Eisenhower's Farewell Address: Analysis

Eisenhower's Farewell Address: Analysis

Symbols, Motifs, and Rhetorical Devices

Rhetoric

EthosYes, there is a little bit of pathos and logos sprinkled in here and there. But let's be honest, Ike's farewell is rooted almost entirely in ethos. It rings with the authority of the President...

Structure

SpeechIke's "Farewell Address" is a speech…obviously. He read it on television so he could speak directly to the American people as a whole (or at least those who cared enough to tune in). And as...

Tone

Official, RefinedThough behind closed doors Ike was known to cuss in a particularly colorful way, in public he was good at maintaining a calmly authoritative tone and demeanor. By the time he stepp...

Writing Style

Inspirational, Subtly OminousListen, it's obvious Ike loved America and everything it stood for during his lifetime. He was a real flag-waving, amber-waves-of-grain-loving, red-blooded all-American...

What's Up With the Title?

"Eisenhower's Farewell Address" is a pretty straightforward title. It was given by Dwight Eisenhower a couple days before he stepped down as president and passed the baton to John F. Kennedy. Somet...

What's Up With the Opening Lines?

Some teachers simplify the whole essay writing structure thusly: "Tell 'em what you're gonna tell 'em. Tell 'em. Then tell 'em what you told 'em." Seems like Ike thought highly of this rhetorical s...

What's Up With the Closing Lines?

Eisenhower closes his speech with a flowery paragraph exalting the American ideals of brother/sisterhood and love (don't get us wrong, we believe in that stuff too). Then he actually says farewell...

Tough-o-Meter

(3) Base CampIke was a man of the people, and he wanted his final speech to the nation to be easily understood by the average American bear. He had some very clear thoughts to get off his chest as...

Shout-Outs

In-Text ReferencesHistorical and Political ReferencesJohn F. Kennedy (I.3)Congress (I. 5-8)WWI, WWII, Korean War, Chinese Civil War (II.1)The Cold War (III. 4)Communism (III. 6)The Post-war Technol...

Trivia

Ike was the only bald President elected in 20th century. This probably says something about America's obsession with youth or something, but whatever. (Source)Ike was so obsessed with golf that he...