He also powered his point by invoking juxtaposition into his speech. A good example of this is about halfway through his speech when he said, “Three hundred and ten years we worked in this country without a dime in return -- I mean without a dime in return. You let the white man walk around here talking about how rich this country is, but you never stop to think how it got rich so quick. It got rich because you made it rich.You take the people who are in this audience right now. They're poor. We're all poor as individuals. Our weekly salary individually amounts to hardly anything. But if you take the salary of everyone in here collectively, it'll fill up a whole lot of baskets. It's a lot of wealth. If you can collect the wages of just these …show more content…
people right here for a year, you'll be rich -- richer than rich. When you look at it like that, think how rich Uncle Sam had to become, not with this handful, but millions of black people.” He uses juxtaposition to emphasis the injustice of Uncle Sam by contrasting the wealth of America with the hundreds of years of free labor, he then drives it in by pointing out that even in their poverty and large crowd altogether they wouldn’t have come close to matching the wealth leeched off of their race during slavery.
He reiterates in the next paragraph “Not only did we give of our free labor, we gave of our blood. Every time he had a call to arms, we were the first ones in uniform. We died on every battlefield the white man had. We have made a greater sacrifice than anybody who's standing up in America today. We have made a greater contribution and have collected less.” In this section X reminds his audience that greater than slavery many of their kind have their lives to the white man's wars, following which he gives the juxtaposition of “We have made a greater contribution and have collected less.” He does this to further his point of the injustice that although his brothers in skin have given their lives for white man's wars, they have received nothing in return for what was stolen from …show more content…
them. Through Juxtaposition he provides a stark contrast of the situation of the black man against the wealth of America as a nation which had leeched off his ancestors enticing feelings of animosity in his audience towards the government both past and present. Through Juxtaposition, asyndeton, and metaphor X pulls the audience through a rollercoaster of pathos, holding their attention and drilling his points into their memory so that they will become empowered either through the ballot or the bullet, contributing to his speeches success. Although he didn’t use many statistics and figures to emphasis logos, perhaps the most striking thing that made X’s speech so successful was simple but pointed logic underneath all that fiery pathos. He used a couple of rhetorical devices to emphasis these points namely: allusions and hypophora. A primary device X uses to logically convince his audience is allusions.
A good example of this is when he was pushing for a more hard nosed approach saying, “Black people are fed up with the dillydallying, pussyfooting, compromising approach that we've been using toward getting our freedom. We want freedom now, but we're not going to get it saying "We Shall Overcome." We've got to fight until we overcome.” In this section X alludes to a civil rights anthem called “We Shall Overcome” while saying the simple but logical truth it’s not enough to just claim that they will overcome, but rather that they need to take action. Another great example of his use of allusions to help simple, logical, truths stick with his audience is when he points out he’s not treated as an American despite being a resident and legal citizen of America, he expounds saying, “Well, I am one who doesn't believe in deluding myself. I'm not going to sit at your table and watch you eat, with nothing on my plate, and call myself a diner. Sitting at the table doesn't make you a diner, unless you eat some of what's on that plate.” Here he although speaking metaphorically about not really being American due to not having the liberties promised to all Americans even though living in America; He is also giving it another layer of depth by alluding to the sit-in protests, something far more likely for his audience to recall and then tie to memory of his speech. Allusions improve recollection of the audience of his
speech through cognitive association therefore helping his simple and logical messages carry with his audience far after he moves on to the next location. Another major device he uses to emphasis his logical, although simple, points is hypophora. A good example of this when he is laying down blame on the democrats who promised civil equality to get their votes. “What is a Dixiecrat? A Democrat. A Dixiecrat is nothing but a Democrat in disguise. The titular head of the Democrats is also the head of the Dixiecrats, because the Dixiecrats are a part of the Democratic Party. The Democrats have never kicked the Dixiecrats out of the party.” He first uses hypophora to have the audience question something he finds suspicious, then he answers his own question before they can reach their own conclusion; Thereby making it feel as though his answer to the question was their idea in the first place making him appear more logical initially, he then follows up with a line of reasoning as to why this would be true. Although hypophora may seem more like trickery than logic it gives the illusion of logic which leads to actual critical thinking along his train of thought thereby still improving his logos as a speaker. In general this speech seemed to be lacking in formal academic logos due to the target audience instead rather it had many good point made through memorable devices such as hypophora and allusions so that the layman could understand and agree with the simple and logical points still building logos as far as the target audience is concerned. In conclusion, through Ethos, Pathos, and Logos, supported and emphasised by rhetorical devices, is what made Malcolm X’s “Ballot or the Bullet” one of the great successful oratories of the civil rights movement. It was proved to be as a success when it fueled both use of ballots and bullets in the voting year of 1964.
