Rhetorical Analysis Of Robert Kennedy's Speech

On the back of a pickup truck in Indiana, Democratic Presidential candidate and Senator Robert Kennedy gave an unprepared speech honoring Martin Luther King Jr, who had been assassinated hours earlier. Saddened by the news of a close Civil Rights ally's passing, Kennedy spoke to the Civil Rights supporters and potential voters while on the election trail to console them and honor their fallen leader. In his speech, Senator Robert Kennedy uses personal references, strong repeated phrases, and calm words to console the African-American people nationwide.

To support his audience upon hearing the news of King's death, Kennedy used strong repeated phrases. One phrase he repeated was, "You could be filled with hate, you could be bitter, and you could want revenge." Kennedy uses this quote to clarify to build an emotional connection with his audience. He wants the Civil Rights supporters to understand that he feels and relates to their pain and is by their side in the continued fight for justice. Another repeated idea that he uses to console his audience is "prayer." Religion is an essential factor in Kennedy's life, Reverend King's life, and the Civil Rights Movement. Kennedy highlights prayer because it reminds his audience of a position of strength and perseverance. At the same time, it symbolizes Reverend King's lifelong commitment to peace and prayer, both as a religious and social leader. By consistently praying for the situation, Kennedy honors King's life goals and comforts his audience.

King uses personal references to express sympathy with his audience after hearing that their famous leader had been attacked and killed. To find common ground with his audience, Kennedy wrote, "Someone in my family was killed. He was killed by a white man, too." Kennedy uses this quote to continue his sympathetic connection with his audience while also revealing personal details to make himself seem vulnerable and approachable. This quote opens himself up to his audience, connecting his message to them, and shows them that losing someone they look up to and admire can feel like a knife through the chest, but it will eventually heal, as Kennedy healed. Another reference he uses is, "We have had difficult times in the past." This quote emphasizes how dire the previous situations have been, that leaders have died before and battles have ended in defeat and death before. However, with perseverance and determination, Kennedy assures that history works itself out. Moreover, Kennedy uses this quote to inspire his audience with the hope they desperately need. Like an army that has lost its general, Kennedy consoled his audience by citing all they have already overcome. Finally, Kennedy quoted a Greek poet, "pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop on the heart, until, in our own despair, against our will, comes the wisdom through the awful grace of God." This quote connects the pain of losing their leader, the "pain drop by drop," to the end of segregation, "the wisdom." Kennedy uses this quote because of its personal meaning; it provided him solace when his brother died, and he wants to share some of that comfort with his audience by promising a "happy ending, some wisdom in the end." Overall, Kennedy uses personal references to remind his audience that the pain is temporary.

Kennedy uses calming words to help his audience heal after the murder of Martin Luther King Jr. One use of calming words is when he wrote, "We could have kindness and love instead." Senator Kennedy uses this to caution his audience against acting out in anger, the opposite of what Martin Luther King would have wanted. Instead, Kennedy urges his audience to seek peace because he knows that if they act out of anger, they will fail in their cause and would not find peace about King's death. Kennedy could have told them no break stores and riot, but he chose not to. Conversely, Kennedy chose to calm them with kindness because he knew from experience that the only way to recover from this loss would be to accept it. Another choice that Kennedy uses to calm his audience is when he wrote, "We need to have fair treatment under the law for those who still suffer within our country." Kennedy recognizes that another pathway to solace for the grieving civil rights supporters is to fight in Dr. King's name and continue fighting for a more equal society. He encourages them to fight in DC because he knows the motivation will help them get over King's death. Accordingly, he uses terms like "fair" and "under the law" to attack political policy in the US at the time. Kennedy wants to make his secondary audience, the Washington lawmakers, feel guilty that they have not done enough to help the Civil Rights Movement. Therefore, Kennedy hopes that by creating this sense of guilt, the lawmakers will acknowledge their lack of initiative and create laws that honor Dr. King's purpose and pave the way for a more equal society.  Backed by the motivated Civil Rights movement, Kennedy highlights that Washington and African-Americans must work together to honor Martin Luther King and fight for justice as a way to comfort his audience. Overall, Kennedy uses calm words to comfort African-Americans after Martin Luther King Jr's death and creates multiple pathways to solace with his word choice.

To console Martin Luther King Jr supporters and honor Dr. King's legacy, Senator Robert Kennedy used powerful repetitive phrases, personal references, and calming words in his off-the-cuff speech. He built a connection with his listeners by tying their emotions together and showing their similar histories. His choice to calm rather than incite violence strengthened the resolve of the African-American community and led them to peace. Robert Kennedy was a true champion for Civil Rights and ally of Martin Luther King Jr, which he shows through his speech and legislation. Altogether, Kennedy effectively honors King.