In today's modern era, African American students are almost designed to fail America’s public school system. However, TED talks’ Malcolm London not only is not only one of many examples that excelled in a failed system, but also conquered it. His feisty, passionate performance take on the issues of American education system. Since school is lacking the unique aspects of humans and school is meant for competition, thus school is set up for failure; London develops a persona with audience to convince them high school is a training ground. Once the video starts, London choses to start the beginning of his speech while in the back of the crowd, rather than on stage. From the beginning, London shows he is a part of the people, rather than …show more content…
When London states “but you have to step on someone else to get there” This emphasizes the idea that not only him, but many others, different and just like him have felt that in the American education system, “raises you but you have to step on someone else to get there”. Public school is meant for competition, rather than what we as a nation believes should be ‘a more perfect union’ London does not say in detail what he means by the phrase “to get there”. London instead lets the audience, and the viewer decide what ‘there’ is perhaps its a good grade in the classroom, or perhaps the courage to confront your crush, maybe even to improve your life one way or another. ‘There’ London then takes inspiration from the quote by Mark Twain:‘I will not let my schooling interfere with my education’, already came with the idea of school is set up for failure. London states “Homework is stressful, but when you go home every day and your home is work, you don't want to pick up any assignments.” Many students, both at the high school and at the college level, often have many out of school activities to attend to, such as family, jobs, and other personal interest. London’s increase in pace also emphasizes that importance of “your home is work” should not be taken lightly. London
Cory Miller is a high school senior and performs at the top of his academic class. With a 4.0 grade point average, he spends his time involved in after school activities while working a part-time job. In a few months, Miller will have completed what only 52 percent of Black males nationwide achieve – a high school diploma. As Miller crosses the stage full of knowledge related to math formulas, vocabulary words and American history, he will continue on without the knowledge of money management, cooking, negotiation, and urban survival
During the essay, Malcom X explains how he had developed his literacy. He argues that he became bothered because he was not able to express what he desired to impress in letters that he had written. “In this move, the author sets the context for his or her research, providing necessary background on the topic” (Swales CARS). He claims that the people who actually see him on media or read something that he had written, would believe that he had studied more that eighth grade, and he thanks that to the prison where he was. X states that the books available in the prison were only about general subject; some the amazing books that he had read in prison were from Parkhurst’s willingness. He explains that he felt extremely sad when, during his readings,
In paragraph two I discussed Dr. King and Malcolm X’s goals instead of the goals of the speech(3). To correct this I needed to discuss the goals of the speeches not the goals of Dr. King and Malcolm X. At the end of paragraph two I only listed points of X without comparing or contrasting to Dr. King(1). In order to fix the issue I needed to compare and contrast how Malcolm X discussed that for revolution to happen violence will occur and how Dr. King says violence is unnecessary. Also at the end of the paragraph while I explained X’s beliefs I did not connect my points back to main purpose of paragraph two which was freedom is the goal(18). I needed to explain how his beliefs of history and violence affected the goals his speech was intended
April 3, 1964 Malcolm X gave one of the most iconic speeches of all time. Malcolm gave this speech at the “Cory Methodist Church” where he spoke out about the politics of voting for African Americans. Malcolm X advised that African Americans should vote, however if prejudice continued and the government continued to prevent blacks from being completely equal that African Americans would have to use more violent tactics. This speech is great for a number of reasons and one of these reasons is Malcolm X’s use of rhetorical devices.
The following is an excerpt from the January 24, 1965 speech Malcolm X gave on “Afro-American.”
While Martin Luther King’s letter addresses the white moderates and Malcolm X’s speech addresses members of the African American community, they each seek to improve the lives of African Americans by engendering shame in their audience. Dr. King makes his audience feel shame about not living up to both their religious and moral obligations to the movement. By invoking the biblical doctrines of Christianity and Judaism, the rhetoric of the letter makes the audience feel as though they are failing to live according to their faith. He begins to do this in the second paragraph of the letter. There, Dr. King connects himself with Christianity by revealing that he is the president of the SCLC and affiliated
In his autobiography, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, Malcolm X emphasizes the need of changing racism in America. With many rhetorical choices, Malcolm X is able to exaggerate the urgency of change.
Both of these authors' intended audience was initially for fellow Black Activists, but later on, the entire speech is meant for everyone. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s speech had a certain sermon-like message for his audience. Whereas, Malcolm X made sure to list everyone as his audience when he spoke in crowds. It did not matter whether you were a follower of his or not. They both had different styles when it came to addressing their audiences, but they were able to convey the same message to everyone.
