John F. Kennedy is regularly characterized as one of America's greatest orators. His inaugural address is considered one of the greatest speeches in American public discourse of the 20th century and is generally counted among the greatest speeches in United States history. Almost everyone who commented on the speech considered it a success. JFK was known as a popular person, which greatly influenced his speech. His speech was famous for its eloquence and for his call to duty: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country” (JFK). In his speech, JFK used several literary terms throughout the speech to identify important parts of the speech. He also interprets the harsh Cold War rhetoric that reduced world politics to an apocalyptic battle between democracy and communism, and how he envisions leading the United States out of the depression we found ourselves in. John F. Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917, in Brookline, Massachusetts. Kennedy's young life was privileged because of his father's success. In 1926, he moved to New York. Kennedy's early academic achievements were not impressive for a man who would later become arguably the most intellectual president of the United States. Kennedy was not intelligent but attended Harvard University because of his father's wealth. A trip to Europe changed President JFK's view on education and his cause for life. He spent his summer traveling in Europe and returned to Harvard in the fall where he excelled in government and politics courses. In 1946, Kennedy launched the first of his many campaigns for public office, known for his slogan "A new generation delivers a leader" (Kennedy). At age 29, Kennedy won his first election as U.S. Representative from Massachusetts's 11th congressional district. While still in the eyes of Congress, Kennedy... middle of paper ... aspirations for freedom seemed, unlimited and permanent, a bold departure from the cautious policies of the past. Assessing the legacy of John F. Kennedy's inaugural address is difficult. Kennedy will always be remembered as a man whose young, vibrant life and presidency were tragically cut short. He was the young, earnest visionary who could have changed the world. From the beginning, Kennedy's inaugural address was recognized as a well-written and successful speech. Kennedy's speech undoubtedly possessed the literary style and elegance of a great inaugural address. It repeated the community values ​​of the typical inauguration and aimed to unite the public in a common cause. Many Americans were personally inspired by Kennedy's inaugural address: it was clearly much more than "just" a ceremonial speech. Kennedy's inaugural address offered a new vision for those of the United States.