Ethos
How does RFK introduce himself to show credibility?
He mentions that he was a friend of Martin Luther King Jr. and acknowledges the shared grief of the crowd.
What emotion is RFK appealing to at the start of the speech?
Grief and shock.
Find a logical statement about the state of the nation.
“We can do well in this country. We will have difficult times…” (Acknowledges reality but expresses reasoned hope.)
Identify the device: “What we need in the United States…”
Repetition / Parallelism (repeating “what we need…”).
“We can do well in this country. We will have…
“…difficult times.”
What personal experience does Kennedy share?
He refers to the assassination of his brother, President John F. Kennedy, to show he understands the pain of losing a loved leader.
What word does RFK use repeatedly to calm the crowd?
“Love” or “compassion” (also emphasizes “understanding”).
What logical choice does RFK encourage instead of violence?
He advocates for peace and understanding, stating that hate “only poisons the soul” and doesn’t solve the problem.
Where does Kennedy use repetition for emphasis?
“We can do well in this country. We will have difficult times.” (Also: “What we need… What we need…”)
“For those of you who are black…”
“…and are tempted to be filled with bitterness and with hatred and a desire for revenge…”
Why is it important that Kennedy mentions his brother’s death?
It connects him emotionally with the audience and shows that he has personally endured similar injustice and violence.
Which phrase evokes collective sympathy or grief?
“Martin Luther King dedicated his life to love and to justice between fellow human beings.”
What is the cause-and-effect RFK mentions?
If we respond with violence, we risk dividing the country further and deepening suffering.
What allusion does Kennedy make to Greek tragedy?
He quotes Aeschylus: “Even in our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart…”
“In this difficult day, in this difficult time for the United States…”
“…it is perhaps well to ask what kind of a nation we are and what direction we want to move in.”
How does RFK build trust with the African American community?
He acknowledges their pain directly and appeals specifically to “those of you who are Black and are tempted to be filled with bitterness.”
Quote a line where RFK appeals to hope.
“The vast majority of white people and the vast majority of Black people in this country want to live together, want to improve the quality of our life.”
Quote a line where RFK appeals to shared intelligence.
“We can achieve a country where all men are treated the same… But the vast majority of white men and the vast majority of Black men… want…” (Appeals to reason and common sense of unity.)
Identify a rhetorical question and its implied meaning.
“What kind of a nation we are, and what direction we want to move in?” → Implies we must choose unity and understanding.
“Let us dedicate ourselves to…”
“…what the Greeks wrote so many years ago: to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world.”
Find the line where RFK humbles himself or admits a limitation.
“I have some very sad news for all of you…” (He does not posture as an expert or superior; instead, he shares news with empathy.)
How does he appeal to the crowd’s sense of justice?
By reminding them that King stood for peaceful resistance, not violence, and encouraging them to follow that path.
How does RFK appeal to common ground in America?
He emphasizes that both white and Black people want to live together and improve life, highlighting shared values.
Find and explain one example of parallelism.
“Black men and white men, rich men and poor men, those from North and those from the South…” → Highlights unity and equality.
“We must make an effort to…”
“…understand and to go beyond these rather difficult times.”