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The influence of Martin Luther King's speech
The influence of Martin Luther King's speech
The influence of Martin Luther King's speech
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The Vietnam War began November 1, 1955 and ended on April 30, 1975. It began as an internal Vietnam conflict over communism, which then later introduced U.S involvement in 1959. The United States had good intentions for their involvement, which was to stop the spread of communism to other countries. However, in the end, the war was a horrible blood bath for both countries in which there was no real victory for any country that was involved. Towards the mid-end of the war, Martin Luther King Jr. gave a speech on 4 April 1967 professing his desire to end the war peacefully. Therefore, he gave this speech in order to convince America there is a way to end the war peacefully. Martin Luther King Jr. successfully convinces his audience that there …show more content…
should be a more peaceful way to end the Vietnam War because of his use of rhetorical questions, analogies that compare the war to familiar events in America, and his word choice that appeals to pathos. To begin, Martin Luther King Jr. used rhetorical questions to have the audience understand the war and to understand that peace is a better option than fighting one another. He periodically asked the audience questions that made them think in depth about the war. These questions gave them a sense of power, guilt, or even anger depending on what Martin Luther King Jr. was asking and the context around it. Towards the middle of the speech, he asked the audience “What do they think as we test out our latest weapons on them, just as the Germans tested out new medicine and new tortures in the concentration camps of Europe?”. Around this question, he was discussing what damage the war had done to the innocent people of Vietnam. He would describe their condition as “homeless” and “defenseless”. Martin Luther King Jr. connected the conditions of the Jews from the Holocaust and the Vietnam citizens to make an impact on the audience and have them feel guilty. The reason for that guilt was because they had the accessibility to the use of stronger weapons than Vietnam could acquire. In addition to this, he related this with how the German Nazis treated the Jewish people during the Holocaust to make a strong emotional connection between the audience and the war. Later on, he went to illustrate how the Vietnamese started to form opinions about Americans. They grew to feel bitter and angered towards us because we were hurting their people. In the same way, Martin Luther King Jr. used a second rhetorical question which was “Could we blame them for such thoughts?”. The power behind this simple question moved the audience to want peace instead of war. As a result, the question made them reconsider their actions towards Vietnam, causing them to feel guilty for the war. This guilt lead them into the mindset of a want for peace. Martin Luther King Jr. used these questions to push the idea of settling things with peace instead of war among Americans which would help end the war. Secondly, Martin Luther King Jr. used strong analogies to draw connections between events in America and in Vietnam. This affected the audience by pulling them in with pathos filled analogies in which made them rethink their opinion on the war. After he alliterated on the harsh actions being taken in the war, he continued to say “And so we have been repeatedly faced with the cruel irony of watching Negro and white boys on TV screens as they kill and die together for a nation that has been unable to seat them together in the same schools”. His goal was to make the audience realize that, at the time, America had their own internal situations they should be taking care of instead of Vietnam’s. Given these points, this analogy was used as another reason for them to fight for peace instead of war. Martin Luther Jr. stays on this topic by using a second analogy, he states “And so we watch them in brutal solidarity burning the huts of a poor village, but we realize that they would hardly live on the same block in Chicago” . In other words, this analogy gave more description on what is really happening over in Vietnam so much that it adds to his argument that no one is truly winning this war. Both countries were losing lives in a war that could have been settled with peace. Each analogy Martin Luther King Jr. throughout his speech always came back to his argument. By using strong analogies he gave the audience a stronger justification to end the war with peace instead of violence. Lastly, Martin Luther King Jr.’s overall word choice is what won the audience over in his argument for peace.
Martin Luther King Jr. chose very detailed words to get to the audience's emotions. Many words or phrases he used was intended to cause the audience to either think or feel what he wanted them to. He used many strong words with intentions to lure in the people to his idea of peace for everyone. As a result, there was frequent use of phrases like “devastating the hopes…” or “suffering and helpless and outcast children,” During this part of the speech, he was discussing how the war, even though it was in Vietnam, was highly affecting people in America. That being the case, there was little to no attention towards the poorer community in America which in the end only made their lives worse. By Martin Luther king Jr. using strong emotion filled phrases during this part of the speech really moved the audience towards his direction of peace. To continue, his word choice played a giant role of connecting with the audience’s emotions throughout the whole speech. Considering this, he chose to frequently reference to God by using the word “Father” when talking about American’s actions in the war. Therefore, the way he used the word “father” was to explain that God was deeply saddened by the weariness, destruction, and misery the war has brought on people all over the world. This fit perfectly with his location in Riverside Church, New York City because he knew there was a …show more content…
large amount of his audience who were religious. He was connecting the audience’s personal beliefs on the topic for the purpose to help him further explain how war should not be used to settle disputes. All of his phrases and words were clearly chosen carefully because it all contributed to him convincing that there is a chance for peace as long as they work with him to get there. To conclude, Martin Luther King Jr.
