Martin Luther King Case

Martin Luther King

Using the secondary source readings provided, write analytical essay that examine the following question:

What type of language does Dr. King use to get his point across? What about Malcolm X? How do the two speeches differ in politics and agendas? Are the biases of the writers obvious? How? Do these different speeches create emotions in their audiences? How? What emotions?

Martin Luther King, Jr and Malcom X were the two most prominent leaders of the civil right movement. These two leaders offered two different approaches to the revolt against racism: nonviolent resistance and revolution "by whatever means necessary".(Ballot or Bullet Malcom X page 1). To better understand these two leaders , we will answer the following questions: What type of language does Dr. King use to get his point across? What about Malcom X? How do the two speeches differ in politics and agendas? Are the Biases of the writers obvious? How ? Do these different speeches create emotions in their audiences? How? What emotions?

Martin Luther King, Jr was a key figure in the African Americans civil rights Movement. Using his Christian faith and the peaceful teachings of Mahatma Ghandi, Dr. King was able to lead a nonviolent movement to achieve equality for African-Americans in the united States. In "Letter from Birmingham Jail" Dr. king uses specific rhetorical strategies such as logos(appeal to reason), ethos(appeal morality) and pathos(appeal to emotion) to get his point across his audience. For instance, He appealed to reason when He stated:"oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever. The yearning for freedom eventually manifests itself, and that is what has happened to the American Negro."(Letter From Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963 page 4).

He appealed to morality when He stated:"A just law is a man- made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with moral law."(Letter from Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963 page 3).

Finally He appealed to emotion by giving detail descriptions of oppression that Black people were enduring :"But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate-filled policemen curse ,kick and even kill your black brothers and sisters; when you see the vast majority of your twenty million Negro brothers smothering in an airtight cage of poverty in the midst of an affluent society."(Letter From Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963 page 2).

Malcom X used a powerful language . Through rhetoric strategy and a combination of logic and emotion , he was able to reach his audience. In his speech given in Cleveland , Ohio in April 3, 1964, "Ballot or Bullet" Malcom X pointed out that Black communities were forced to endure political oppression, economic exploitation, and social humiliation.

First, he highlights the racial prejudice in American political system and refuses to be part of it. He declares:" No, I'm not an American. I'm one of the 22 million black people who are victims of Americanism. One of the 22 million Black people who are the victims of democracy, nothing but disguised hypocrisy. I'm speaking as a victim of this American System. And I see America through the eyes of the victim. I don't see any American dream; I see an American nightmare.(Ballot or Bullet Malcom X page 1). He adds:"This so called democracy has failed the Negro. And all these White liberals have definitely failed the Negro."(Ballot or Bullet Malcom X page 1)

Second, Malcom X brings up the economic exploitation that people in Black community have to endure.

He states:"Not only did we give our free labor."(Ballot or Bullet Malcom X page 2 ).In this excerpt, he uses allusion to speak about slavery.

Finally, Malcom X discusses social degradation to show the oppression in the African-Americans community. He declares that Segregation is illegal and that Segregationists are breaking the law."And when you demonstrate against Segregation the law is on your side. The supreme court is on your side."(Ballot or Bullet Malcom X page 2).

Marthin Luther King Jr and Malcom X were both key leaders of the Civil rights movement . They both shared a lack of patience to sit around and wait for change to occur on its own. Although both leaders were striving towards the same goal, they took