Before The Kool-Aid: The Early Rhetoric of Jim Jones
Abstract
Jim Jones has become immortalized as the leader of the People’s Temple. Jones founded the cult in Indianapolis before moving its members to a remote compound in Guyana. In 1978, Jones ordered cult members to drink cyanide-laced Kool-Aid in the largest loss of American civilian life besides September 11, 2001. There has been extensive research on Jones and his charismatic leadership. While significant attention has been given to Jones’ speeches specifically about the People’s Temple, I plan to contribute to this topic by analyzing his earliest speeches. My project analyzes archived transcripts and recordings of Jones using rhetorical persuasive theories. By linking these speeches to records concerning his early life, I explore how Jones used his engaging personality and honed his rhetorical skill to craft a public presence that is still remembered to have led to one of our nation’s most shocking tragedies.
Before The Kool-Aid: The Early Rhetoric of Jim Jones
Atkinson 107
Jim Jones has become immortalized as the leader of the People’s Temple. Jones founded the cult in Indianapolis before moving its members to a remote compound in Guyana. In 1978, Jones ordered cult members to drink cyanide-laced Kool-Aid in the largest loss of American civilian life besides September 11, 2001. There has been extensive research on Jones and his charismatic leadership. While significant attention has been given to Jones’ speeches specifically about the People’s Temple, I plan to contribute to this topic by analyzing his earliest speeches. My project analyzes archived transcripts and recordings of Jones using rhetorical persuasive theories. By linking these speeches to records concerning his early life, I explore how Jones used his engaging personality and honed his rhetorical skill to craft a public presence that is still remembered to have led to one of our nation’s most shocking tragedies.