Antithesis is a rhetorical element that plays a large role in Kennedy's address. He uses it not only in a way of literal comparison but also in a metaphorical sense. He uses antithesis in his inauguration to explain how it …show more content…
In multiple sentences, he places his ideas in a parallel structure in order to emphasize what he thinks is most important. In his inaugural address, he focuses on the idea that the U.S. “shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of liberty”. Using parallelism, not only makes this stand out but also displays the order in which he places their significance. During his time as president, the U.S was in the Cold War and he knew that his focus had to be on containing communism in order to convince the people that they were safe. Kennedy’s use of parallelism highlights this belief. By using parallel structure, Kennedy also keeps his speech flowing. Instead of having to use long sentences to hit on each of his ideas, he uses parallel structure to combine them all into one sentence. This flow keeps the reader from becoming bored while still achieving the point of conveying Kennedy's plans to “explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths, and encourage the arts and