Sorenson's Strong Attachment To Kennedy example essay topic

storia ns select, interpret and present facts accordingly to their interests and experiences". It is the historians' job to uncover the truth about an event free of emotion. The historian however must separate fact in all evidence that is found, even if it a primary source. Historians must use interpretation on everything thing they find. Historical accounts will always contain subjectivity as the writer of history uses their personal influences and write in the context of their time.

This is seen in ancient sources, where Tacitus vows to "write without indignation and partisanship" but in writing this he is extremely bias in his accounts of history due to his personal experiences with one-man rule. Even today as history is happening historians are still writing with subjectivity according to their experiences. It is the historian that finds the information and interprets it. If the information they find doesn't work in their favour they can leave it out.

For "Facts speak only when the historian calls on them" JFK - one of the most controversial historical topics today. JFK was a man of many secrets and one main area of debate with Kennedy is his Public and Private life. Kennedy tried to keep both of these lives separate - President and Family Man. Issues within his life are his health, his family life and his literary works.

Sources portray him differently depending on their relationship and context with him. Ted Sorenson portrays JFK a lot different to that of historian, Thomas Reeves Sorenson a friend and employee of the Kennedy administration, doesn't use historical investigation to uncover the truth about John F. Kennedy's Public and Private figure, but relies on the experiences he had with Kennedy to write a book about him. For if Sorenson chose to criticise Kennedy, he would be criticising the very administration he devoted eleven years of his life to. In Sorenson's book it would be difficult to find any negative points about Kennedy. Sorenson's book "is not even a neutral account.

An impassioned participant cannot be a objective observer" Sorenson has a deep attachment with the President as he was in contact with the president and trusted by him. Sorenson saw Kennedy with deep pride. Sorenson in using his personal experiences with Kennedy would be able to give more of an accurate report of his private and public life. However the view is one sided on this area. Kennedy's health is an issue that plagued him since he was young. Kennedy's physical pain was a chief source of personal stress.

Kennedy was fit in every other aspect however the picture of health that he portrayed was one that gave a facade for his continually aching back. Even though the pain was with him, he never complained about it. Kennedy even though of ill health kept it from the public, he was forced to use crutches in the Whitehouse but when leaving the grounds or talking to outsiders he put them away, carefully not to let the public know he was ill. His illness however didn't stop him from performing exceptionally well at his job as president. "John Kennedy rarely slowed his pace to ease his pain" Kennedy and his family is another issue that is present whenever discussing him. Kennedy managed to separate his lives into public and private.

Kennedy thought it best for his family and personal outlook to get away from the Whitehouse. These breaks helped the president survive and dint break him. Sorenson writes that the Kennedy "would rather eat fettuccine with them in the family dining room than preside over the most important formal banquet in the state dining room" this shows that he has a close relationship with his family and also that he does genuinely care for them. Kennedy wasn't just the president of the most powerful nation on earth but a family man who made time for his family even though he was a busy man.

Jacqueline regarded her role in the family to be a traditional role, where she raised the children while the husband was off at work. He and Jacqueline were very close. It was his election to her surprise that strengthened their marriage instead of strained. It was then they were the happiest years of the marriage. Jacqueline never interfered with the work of the president. Sorenson however in writing his account on Kennedy's life was sexist in the portrayal of Jacqueline.

"She became a world wide symbol of American culture and good taste"; "the female sex can succeed by merely maintaining feminine" Sorenson saw Kennedy with much adulation and respect. Above all he desired Kennedy to get the same respect as all other presidents of the United States in history. Sorenson's strong attachment to Kennedy and his "obligation to find the truth about Kennedy" shelters him from finding the real Kennedy due to the bias he has written for not using historical investigation..