Civic Artifact Outline

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Civic Artifact Outline

 

Topic: “We choose to go to the moon” speech by President Kennedy

 

Purpose:  Analyze the speech and how it sends the main message of inspiration to its audience.

 

Thesis Statement:  President Kennedy relies on Kairos, style, and emotional appeals to inspire citizens and scientists alike to civically engage in the space race.

 

Introduction

Attention Strategy:  If I told you today that another country sent a satellite into orbit around earth, you probably would not react too much, but when the USSR launched Sputnik and later the first man into space, the U.S. felt horrified and defeated in the space race.

 

Orienting Material:  Sputnik 1957, Yuri Gagarin in space April 1961, Alan Shepard May 1961

 

Preview:  Kennedy uses Kairos, style, and emotional appeals to inspire the American people and scientists to support and engineer the journey into the unknown.

 

Body

Main Idea: President Kennedy chose the perfect time to deliver this speech (September 1961. (Kairos)

  • The USSR had started out in the lead in the space race.
    • The audience was ready to hear the speech.
    • Audience worried about what the USSR advancements
  • The U.S. was building momentum in the space race.
    • The audience will believe that it is possible
    • He was speaking at a university (Rice) where students can be inspired.

 

Kennedy uses style to establish ethos and pathos.

  • Tone/ word choice
    • Powerful and confident reflects the great power of the U.S. and his own great power
    • Repeats we choose to go to the moon and “one” to emphasize his power and the power of the U.S. as a whole
  • Uses his already established ethos
    • He has already gotten the U.S. out of difficult situations
    • He was a popular president

Use the pathos from style as a transition

Kennedy appeals to emotions by touching on the dangers and the triumphs of space exploration.

  • pride
    • American ideology: we are the greatest country
    • Ideology: America can do anything
  • Collective curiosity
    • A journey that will take us into the unknown
    • We all embark on this journey together as mankind

Conclusion

Summary Statement – Throughout his speech Kennedy inspires the nation using Kairos, style, and emotional appeals.

Concluding Remark – Just as JFK recommended, we should always seek to explore the unknown.

Reference Page(s)

https://er.jsc.nasa.gov/seh/ricetalk.htm

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One thought on “Civic Artifact Outline”

  1. Hi Evan,

    I’m excited to hear your speech. You’re off to a good start.

    I think your thesis, like other pieces of your outline, could do a better job of getting into some precision and detail.

    Here’s my take on it:
    President Kennedy takes advantage of a kairotic moment and addresses the nation with powerful emotional appeals and stylistic choices to highlight American commonplaces and the exigence of the Cold War in an effort to inspire support for America’s participation in the space race.

    Think a bit more about how to best write your claims, too, in ways that get at the point you’re trying to make/support.

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