successfully convinces his audience that peace can be the answer to ending the Vietnam War. His use of rhetorical questions, analogies, and word choice is what won them over in his overall argument. Martin Luther King Jr. wanted peace for many reasons and it was his goal to inform America that it was possible. The Death toll of the war was above 5 million overall: 3 million Vietnamese, 2 million Cambodians, 159 members of the U.S. Armed Forces and over 300 possible undocumented deaths. Under those circumstances, this is what moved him to fight for peace. Considering this, he believed it was unnecessary for any more deaths to take place over this war. Even though the Vietnam War continued for many years after his speech, Martin Luther King Jr.’s argument sparked many peace movements across the U.S for the duration of the war. In all, Martin Luther King Jr.’s use of rhetoric appeals and devices made Americans share his deep desire to end the war
peacefully.
The war was also known as the American War (in Vietnam, as opposed to the Vietnam War in America), the Vietnam Conflict, the Second Indochina War, and also the War Against the Americans to Save the Nation (The History of the Vietnam War). It started on November 1, 1955 and ended on April 30, 1975 (At a Glance June 2012). The main conflict that started the war was the aspiration of North Vietnam to unify the entire country under a single communist government that was modeled after the ones seen in the Soviet Union (now Russia) and China (Vietnam War |
In the "Letter from a Birmingham Jail", Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. responds to an article by eight clergymen, in which he explains the racial injustice in Birmingham, and reasons why King's organization is protesting for Civil Rights. He introduces himself and his actions at the beginning of his letter. He states that the purpose of his direct action protest is to open the door for negotiation on the Civil Rights. He tries to convince his audience by providing evidence in order to gain his audience to be involved in his movement and support him. He also highlights police actions against nonviolent Negros and crimes against humanity in Birmingham city jail.
Martin Luther King, Jr., born on January 15, 1929, was well known for his nonviolent movement to bring justice and to an end to the segregation of the people in the United States back in the 1950s. With King being the leader of a peaceful protest, it failed to bring equally to the colored people. Martin Luther King, Jr. was labeled as an “outsider” who was “hatred and violence” and that his actions were “unwise and untimely” from the Public Statement by Eight Alabama Clergymen (clergymen). In response, on the day of April 16, 1963, he wrote the Letter from Birmingham Jail to declare and defense his movement was not “unwise and untimely” at all. To analyze his points, King used the powerful literary devices of pathos- use of an emotional appeal.ethos-
After 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln gave African American slaves their freedom in society they were still not treated as equals. In August 28, 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C Martin Luther King Jr. gave the speech “I Have a Dream” that impacted the nation. The twenty-six-year-old pastor of the city's Dexter Avenue Baptist Church had to show the grievances of his people, justify their refusal to ride on Montgomery's city busses, and encourage them in peaceful way. In the “I have a dream” speech given by Dr. King he uses persuasive appeals to fight for the civil right movements in the most civilized way. To do this he had to convince African Americans that his way of going with things was in their best interests, and he had to convince white Americans that his vision was not going to change their heritage and in their best interests as well.
Martin Luther King’s speech was made after the March on Washington on August 28, 1963. He delivered the “I Have a dream” speech on the Lincoln Memorial steps. He verbalized this speech to millions of people blacks and whites. This is one of the greatest speeches because it has many elements like repetition, assonance and consonance, pathos, logos, and ethos.
Dr. King is an emotional, inspiring and strong speaker. His " I Have A Dream" speech tugs a deep root war of emotions in every American’s heart; therefore, this speech is the perfect display of pathos. Even though pathos overwhelm logo and ethos, they also very much present in his speech.
