Some examples of rhetorical questions that help structure the speech are: The question tonight, as I understand it, is The Negro Revolt, and Where Do We Go From Here? or What Nex. On April 3, 1964, human rights activist Malcolm X gave the speech "The Ballot or the Bullet." The speech was . Malcolm X fills his speech with imagery (mental images) that has a strong emotional impact, created with the help of metaphors and similes. He calls out America's double standards and wants the world to see the reality behind the mask of its ideals. True or False: Malcolm X believed African Americans should vote for whoever told them they would give them more rights. He likens his status as a Muslim to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s as a Christian, knowing that in the past, his own religious affiliation has been a point of contention; he and Dr. King may have different ways of worshipping, but they are both known as civil rights leaders. And anyone who puts forth any effort to deprive you of that which is yours, is breaking the law, is a criminal. Your vote, your dumb vote, your ignorant vote, your wasted vote put administration in Washington D.C. His repetition of your followed by a negative adjective and vote made his parallel structure apparent he used your to throw shade on african americans and how they complain about our white presidents. "When you take your case to Washington, D.C., you're taking it to the criminal who's responsible; it's like running from the wolf to the fox. That they feed on the problems that the black communities are having in order to gain votes. He explains that he does not subscribe to either the Democratic or the Republican party, because he considers himself a victim of Americas so-called democracy. For African-Americans, there is no American dream, only an American nightmare. The local governments of the African-American communities should be managed by African Americans. Through repetition of inflammatory phrases and accusatory diction both which create appeals to anger, Malcolm X effectively persuades his audience during The Ballot Or The Bullet.. [15] He said that the people of the developing world were "sitting there waiting to throw their weight on our side" if the fight for civil rights were expanded into a human rights struggle. Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson, and Carol Denise McNair were killed when a bomb detonated in Birmingham, Alabama, in the 16th Street Baptist Church on September 15, 1963. Only members can read the full content. Let the world know how bloody his [Uncle Sam's] hands are. The text shown above is just an extract. In response to Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, Malcolm X delivered a speech entitled "The Ballot or the Bullet". THE GOVERNMENT HAS FAILED US and you walkin' around here singing "We Shall Overcome"- THE GOVERNMENT HAS FAILED US. He acknowledges that they black people have the power to determine who is in office and who is not. He was also muslim. When a racial powder keg goes off, it doesn't care who it knocks out of the way. What parts of African American society did Malcolm X want them to control? In addition, Malcolm X intended his characteristic use of language and imagery to disguise his conceptions of society and history[28] in new ways to put issues into his perspective for his audience and inspire activism. [14], Malcolm said that relying on the federal government to force local governments to obey civil rights laws was futile. Earn points, unlock badges and level up while studying. Malcolm X emphasizes Black Nationalism as a way to help African Americans gain political, economic, and social control over their communities. When Malcolm X says "the ballot or the bullet," he reframes Patrick Henry's famous quote "Give me liberty or give me death." It took decades for the men involved to be prosecuted as FBI Director, J. Edgar Hoover, prevented their prosecution in 1968. Insulting his listener is meant to stoke the listeners sense of anger and injustice, and therefore to provoke him into more direct action against white supremacy than the peaceful protests advocated for by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. are able to do. More books than SparkNotes. Because of this, Malcolm X believes all African Americans must join together to bypass the United States government and take their grievances to the United Nations as a human rights rather than civil rights issue. He used ethos, pathos, and logos to gain the audience's trust and appeal to them both emotionally and logically, in order to inspire them to fight back. . The speech was strong and inspiring, and because it was combined with his confident and sturdy speaking, he came off as a respectable and intelligent leader who knows what he wants, Malcolm X evokes emotion with the use of objectification, by specifying particular instances of exploitation, degradation, and oppression that the black community has faced. "The Ballot or the Bullet" speech was delivered by Malcolm X on March 3, 1964 at Cory Methodist Church in Cleveland, Ohio. If he's for civil rights, let him go into the Senate next week and denounce the Southern branch of his party. Set individual study goals and earn points reaching them. "[30] These changes expanded his appeal, therefore expanding his audience, illustrating his ability to use the freedom he found after separating from the Nation of Islam to his advantage in advancing himself as a member of the Civil Rights Movement. [6], When he left the Nation of Islam, Malcolm declared his willingness to cooperate with the Civil Rights Movement. Examining Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in Malcolm X's "BAllot or the Bullet" speech. Malcolm X, a Muslim, credits Elijah Muhammed, the leader of the Nation of Islam, with making him into the man he is today. We have to see each other with new eyes. Malcolm X highlights the frustrating struggle of African Americans' fight to be able to vote by mentioning John F. Kennedy's desire to force Cuba to have democratic elections. His black protectionist outlook called separation instead of unity and equality. Well, in this situation, it teaches me that even a legend person like Malcolm X are once easily distorted by the words of the people around him. Why did Malcolm X say was 1964 an important year for African Americans? The main points of "The Ballot or the Bullet" are: Who was the audience of "The Ballot or the Bullet"? Parallelism ", "And until we become politically mature we will always be mislead, lead astray, or deceived or maneuvered into supporting someone politically who doesn't have the good of our community at heart. "The Ballot