Rhetorical Analysis Of The Ballot Or The Bullet

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Several people now and throughout history have experienced a sense of inequality within their lives. In his speech, “The Ballot or the Bullet,” Malcolm X, addresses how the depletion of rights within his race has led to many conflicts. In, “The Ballot or the Bullet,” the speaker--Malcolm X--explores through ethics, establishing a commonplace, a historical reference, anaphora, and analogies to prove to his audience they must take action in order to gain their human and civil rights. Malcolm X urges his audience that in order to achieve equality, they must take action and set aside differences. He develops his point through an ethical appeal. Malcolm states that we must set aside our differences, it 's morally right, “Muslims or nationalists …show more content…

No white man that should tell them their rights, “If it is necessary to form a black nationalist army, we will form a black nationalist army. It’ll be the ballot or the bullet. It’ll be liberty or it’ll be death” (Malcolm 45). This first analogy is saying that if the white man does not listen to their cries for rights, they must strike back; it’ll be the ballot (freedom) or the bullet. A further example is the true meaning of segregation, “Segregation means that he puts you away from him, but not far enough for you to be out of his jurisdiction...i’ll die saying one thing: the ballot or the bullet…” (Malcolm 48). Malcolm uses powerful word choice to convey that they need to gain freedom, and if the movement for rights does not work out as planned, come down with pride saying: “the ballot or the bullet.” Malcolm X focuses his entire speech on the “ballot or the bullet” reference. In these cases, he uses them to establish what they need to execute to take action against the government that is abusing their human and civil rights. In conclusion, “The Ballot or the Bullet,” presented by Malcolm X, includes the rhetorical strategies ethics, establishing a commonplace, a historical reference, anaphora, and analogies to display to the reader we must strive for equality. Malcolm X uses these examples to fabricate his point: setting aside differences, the problem is the Democrats, America is being corrupted, black nationalism, and the “ballot or the bullet” reference. The obvious would be, instead of gaining control of one another, we must learn to forgive and forget our

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