Malcolm X Rhetorical Analysis

“We want freedom by any means necessary. We want justice by any means necessary. We want equality by any means necessary.” This famous quote was spoken by African-American Muslim and human rights activist Malcolm X in June of 1964. At this period of time America was going through the era of segregation and the civil rights movement so leaders like Malcolm X wished to bring blacks together to form strong organizations for change. Throughout the speech Malcolm attempts to engage his listeners to his ideas and explain the creation of an organization to increase Black Nationalism.

Powerful movements require powerful leadership. During the 1960s a push for civil rights developed, and African Americans took various positions. Two strong leaders, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X approached the Civil Rights Movement using different methods. Their speeches reflect the disposition of their tactics. In his speech, “I Have a Dream,” Martin Luther King, Jr. focuses on applying his non-violent philosophy. On the contrary, Malcolm X projects himself in an aggressive tone reflecting the attitudes of Black Nationalists in “Ballot or the Bullet.” These speakers demonstrate their objectives and tone through their use of diction and syntax.

Can reading really be influential? Do you believe that reading can change lives? Malcolm X, one of the most influential man of his time thought so. One day he was able to turn his life around by just picking up a book and learning how to read. Whether it was in a jail cell or in a library he was reading wherever he went. In Malcolm X’s essay “Literacy Behind Bars” he writes about the topic of how reading changed his life. Throughout his life in prison, Malcolm X shares his experience of how learning how to read had changed his life forever. This essay shows how the ability to read and write opens new pathways into your imagination that you may not be able to experience if you lacked the ability to do so. Learning how to become literate did not come easy back then especially since he was African American. During his life in prison he realized that you do not need a college education to be successful; you just need to know how to read and write. The way Malcolm structured his essay helped improve his ethos much like other things did. Malcolm X’s encouraging tone was evident throughout the essay. He writes his essay with such a tone, because he is explaining his personal struggle of learning how to read and how it paid such dividends in his life after prison. By using this type of tone he appeals to people’s emotions through the use of logos, which in result helps build his ethos. As well as his tone he also uses different rhetorical devices to keep the reader engaged. The use of irony throughout the essay in appealing to the reader because it keeps them interested in the essay that they are reading. Similarly, his use of opposition within the essay makes the reader think about what they are reading. People may need to reread a sentence or two because how the opposition is used in the essay, which keeps them focused and aware of what they are reading. By utilizing several rhetorical devices, including pathos, opposition, and ethos, that being said, Malcolm X conveys the message of how reading changed his life.

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

- [ ] The focus of this speech will be to look in to the pros and cons of X and as well to have a better overview of his thought process. We will examine some of the many doctrines of Malcolm X- which where his “common enemy” theory, idea of can one go against their own race for the greater good of another race. We will as look in to the party that he played in the Black Panther Party .In the end we look at both sides of his argument in the best way possible.

The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told by Alex Haley is the story about a man who greatly impacted American history. Malcolm Little, or Malcolm X as he is more widely known, taught what he believed in regards to segregation, racism, and discrimination. Growing up in a large family with a father Earl Little, a Baptist minister, and his mother Louis Little, who was a homemaker, Malcolm’s life at the time seemed very promising. His father’s involvement in support of the Black National gained him many death threats at the hands of white supremacists. In 1929, they lost their house to fire, and two years later the body of Malcolm’s father was found mutilated. This lead to the emotional breakdown of Malcolm’s mother and in turn she was institutionalized. Malcolm and his siblings were separated and placed in foster homes, and from then, his life began a path of drugs, sex, and crime. It was not until he was imprisoned in 1946, that he decided to make some changes for the better. This essay will assess and discuss those changes whether negative or positive, on a micro, mezzo, and macro level. It will also cover some of the effects of racial prejudice on human behavior, and how society today keeps the ideology of Malcolm X alive.

The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley is an account of Malcolm X’s evolving perspective on racial justice. Malcolm X was a prominent figure in the Nation of Islam who advocated for black nationalism and separatism. The man who became one of America’s most powerful voices for African Americans was deeply affected by the terrors of racism, which shaped his view of social justice and the condemnation of the white man. The way Malcolm X narrates his experiences changes as his views on race change. At first, he wants readers to feel the destructiveness of racism, so he conveys his experiences through provocative language. When he aims to promote universal peace, he takes on a more optimistic tone. As a

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

To begin, Malcolm X’s speech detailing his his political views on black nationalism, the hypocrisy of the United States, as well as the radical steps needed to be taken by the black community to achieve equal rights, is laden with elevated language in order to create an ethical appeal to the audience. For example, Malcolm X states that “The political philosophy of black nationalism only means that the black man should control the politics and the politicians in his own community” (par 2). The use of the elevated language, such as “philosophy” and “nationalism”, sophisticates the speech altogether, which successfully reflects the professional tone used by Malcolm X, as well as the seriousness of the matter; which, in turn, strengthens the overall argument being made. Moreover, through Malcolm X’s sophistication of language, and thus the speech, it

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.

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

All through America history there have been racial pressures. Malcolm X 's "The Black Revolution" emphasizes a greater amount of the Civil Rights Movement where blacks requested admiration and flexibility from the whites. It was a going stone for the American encounters today; a general public that is made out of flexibility and equivalent rights for everybody. Malcolm X was persuading in light of the fact that he made a decent utilization of talk procedures. Malcolm X used more direct and aggressive tone in his speech. His primary center in the discourse was to focus on his gathering of people 's feelings on the grounds that he realized that once he could get to their feelings, they would be more open to his thoughts Malcolm X effectively used pathos, agitation and a method of propaganda to spread his message across his audiences.

In 1964, inalienable rights are not automatically given to African American citizens, though it is stated in our constitution. Malcolm X is a black nationalist, Muslim, and a proponent of violence when it is necessary. Malcolm caused several bedlams in the black nationalist community. In 1964, Malcolm gives an adroit speech in Cleveland, Ohio, calling it “The Ballot or the Bullet”, concerning this major quagmire and what needs to be done to censure and rectify this problem. At this point in history, African Americans have tried numerous times in non-violent protest-- nothing is resolving the issues. Through the use of emotional appeals, ethical appeals, and allusion, Malcolm persuades the audience that African Americans that it is time to

Malcolm X is seen as one of the most influential individuals of his time due to his staunch stand on Black Nationalism of the civil right era. He brought forward issues of respect, as well as uncompromising resistance to the oppression by the white nationalists. Although he was assassinated his influence politically as well as culturally seems to have taken roots years after his death. In his speech ballot or bullet he delivered one of the most empowering messages to the American population and especially to the African Americans. He wanted the people to vote for the person they felt would represent their rights and benefit them as black people. He was advocating for freedom of the backs. In any conversation or speech there is the need for people to understand each other that is why individuals use gestures to emphasize on what they mean (McCutcheon, et al.). In his speech we can notice important aspects of a speech especially the non-verbal aspects of the speech.

My views on education are that everyone should have one no matter who you are, where you come from, or even how old you are. Unfortunately, there are many people on this earth who wants to go to school but cannot because in some countries girls cannot go to school, the children are living in a war zone, or some places are too poor to have an education system for all the kids. As a result, the people who can have an education must take advantage of what they have so that we could be able to help kids who can’t get an education and help many other people around the world. Having an education is the foundation of being successful and everyone deserves a chance to be successful. Right now, going to college and trying to get a degree in the major I love gives me hope that I too can become successful one day. But, none of this would have been possible if I didn't get an education before I started college.