Roy Peter Clark, author of “A More Perfect Union”: Why It Worked, takes a stance on President Barack Obama’s speech while analyzing it. President Barack Obama delivered a speech titled “A More Perfect Union.” His speech focused on the prominent issue of racism in America. In this article, Clark talks about President Obama’s known power and brilliance. Clark makes references and comparisons to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and W.EB. DuBois. “A More Perfect Union” features writing techniques that makes the message more defined and effective. President Obama utilizes four closely related rhetorical strategies. Clark broadly explains the purpose of the rhetorical strategies. Allusion, parallelism, two-ness, and autobiography helped to shape President Obama’s speech that that was meant to create
'With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.' In the delivery of Lincoln's 'Second Inaugural,' many were inspired by this uplifting and keen speech. It had been a long war, and Lincoln was concerned about the destruction that had taken place. Worn-out from seeing families torn apart and friendships eradicated, he interpreted his inaugural address. It was March of 1865, and the war, he believed, must come to an end before it was too late. The annihilation that had taken place was tragic, and Lincoln brawled for a closure. The 'Second Inaugural' was very influential, formal, and emotional.
On July 1st, 1863 Confederate General Robert E. Lee and Union General George C. Meade transformed Gettysburg, Pennsylvania into a battleground for the Civil War,the battle ended July 3rd, 1863. David Wills was charged by Pennsylvania 's Governor Andrew Curtin to clean up after the battle, part of the battlefield was converted into a gravel site for the soldiers. Later on November 2nd, 1863 President Abraham Lincoln received an invitation from Wills to speak at the dedication ceremony for the soldiers who lost their lives.
What he was claiming was that African Americans slaves were born in the United States so they should be entitled to same American values given to the white Americans. He also goes ahead to bash the government for the attitudes towards his people and goes on to explain how he feels they are be exploited. His impact that he intended to have from this speech had been to bring freedom to African American’s by letting proper democratic ideals decide who is entitled to what rights. During the time of the speech he said black American’s should be ashamed to celebrate this holiday due to the misdeeds and unfair enforcement of these laws. His main take away from this was that the slavery going on in America was harmful and illegal because they violated the founding father principle rights. Throughout him speaking he goes on to undercut many powerful institutions in America that are simply letting slavery go on and not doing anything about it (Church). He is a very faithful man and believes looking back at his sentiments will ring home and show that he was inevitably correct in due time. In conclusion this ties to the ideas that African Americans should not have to celebrate this holiday until they feel like they are being equally treated under the same law are the white
He talks about how the emancipation is very important to us African Americans, but to other white people it was just a speech because it did not really involve them, so they really just did not care because it was not their history. As Americans, I feel we share the same history because it was just not the blacks that got everything passed for them, but it was also the whites because we all played a separate part with it. When issues like this come up I just look back on the elections of my president Obama. Every one said that us as African Americans we got him into office both times, but if the whole black population would of voted just for Obama he would not have won.... ...
There have been many historical events in history that have impacted America in many ways. For example, famous Speeches given by important people such as Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd president of the united states which his main goal was to help America recover from the severe economic issues during the 1930’s. Roosevelt used rhetorical devices to persuade desperate Americans, wounded from the Great Depression, by introducing a plan which it will be the best way to recover from the severe crisis that affected Americans. In Franklin D. Roosevelt, First Inaugural Address, he used personification, diction, and antimetabole to convey his conflicting feelings about the New Deal, in order to face the economic issues
Four and a half months after the Union defeated the Confederacy at the Battle of Gettysburg, Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863. He gave the Union soldiers a new perspective on the war and something to fight for. Before the address, the Civil War was based solely on states’ rights. Lincoln’s speech has the essence of America and the ideals that were put into the Declaration of Independence by the founders. The sixteenth president of the United States was capable of using his speech to turn a war on states rights to a war on slavery and upholding the principles that America was founded upon. By turning the Civil War into a war that was about slavery he was able to ensure that no foreign country would recognize the south as an independent nation, thus ensuring Union success in the war. In his speech, Lincoln used the rhetorical devices of juxtaposition, repetition, and parallelism.
