Natalie Kelber 16 January 2013 ENGL 3060 Critical Commentary 1 John F.

Kennedy once said, Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country,. In the Inaugural Address by John F. Kennedy, he makes many points such as using repetitive phrases about how we should have strength, and how both sides should have peace. The audience in this speech is the Citizens of America and World. Based on the rhetorical theories based on Bitzer, Farrell and Young, Kennedys speech addresses the audience specifically. The whole idea of audience in Kennedys speech is how we should be more civil with everyone, and persuading the Citizens of America that civility is not a sign of weakness, and the oppressed go free, as quoted from John F. Kennedy. Bitzers view on audience is that rhetorical discourse produces change by influencing the decision and action of person who function as mediators of change, it follows that rhetoric always requires an audience-, (Bitzer, 7). In Kennedys speech, he does follow through in persuading America that it is in need of change and renewal, prior to the war. He is trying to influence America that his administration addresses that changes are needed, but will be done. He is also trying to influence the American people that we should help poverished countries around the world and that our loss has hope. He goes on to say that the means of support, prevention and strength is needed in America, which goes back to Bitzers idea of a rhetorical audience must be distinguished from a body of mere hearers or readers: properly speaking, a rhetorical audience consists only of those person who are capable of being influenced by discourse and of being mediators of change, (Bitzer, 8). Therefore, the analytical approach of Farrell and Young, and the whole idea of audience is the group of persons who have the power to modify in some way the exigence, (Farrell, Young 1). This goes back to Kennedys speech of the audience having the power and that he needs to persuade them. Based on Farrell and Youngs analytical approach, the group of persons is American citizens stated in Kennedys speech. It also stated the action to be taken, which was the need for change, prevent poverty, peace, have alliances, and he stated that he is welcomed with responsibility, rather than burdened with it. From reading Bitzer and Vatzs rhetorical theories, I would have to agree more with Bitzers rhetorical theory in which there is a need of an audience in rhetorical discourse, and is influenced by discourse and mediators of change. I agree with the idea of that the audience is one of the most important areas when it comes to persuasion in the rhetorical sense. The rhetorical audience in terms of Bitzer is that the rhetorical audience must be capable of serving as mediator of the change which the discourse functions to produce, (Bitzer, 8). The rhetorical situation to me seems more like a reality than a myth, because there are many situations in our lives that seem to resonate based on Bitzers ideas about it. References: Bitzer, Lloyd F. The Rhetorical Situation. Philosophy and Rhetoric 1 (1968): 1-14 PDF file. Farrell, Kathleen, and Marilyn J. Young. The Rhetorical Situation. Rhetorical Criticism: Perspectives in Action. Ed. Jim A. Kuypers. New York: Lexington Books, 2009 33-7 PDF file. Kennedy John F. The Inaugural Address 20 January 1961 YouTube 2006. Web. 29 October 2006 Part 1:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xE0iPY7XGBo Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s6U8GActdQ