“Black students were expelled at three times the rate of white students.” (Steven Hsieh, 2014) Until now, we are still finding unequal treatment from school in American Society from different aspects, such as school discipline, early learning, college readiness and teacher equity. However, education is more than learning from books. Education enables individuals potential to utilize human mind and open doors of opportunities to obtain knowledge. But the US educational system doesn’t serve the majority of children properly and gaps remain between white and black students. What’s more, nowadays, a lot of schools only treat education as a curriculum and test scores; ignoring the stimulus of curiosity. Therefore, “Between the World and Me” is a book written by Ta-Nehisi Coates, who weaves his own personal, historical, and intellectual development into his ruminations on how to live in a black body in America. In this book, Coates writes about education and pleasures of his own educational experience in Howard University. Although bad education hides the truth and restricts students’ ideas, education also contains pleasures, which broaden people’s mind, help people build their own thoughts, and prevent people from prison. As a result, there are more pleasures in American education that positively impact on black body than dangers.
The context in which a statement is made can change the entire meaning of what was said. This is why many times people will use context as a defense for statements they make that offend or cause some sort of public backlash. The manner in which a person delivers a message and what messages the rhetor chooses to deliver can be a great indication of foundation of that persons value and belief system. There are a number of value systems present in Malcolm X’s “The Ballot or the Bullet” speech that he delivered in the storied election year of 1964. There are many statements made in the ballot or the bullet
April 3, 1964, Malcolm X gives his well renowned speech; The Ballot or the Bullet in Cleveland Ohio. His purpose behind the speech is to encourage African-Americans of the United States to stand up to the unfair treatment that he believes they receive. Throughout the speech, Malcolm X creates an ambition in the audience, encouraging change through the numerous uses of ethos, logos, and pathos. Malcolm X uses his personal experiences to show the audience that he has experienced the same negativity that they do everyday. X suggests everyone should be treated equally; religion, gender and race aside. His audience was made up of a majority of African-Americans, he uses the common ground of wanting to achieve equal treatment to show his audience he is on the same side as them. Through the organization of the speech, it is rhetorically effective. He practices the phrase “The Ballot or the Bullet” which uses repetition, forcing listeners to remember the phrase which later becomes more effective. X begins using ethos by introducing himself, immediately gaining the attention of the audience as well as respect of the audience. X then makes the current problem in the African-American community extremely clear to the audience, this is his use of pathos, where he engages them in his thought process and bringing them in using emotion. The speech uses rhetoric to emotionally and logically
In section 373 through 376 of The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley, Malcolm X describes his recent return from his pilgrimage to the Holy City, Mecca. Throughout this passage, Malcolm X discusses claims made against him by the white press over violence and revolution during the long, hot summer of 1964. X is blamed for causing many of the riots and uprisings that occur during this summer because of his outspoken nature and views on the principle of “justice at all costs.” Malcolm X refutes these false claims from the media through the use of repetition, quotations marks, allusions, and rhetorical questions to present a more rational argument regarding his beliefs and perspective.
The speech by Malcolm X that was given at the King Solomon Baptist Church, Detroit, Michigan on April 12, 1964 was a very emotional speech that was intended to motivate the African American community to vote. Malcolm X uses pathos very successfully in this speech. He believes the key to change the situation in the black community is the Negro vote. He believes the government has failed the black people and that they are a victim of the Democracy. Malcolm X believes that African Americans will gain there independence by electing an African American. He believes in gaining control of the economy will help the African Americans be prosperous and control their future. This use of logos by Malcolm X is the most important part of defending
During the first year of World War II Winston Churchill is recommended by the former Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain as his replacement going on to win the election; becoming Prime Minister that following Friday. Before then, Churchill was not a popular person amongst the Members of Parliament due to mistakes made in World War I Nearly all of whom publicly denounced him, some going as far as to publicly mock and heckle his election speeches because of his record of making hasty rash decisions. However, Churchill managed to change the political atmosphere around him with a short, but powerful speech. “Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat” uses masterful diction, repetition, and structure to keep his address to the assembled group of the House of Lords and Commons brief and informative, while indicating the importance of haste to achieve victory.
Education is one of the most essential necessities of a personal life because without education, we would not have a brighter future. In two essays “Learning to Read and Write” and “A Homemade Education”, Malcolm and Douglass describe what they have gone through in order to become more successful in their pursuits in life. While Malcolm X lived part of his life in prison, he spent his time writing numerous definitions from a dictionary amongst the walls and tables. The elements of the dictionary motivated him to not only become a free man, but a well educated one at that. Douglass, who also taught himself, began his life in slavery. But after a series of attempts, he escapes from slavery and pursues into his