This is amazing passage that really sets the tone for the rest of the paper. It’s ironic and inspirational in every way. Coates makes a connection about this when he referenced Nathaniel Bacon’s rebellion in which white and black indentured servants banded together to fight for their rights. The sad thing is that many whites forget today they too faced discrimination and struggled for their rights. Rather it was the holocaust, women’s right movement or even union strikes, we all had to fight for something as Americans since the beginning.
Four and a half months after the Union defeated the Confederacy at the Battle of Gettysburg, Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863. He gave the Union soldiers a new perspective on the war and a reason to fight in the Civil War. Before the address, the Civil War was based on states’ rights. Lincoln’s speech has the essence of America and the ideals that were instilled in the Declaration of Independence by the Founders. The sixteenth president of the United States was capable of using his speech to turn a war on states’ rights to a war on slavery and upholding the principles that America was founded upon. By turning the Civil War into a war about slavery he effortlessly ensured that no foreign country would recognize the South as an independent nation, ensuring Union success in the war. In his speech, Lincoln used the rhetorical devices of juxtaposition, repetition, and parallelism, to touch the hearts of its listeners.
He mentions the very recent violence that occurred in Selma, Alabama; where African Americans were attacked by police while preparing to march to Montgomery to protest voting rights discrimination. Without mentioning this violent event that occurred a week prior, there would not be much timeliness to his argument, and it wouldn’t have been as effective. The timeliness of his argument gave the speech a lot more meaning, and it heightened the emotions of many who heard the address. He is appealing to the emotions of many American people, both Congressmen and ordinary citizens, to encourage them to support his cause. He reminds us of all of the Americans around the world that are risking their lives for our freedom.
...mpetent courts”. Then, in one of his most powerful arguments he says, “Why are we here? Do we fear that all of our courts missed the truth or are we afraid of civil war? Even as it stands before us, the truth has been driven from this case like a slave. This is the most important case that has ever come before this court because it concerns the very nature of man. He goes on to say that, “If the south is right, what should we do with that annoying document, the Declaration of Independence which says that all men are created equal. I have a modest suggestion, rip it in half”. In his final words he says, “We need your wisdom. Give us the courage to do what is right and if it means Civil War, then let it come and when it comes, may it be finally the last battle of the American Revolution”. The court decided in favor of the Africans and they were finally freed.
“They rested upon the assumption of the equality of races. This was an error. It was a sandy foundation, and the government built upon it fell when the ‘storm came and the wind blew.’” Meaning that it's America’s fault that they didn't stand true to their beliefs, and were weak in protecting them, and their beliefs were impractical. He says: “They, were attempting to make things equal which the Creator had made unequal.” He
In the year of 1863 Abraham Lincoln gave a speech that was admirable for its content. This speech send a message to the nation, it showed that it had to become more open mind and soon be a nation within liberty. In Abraham’s Lincoln message he considered one of the most important thing to do was to finish the unfinished, to show devotion and to have a new birth for the nation.
Those who are non-academic may criticize his rhetoric speech in a negative way. Some might choose the symbol “negro” to focus on throughout the entire speech. In a time where this word had so much negativity surrounding it, the speech could have easily been criticized to be a negative thing or may have even been looked over by some because it was given by a “negro” himself. However, I believe this speech is one of the greatest speeches given because of the artifacts (The Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation, etc.) that he chose to use throughout his speech. These documents are important to many Americans, and Martin Luther King, Jr. brilliantly applies them to his speech in order to point out the ways in which the words within these documents are not properly being executed at this point in time. Throughout his speech, he creates an artifact for the American people from the words “I have a dream”. An artifact that has carried a more in-depth meaning for over fifty years and will continue to do so throughout many generations, if not, for an
The Civil War: The Battle of Gettysburg & The Gettysburg Address The topic of relevance that has been selected for this research paper is The Gettysburg Address. The Civil War can be considered as an intense time period for the United States in that it created a sense of divide within the boundaries of the Nation. President Abraham Lincoln’s presentation of The Gettysburg Address proves to be an important speech throughout history, because of his forward thinking point of view. This paper will present the items leading up to The Gettysburg Address, including the actual Battle of Gettysburg. These two historical events forever altered history and although there was bloodshed, assisted the nation to become united.