Martin Luther King Jr’s most compelling point was that every person has the same rights
Dr. King uses ethos, logos, and pathos effectively throughout his letter to address a large audience. He intertwines the three rhetorical strategies seamlessly to support his argument. Although Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. has his critics in the clergy who argue against his civil rights demonstrations in Birmingham, he effectively uses all three types of rhetorical strategies to effective persuade his critics by explaining why his actions are just and timely in his “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”
On August 28th, 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a speech to more than 200,000 people during the March on Washington. King's speech was one of the most influential during the era of the Civil Rights Movement and is to this day recognized as a masterpiece due to its effect on the audience as well as for its eloquence and language. Many components went into this passionate speech that portrayed King's hopes for racial equality and a brighter future made the speech as moving as it was. It is doubtful that any person can guess that this speech was written without forethought regarding what goals King wished to accomplish in this speech. Martin Luther King Jr.'s eloquent language was perfectly suited to his audience, both his immediate and secondary audience, and his carefully chosen diction helped to shape arguable one of the most touching works ever spoken.
Many people did not think the war effort was worth it, considering Vietnam fell to communism anyways. This war was unexpected in all aspects, but especially to the soldiers who fought against the Viet Cong. This war was unlike any other war we’ve ever fought because it wasn’t fought like any of the others. The communist Viet Cong used tactics such as guerilla warfare, traps, and the soldiers were merely everyday villagers and children. The mental toll it took on soldiers was immense and unforgiveable in the eyes of many. Today, Americans are still rumored to be prisoners of war in Vietnam. The Vietnam era was a time of change and chaos in America, it destroyed millions of lives but it also brought about much needed change and activism amongst the American
“For the sake of the boys, for the sake of this government, for the sake of the hundreds of thousands trembling under our violence, I cannot be silent.” These words were said by Dr. Martin Luther King jr. in one of this most controversial speeches, “Beyond Vietnam- A Time to Break Silence.” Dr. King was a civil rights activist who was also a baptist minister. He disagreed with America going to war in Vietnam in 1955 and to voice his thoughts he wrote and delivered his speech “Beyond Vietnam- A Time to Break Silence.” which took place at Riverside Church in New York City on April 4, 1967 to let his audience know that the Vietnam War is unjust. Dr. King persuades his audience that American involvement in the Vietnam War is unjust by using
The Vietnam war started in December of 1956, and lasted until April of 1975. The war was between the U.S., and Vietnam. This war was a very gruesome, and tragic war. In Vietnam their leader Ho Chi Minh came back after a 30 year trip to explore around the world. When he returned his country was occupied by two major countries, Japan and France. Ho Chi Minh had a plan to run them out of his country, but he needed the U.S. for it to work. U.S. was still in the Cold war with Russia and there was fear of communism there. So the U.S. decided not to help Vietnam and send military aid to help the French and Japanese forces, in order to stop communism. Thus begun The vietnam war!
In the speech, “There Comes a Time When the People Get Tired,” by Martin Luther King Jr., King’s goal is to persuade. King wants to persuade that African American’s want and deserve their rights, but if they have to protest to receive them. He believes that the protest have to be peaceful and prove a point. King is effective in his persuasion because he uses pathos, figurative language, loaded language and more.
On April 30, 1967, Riverside Church, in New York, Martin Luther King gave a speech about how the Vietnam War was wrong in front of three thousand people. Most of his audience was church leaders. The speech was about twenty minutes. He stated that he is not only preaching about God, he also cared about the conditions of Vietnamese people in the war. In his speech, he claimed that the war was evil and unjust and it should be stopped. Martin Luther King used unexpected words, religious imagery, and his credibility to show the ugly side of the Vietnam War in his speech.
Martin Luther King Jr is one of the wisest and bravest black man the world has ever seen. He has set the path way for the black community and other miniorities. In his Nobel Prize Speech the “Quest for Peace and Justice”, King had three major points that he addressed in the “Quest of Peace and Justice”. One of the points he made was about racial injustice and how we need to eliminate it. King stated that, “when civilization shifts its basic outlooks then we will have a freedom explosion”. Overtime things must change, nothing never stays the same. King’s way of making parallels with this is making the claim is saying, “Oppressed people can’t oppressed forever, and the yearning will eventually manifest itself”. He insisted that blacks have,