or the Bullet" is a speech made by Malcolm X in Cleveland, Ohio, on April 3, 1964. has failed and failed and failed the works of freedom. Summary of Malcolm X's "The Ballot or the Bullet" speech. In America at the time The Ballot or the Bullet was given, segregation was still occurring. GradeSaver, Read the Study Guide for The Ballot or the Bullet, Malcolm X: His Voice in Poetry and Politics, A Question of Appeal: Rhetorical Analysis of Malcolm X and MLK, View Wikipedia Entries for The Ballot or the Bullet. Whereas the Civil Rights Movement advocated on behalf of integration and against segregation, the Nation of Islam favored separatism. Through his triumph and survival of the murder of his father in 1931 when he was six years old, but also educating himself in prison which he was in for seven years from the ages 21-28 (Draper 7).With this story, it inspired people in the various ethnic communities, and neighborhoods. Lyndon B. Johnson is the head of the Democratic Party. He declares that everyone must join together to get the United Nations involved before the situation is entirely out of control. [3][4], On March 8, 1964, Malcolm X announced his separation from the Nation of Islam, a black nationalist religious organization for which he had been the spokesman for nearly a decade. Black people in America came together to receive motivation to fight for equality.In this speech Malcolm X inspires black people to take a stance and fight for their civil rights. Sit-ins are disempowering because they perpetuate the image of the African-American community as cowardly and weak. . Tone and Mood The tone is provocative and righteous. Instead of promoting peace to solve problems, Malcolm X used violence when necessary to get his points across to his audience. The history of America is one of colonialism; Malcolm likens the colonists struggle against the British to that of African-Americans against white supremacy. Upload unlimited documents and save them online. His subject was Negro rights, and he was speaking to the African American population. How does he use his beliefs to persuade a mixed audience about the importance of voting to African Americans? He constantly used repetition of the words "the ballot or the bullet" in order to keep the thought present in the head of the audience, and after completing every thought, he found a way to connect it back to the issue of the ballot or the bullet. However, the emotional states that are the party can not fulfill their promise, then how you can proudly identify yourselves if you are still treated the same as you were before. [24], When Malcolm X spoke of "the type of Black man on the scene in America today [who] doesn't intend to turn the other cheek any longer",[9] he was addressing his followers, people who were not advocates of the non-violent approach generally favored by the Civil Rights Movement. Words: 732 - Pages: 3 Premium Essay Malcolm X's The Ballot Or The Bullet . The white supremacist system is the antagonist. Malcolm X narrates the speech from a first-person point of view. Malcolm X uses rhetorical techniques to persuade his audience to push for equality between races. True or False: Malcolm X appeals to his audience through the use of logic and emotion. Malcolm X began his speech by acknowledging that he was still a Muslim, but he quickly added that he didn't intend to discuss religion or any other issues that divide African Americans. Rhetorical Analysis Of The Ballot Or The Bullet. It was very influential speech that empowered the. Thesis: In The Autobiography of Malcolm X, Malcolm X in his telling of his life to Alex Haley uncovers the theme of positive and negative environments unearthed by the interaction of African Americans and White Americans in his life and what those kinds of environments inherently produce. Let it be the ballot or the bullet. The most significant modification of Malcolm X's rhetoric that can be observed in "The Ballot or the Bullet" is the broadening of his audience, as he "emphasizes individualized judgement rather than group cohesion"[29] and allows for more analytical "flexibility restrained by a purposive focus on particular goals. was the black mans vote that put the present administration in Washington, D.C. Nothing but Africans." This marks a meaningful divide between Malcolm Xs ethos and the ethos of the Nation of Islam. "that's what we are -- Africans who are in America. Malcolm X frequently uses provocative language to incite anger in his audience, as is evident in his accusation that the white man has made a fool out of you. Here, he is utilizing the rhetorical device of pathos, or appealing to the audiences emotions, to his advantage. Its 100% free. Well, you and I been sitting long enough, he claims, and its time for us today to start doing some standing and some fighting to back that up.. He praises the idea that they had let the government blind them for a way too long. Malcolm X maintained his use of repetition as "communications of the passion that is satisfied by a single statement, but that beats through the pulses",[27] and this can be exemplified by his consistent use of the phrase "the ballot or the bullet". If he waits too long he will be responsible for letting a condition develop in this country which will create a climate that will bring seeds up out of the ground with vegetation on the end of them looking like something these people never dreamed of. The media misconstrued Malcolm X's calls for self-defense as calls for violence. That right there castrates you. "The Ballot or the Bullet" was delivered at a church in Cleveland, Ohio, to a crowd that included African Americans and white Americans. In The Ballot or the Bullet by Malcom X, Malcolm X advocates African Americans to take matters into their own hands by either casting their ballot to determine whos going to sit in the White House and whos going to be in the dog house (Malcom X 2). ", "Not only is he a crook, he's a hypocrite. False. Have all your study materials in one place. Selecciona la palabra que no est relacionada. Malcolm uses emotions because he wants the audience to feel the events in America especially when it comes the time to vote. Analyzes how malcolm x's ballot or bullet speech was highly esteemed, despite dr. martin luther king being a pacifist and civil rights activist. Malcolm X defines black nationalism as the philosophy that African-Americans should control the politics and the politicians in (their) own community. Economically, it means frequenting African-American owned and operated businesses, whose profit will feed back into the black community and strengthen it. 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