"We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one we intend to win, and the others, too."
Emotive Impact of the Excerpt:
1. Challenge and Ambition:
- Kennedy aimed to evoke a sense of challenge and ambition by emphasizing the difficulty of the goal to go to the moon.
- He wanted to inspire Americans to embrace ambitious endeavors and push the boundaries of human achievement.
2. Sense of Urgency:
- The excerpt conveys a sense of urgency and immediacy by stating the intention to accomplish these feats within the decade.
- It emphasizes the importance of taking action promptly rather than postponing or delaying progress.
3. Unity and Determination:
- Kennedy sought to evoke a sense of unity and determination among the American people.
- He used the phrase "we choose" to emphasize the collective nature of the endeavor and highlighted their willingness to accept the challenge.
4. National Prestige and Progress:
- By setting such an ambitious goal, Kennedy aimed to portray America as a nation capable of great accomplishments.
- He wanted to boost national prestige and showcase the country's scientific, technological, and engineering capabilities.
5. Overcoming Adversity:
- The excerpt implies that the path to achieving the goal might be difficult, but Americans are willing to face and overcome challenges.
- It evokes the idea of resilience and perseverance in the pursuit of ambitious goals.
Overall, Kennedy's words aimed to inspire a spirit of adventure, a sense of shared purpose, and a determination to achieve great things as a nation. He leveraged the emotive power of the moon mission to ignite the imagination and commitment of the American people.