BACKGROUND

STUDY GUIDE

SPEECH

VOCABULARY

THEMES

LITERARY TERMS

READING A SPEECH

OTHER FAMOUS SPEECHES

•Robert F. Kennedy (1925-1968)–“Bobby” Kennedy, as he was usually known, was the seventh

of nine children. As a child, Kennedy traveled abroad with his father, Joseph P. Kennedy, received letters from President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and he even met the Pope. Kennedy enjoyed proving himself by taking risks. When his older brother, John was elected President, he appointed Bobby his Attorney General. Robert Kennedy used this position to help further the cause of civil rights. After his brother’s assassination, he was elected Senator from New York, Many people believe he would have won the Democratic presidential nomination in 1968 if he had not been assassinated.

•Robert F. Kennedy (1925-1968)–“Bobby” Kennedy, as he was usually known, was the seventh

of nine children. As a child, Kennedy traveled abroad with his father, Joseph P. Kennedy, received letters from President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and he even met the Pope. Kennedy enjoyed proving himself by taking risks. When his older brother, John was elected President, he appointed Bobby his Attorney General. Robert Kennedy used this position to help further the cause of civil rights. After his brother’s assassination, he was elected Senator from New York, Many people believe he would have won the Democratic presidential nomination in 1968 if he had not been assassinated.

Robert and John Kennedy were personally supportive of Dr. King and his family. The Kennedys believed in Dr. King’s nonviolent desegregation efforts.

• On April 4, 1968, Senator Robert F. Kennedy was in

Indiana campaigning for the Democratic nomination for President when he learned

that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., had been shot and killed.

Just five years earlier, Kennedy had lost his brother, John, who was also shot and

killed by an assassin.

• That evening at a rally with a mostly black crowd, Robert Kennedy announced King’s death in the heartfelt speech that you will read. Kennedy went on to win the Indiana primary. On June 4, 1968, after he won the California primary, a man approached him as if to shake hands. A shot rang out, and Robert Kennedy crumpled to the floor. Two days later he, too, died.

• That evening at a rally with a mostly black crowd, Robert Kennedy announced King’s death in the heartfelt speech that you will read. Kennedy went on to win the Indiana primary. On June 4, 1968, after he won the California primary, a man approached him as if to shake hands. A shot rang out, and Robert Kennedy crumpled to the floor. Two days later he, too, died.

17-year-old Juan Romero tries to hold Robert F.

Kennedy after he was suddenly shot.

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dedicate (verb) to give up wholly to some purpose; devote evidently (adverb) plainly; clearly polarization (noun) breaking up or separating into two opposing sides compassion (noun) sympathy or pity abide (verb) live, reside desegregation (noun) the elimination of laws, customs, or practices under which different races,

groups, etc., are restricted to specific or separate public facilities, neighborhoods, schools, organizations, or the like.

ALLUSION (noun) a reference to something outside of the text. Robert F. Kennedy alludes to the poet “Aeschylus” in his speech.

MOOD (noun) a feeling or emotion the reader gets while reading the story. THEME (noun) recurring idea or insight found in the story, also known as the “hidden message” or

“moral” to the story. TONE (noun) the author’s attitude about the subject he/she is writing about IMAGERY (noun) When the author paints a picture with his words. Vivid details or descriptive

language.

• MOOD focuses on ME.– TONE = AUTHOR– MOOD = READER

• The tone of a speech or written work provides the mood, the atmosphere or feeling the reader gets from the speech. The choice of details and words all contribute to create a specific mood.

• Tone: describes the author’s or speaker’s attitude towards the subject and the audience, or reader.

• What tone (attitude) does Kennedy take in his speech?– Forceful, persuasive, optimistic, hopeful,

comforting, humble

• ALLUSION (noun) a reference to something outside of the text. Robert F. Kennedy alludes to the poet “Aeschylus” in his speech. – “My favorite poet was Aeschylus. He wrote: ‘In

our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God.’ “ (paragraph 6, page 530).

Read each quote and identify the tone for those specific words.

“I have bad news for you.” mournful, sad

“Martin Luther King, Jr., dedicated his life to love and to justice…” respectful, hopeful

“What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence or lawlessness…” forceful

(noun) the elimination of laws, customs, or practices under which different races, groups, etc., are restricted to specific or separate public facilities, neighborhoods, schools, organizations, or the like.

(noun) a reference to something outside of the text. Robert F. Kennedy alludes to the poet “Aeschylus” in his speech.

(adverb) plainly; clearly (noun) breaking up or separating into two opposing sides (verb) live, reside (noun) sympathy or pity (verb) to give up wholly to some purpose; devote

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Review of Literary Terms• The author’s attitude towards the subject

he/she is writing about.

