Beginning with his first words, and continuing throughout the address, President Kennedy used
alliteration to capture the attention and the mood of his audience. In the first paragraph alone,
Kennedy references setting sail on the new sea, feeding the fires of war, and the mistakes that man
has made. Like a newspaper headline or song lyric, these phrases have a rhythm that make them
catchy and memorable and demands the attention of the audience. At key lines the speech even
settles into an iambic rhythm before returning to a blank prose style.
The pleasing rhythm of Kennedy’s address is also significantly enhanced by his use of anaphora and
epistrophe (also referred to as anadiplosis). Kennedy frequently employs anaphora—the repetition of
beginning words in parallel phrases—at key points throughout his speech, and practically in every
paragraph. In the first paragraph he repeats the phrase “I do”; in the second, rhetorical questions
beginning with a repeated “why”; in the third, “we choose” repeated, followed by “because” repeated,
followed by “one” repeated; and so on. And as he closes the speech, Kennedy uses epistrophe, the
complementary device in which a word or phrase is repeated at the end of successive parallel clauses,
noting that various things “are there”. This repetition of phrases has a very powerful effect on the
listener, because the phrases are so memorable when repeated, subconsciously leading the listener to
conclude that the point being argued must be very important.
Through his use of evocative language, President Kennedy devised a speech that has a powerful
effect on his audience. The combination of plain language with rhythm, repetition, and rhetoric evinces
Kennedy’s mastery of oratory and makes his address live on through the ages.
Score
Reading: 2
Analysis: 6
Writing: 6
SAT Experts Say: The main problem with this essay, as reflected in the scores above, is that the student
fails to show whether he or she actually understood the speech and its central ideas. The essay lacks
interpretation of the content of the speech itself, focusing only on its rhetorical devices. Although the
essay does a good job of identifying these devices, the discussion does not point to the purpose of the
essay; in other words, the student does not sufficiently explain how those devices are used to support
Kennedy’s specific claims. However, the essay demonstrates solid writing skills and offers a decent
analysis of the stylistic devices and other technical elements.
Sample Essay 5
In 1962, John F. Kennedy gave an inspiring speech at Rice Stadium designed to convince his audience
that space exploration was worth the risk, expense, and commitment that would be required. He
employed a variety of rhetorical devices in composing a complex and powerful message.
One prominent feature of President Kennedy’s speech was its use of simile and metaphor. In the first
paragraph, Kennedy begins by comparing the mission to the moon to an ocean voyage, implicitly comparing