Ballot or Bullet-Rhetorical

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Tarleton

Jennifer Tarleton

Laurie Evans

ENG 111 IN2

6 March 2011

Rhetorical Analysis on “The Ballot or the Bullet”

The 1960’s was a period marked by civil unrest. The civil rights movement was at its peak and the nation was responding. There were acts of violence being committed all over the country against African Americans and those that supported civil rights. Malcolm X was a radical civil rights leader who had a very different interpretation of how things should be done than that of Dr. Martin Luther King.  In April of 1964 Malcolm X made a speech titled “The Ballot or the Bullet” that exemplified his stance on civil rights. This speech came at an important time in the life of Malcolm X. He had recently split with the Nation of Islam and he was using this speech to help find common ground with the leaders of the Civil Rights movement. Malcolm X utilized a broad spectrum of rhetorical devices in the deliverance of “The Ballot or the Bullet.” He was successful in reaching his whole audience by using the different methods.

Malcolm X’s intended audience for his speech was largely, if not solely, the African American population of America. Malcolm X wanted all African Americans to put their differences aside and work together to solve their common problem. “The Ballot or the Bullet” sought to empower the common African American to come together. He believed that through the combined effort of the people involved the social change would come. “All of us have suffered here, in this country, political oppression at the hands of the white man, economic

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exploitation at the hands of the white man, and social degradation at the hands of the white man” (25-27). X wanted to inspire the audience to rely on themselves rather than the white man in government because the white man kept making empty promises.

Malcolm X started his speech by connecting to his entire audience, friends and enemies. “I just can’t believe everyone in here is a friend and I don’t want to leave anybody out” (2).   By this statement, Malcolm X was gaining everyone’s attention.  He was sure that there were members of the audience who opposed ...

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