• The reader’s emotions or feelings as he/she reads the text.

• A reference to something outside of the text.

• A recurring idea in the story, also known as the hidden message.

• When the author paints a picture with his words. Vivid details or descriptive language.

• Answer: Martin Luther King Jr., was shot.

• Evidence: “I have bad news for you, for all of our fellow citizens, and people who love peace all over the world, and that is that Martin Luther King Jr., was shot and killed tonight” (para. one, page 530).

• Answer: This speech is written in second person point of view.

• Evidence: – “I have bad news for you […]”(para.one, page 530).

– “For those of you who are black and are tempted to be filled with hatred and distrust […]”(para. five, page 530).

– “So I shall ask you tonight to return home […]”(para. eight, page 531).

• Answer: Martin Luther King Jr., worked for civil rights and achieving justice for all people.

• Evidence: “Martin Luther King dedicated his life to love and to justice for his fellow human beings, and he died because of that effort” (para. two, page 530).

• Answer: Kennedy feared that the people would become hateful and violent.

• Evidence: “[…] you can be filled with bitterness, with hatred, and a desire for revenge. We can move in that direction as a country, in great polarization- black people amongst black, white people amongst white, filled with hatred toward one another (para. three, page 530).

• Answer: Kennedy encourages people to continue to be hopeful, compassionate, sympathetic, similar to King’s response to people.

• Evidence: “Or we can make an effort, as Martin Luther King did, to understand and to comprehend, and to replace that violence , that stain of bloodshed across our land, with an effort to understand with compassion and love”(para. four, page 530).

• “Or we can make an effort, as Martin Luther King did, to understand and to comprehend, and to replace that violence , that stain of bloodshed across our land, with an effort to understand with compassion and love”(para. four, page 530). IMAGERY: When the author paints a picture with

his/her words. Here, Robert F. Kennedy is painting a picture of how bad the violence is – that it leaves a

“stain” of “bloodshed” across the nation.

• Answer: Kennedy asks his audience to pray for Dr. King, for our country, and for understanding and compassion.

• Evidence: “So I shall ask you tonight to return home, to say a prayer for the family of Martin Luther King, that’s true, but more importantly to say a prayer for our own country, which all of us love- a prayer for understanding and that compassion of which I spoke” (para. eight, page 531).

• Answer: Yes, Kennedy believes that the people in the United States want to have justice for all Americans.

• Evidence: “But 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, and want justice for all human beings who abide in our land” (para. ten, page 531)

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vT3Hp9kSrpA

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• Explain the difference in tone and mood when reading this speech and when viewing it.

• Repetition: word or phrase used over and over again for emphasis.

• What words and phrases does Kennedy repeat in his speech?

– Possible Answers:• “Let us dedicate….”• “…want to live together, want to improve

the quality of our life, want justice….” • “What we need…”• “We have to make an effort…”

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• Theme: recurring idea or insight found in the story; also known as the HIDDEN MESSAGE. It can also be the lesson the character learns.

• What do you think the theme of Robert Kennedy’s speech is?

• .

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• Kennedy emphasizes the importance for all Americans to “overcome” the “differences” that they believe separates them and unite as Americans, and not create division because it will only lead to hatred and violence. He warns them not to move in a “direction” of “great polarization” (para. three, page 530).

• Kennedy tries to help the people in the crowd cope with the “loss” of Martin Luther King. His speech focuses on how Americans need to come together “[…] with an effort to understand with compassion and love” (para. four, page 530).

• In our past, in our present, and in our future, many people have made, make, and will make powerful speeches that make powerful and emotional connections to their audiences.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPi8cAYLYO0

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• In his speech, Robert F. Kennedy states:

• “We can move in that direction as a country, in great polarization – black people amongst black, white people amongst white, filled with hatred toward one another. Or we can make an effort, as Martin Luther King did, to understand and to comprehend, and to replace that violence, that stain of bloodshed that has spread across our land, with an effort to understand with compassion and love” (paragraph four, page 530).

In his speech, Kennedy tells the shocked crowd that they have two choices, or two paths they may follow.

• What are the two directions or paths that Kennedy offers the people who are listening as possibilities for the future of the United States?

Possible Responses:• Direction/Path 1: Kennedy tells the people that they

can take the path that leads to “great polarization” or a great separation of different groups and races. This path will lead to hatred and violence and eventually separate the United States completely.

• Direction/Path 2: Kennedy tells the people they can “make an effort” to “understand” and replace their hatred, violence, anger, and desire for revenge with “compassion and love”. Kennedy knows how the people must feel. He recognizes their desire for revenge, but recommends we try to “understand” each other, which will help us show compassion.