Intertextuality in John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address

Abstract

John F. Kennedy’s inaugural speech on January 20, 1961, represented more than an introduction to the new President.  Kennedy was “doing politics” (Van Dijk, p. 18) in a very real sense through discourse.  The intertexual references and allusions made by Kennedy transcended the contemporary time of the 1960’s by connecting the speech with the words of other Presidents of the United States.  In these connections, Kennedy forged a sense of purpose that united the people of the U.S. during the Cold War.