidates. If elected, Barack Obama would become the first African-American president. Associated with Obama's campaigning is an iconic poster that attempts to represent the nature of Obama. Shepard Fairey was the artist who created this poster. known as "Hope". Fairey has utilized color scheme and modern, street-style art to appeal to citizens to vote for Obama for president.

As the poster uses the colors red, white, and blue, Obama is pictured to be comprised of those three colors. This famous color combination is a symbol of the United States. The symbolism of the color scheme would be that Obama reflects America; he understands the desires, needs, and hopes of the American people. As the president, Obama must represent the entire nation, and that is what he attempts to display through the color scheme of the poster. In addition, the red, white, and blue is utilized to show patriotism and pride in the country that he hopes to lead. Such a color scheme appeals to the people because this displays Obama in a positive, approachable, and trust-worthy light that he will fairly and justly represent the citizens.

The street style of art, which Fairey says he uses in the interview with the Huffington Post, shows Obama in a more familiar and modern way. As the times are changing, Obama is reflecting that he is a modern president who understands America today. The street style of art shows how Obama is president who is able to lead America in the modern 21st century. In addition, the street style of art seems to target a specific audience: young adults. To draw young voters to the polls, the street style of art is both appealing and eye-catching to the younger target audience. This appeal of a specific type of art and art technique has changed the view of politics and addresses a specific group of potential voters and supporters of Obama's campaign.

With the iconic "Hope" poster that has changed the ways of campaigning, Fairey uses color scheme and modern, street-style art to appeal to voters and show Obama in a positive light that may help him become president. The success of such campaigning can be reflected in the results of the 2008 presidential election; Obama won the seat of office against McCain. Not only has Obama successfully persuaded the American people, but his campaigning has taught many the new ways of advertising and campaigning that can be used in modern times.