Rhetorical Analysis Of Nelson Mandela's Speech

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In 1990 South Africa is a totalitarian state

Apartheid is still in full effect

There is extensive racial violence in the streets

The country is economically suffering from sanctions from many other countries in protest of Apartheid

Nelson Mandela has just gotten out of prison and is speaking to a rally of ANC Supporters in Cape Town urging a continues struggle for racial equality and a government not dominated by any one race, black or white.

Mandela is using the built up passion and anger from years of oppression to instill a resolve in the ANC members and others who are fighting for equality in South Africa.

Calm Logic

Despite his time in Prison, Nelson Mandela was very calm and forgiving about his time there.

He opens his speech with “I greet you all in the name of peace, democracy and freedom for all.” (Mandela)

This shows Mandela’s capacity to forgive which he is trying to get his supporters to gain also.

Mandela used this forgiveness to assist him in his attempts to “win over skeptic whites” and negotiate “the country’s first all-race elections” (Myre).

Uses logos in his argument against apartheid saying that “It [Apartheid] has to be ended…in order to build peace and security” (Mandela).

Fiery Emotion

Mandela then proceeds to use language that is filled with pathos in order to help better connect with his audience

He uses phrases like “Even during the darkest days in the history of our struggle, you held the flag of liberty high” (Mandela) to complement...

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