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Mos Def Math Figurative Language

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America is the foundation of freedom, yet various minorities are limited socially because they were still viewed as inferior. The song Mathematics illustrates what living in America is like in the 1990s. Hence, he includes statistics that the black community may be a part of and advises his community to not become involved in such schemes. He wants to expose the racial injustices numerous black people are facing and portray the disappointment his people embody due to this cycle of racism. Mos Def wrote Mathematics to inform minorities about the statistics in the prejudice scenarios black individuals are facing, as it can be dehumanizing being referred to as a number, through allusions, figurative language, and idioms which also reveals the …show more content…

Moreover, Mos Def alludes to information that the majority of the black community is aware of, like famous leaders of religion. Part of Dr. King's infamous "I Have a Dream" speech is mentioned, "hear freedom ring." Mos Def includes this to establish his credibility through Dr. King. Also, it demonstrates how black people are still not entirely free due to the heavy prejudice against them. Furthermore, Mos Def alludes to religion by stating, “[...] ways to die from the seven deadly trills.” Religion is highly respected in black communities most commonly Christianity. Mos Def alludes to religion by mentioning the seven deadly sins on how they can be “thrilling” and could kill someone, especially with the dangers of being a black man in America. In addition, he alludes to the firmaments from the Bible to create an immense connection with his audience and inaugurate his creditability. The firmaments are an arch that separates earth from a realm beyond called Heaven. Thus, the allusions Mos Def utilizes allusions in his connection and credibility with the audience, not to mention creating a deeper meaning to his astonishing message of

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In the quote, the author uses his belief to try and make an emotional appeal to the reader to support the movement of justice whether or not, they themselves are African-American, because any injustice threatens justice everywhere indirectly. King states that “Socrates felt that it was necessary to create a tension in the mind so that individuals could rise from the bondage of myths”(King, 1963, p. 740), he borrows Socrates’s logic to justify and advocate tension that the freedom movement has created. King feels the need to bring light to the benefits of tension, because the opposition only possess a pessimistic view of it.

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513 Words | 3 Pages

Imagine you’re living back in 1963, it’s the year of change, for the better. There’s a man, Martin Luther King Jr., who is one of the most prominent figures in the Civil Rights movements. He has two famous works, First, the Letter from Birmingham Jail. from back in August; a powerful response King gave after reading the criticisms of the clergymen of Birmingham. Second, there is the “I Have a Dream” speech from The March on Washington.

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Knowing that this is an everyday struggle for the black community, changes your views on how things are established for them. An individual that is not a part of such community can make a statement and say that everything is fine the way it is, but once you get an insight how the black community really lives their lives, it changes your overall perspective. These people have lived tough lives and King is expressing a small part of the real world, but that small part makes such a bold and loud statement that one could not easily

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572 Words | 3 Pages

Have you ever wondered just how powerful and moving words can be? Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s speech, “I Have a Dream” as well as his “Letters From Birmingham Jail” are full of powerful and inspiring wording. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr takes advantage of this wording to help bring to light the issues that black people in America were being subjected to, so that people would feel inspired to take action. Martin Luther King Jr utilizes figurative language to effectively make the people who listened to his speech better visualize the struggles of black people in America so that they will actively try to get the government to change laws to be more inclusive. An example of this is when Martin Luther King Jr announced, “[That] this sweltering summer

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741 Words | 3 Pages

For dozens of years, black people were treated like animals, even decades after they were “freed” from the shackles of slavery. It wasn’t until the mid-1950’s that one man took it into his own hands to make a change, and his name was Martin Luther King, Jr., a name with which virtually the entirety of America is familiar. King did a lot of monumental things, and almost all of his influence lay within his mastery of word manipulation and rhetoric. Perhaps one of the greatest examples of his use of rhetoric happens to be in his “Letter From a Birmingham Jail”, written to a group of white clergymen in 1963 after they criticized his campaign.

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1538 Words | 7 Pages

Introduction Many writers and speakers have been influenced by the speeches of Martin Luther King Jr. "I have a Dream" and Frederick Douglass "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July". These speeches have helped evolve the history so drastically that black American’s now have freedom and to never be segregated like they were in the past.

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886 Words | 4 Pages

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech had a great deal of logos and pathos appeals to persuade his audience to speak out against segregation and to give all men the rights they deserve. He often gave a clear line of reasoning supported by evidence in his speech, like when he says: “This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the “unalienable Rights” of “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”... America has defaulted on this promissory note, ... given the Negro people a bad check… which has come back marked “insufficient funds.” (King para. 4)

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As many of us have read, it is stated in Dr. King’s speech, “But one hundred years later, the Negro is still not free.” (King 1). By reading this,

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In his famous “I Have a Dream Speech,” Dr. King uses allusions, figurative language, and repetition to get his point across that they need segregation to stop and how they need to change those laws. Dr king claims that people are bound by segregation, he explains this by using metaphors. For example, in paragraph 3 he starts by saying that “The Negro is sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination.” This matters because he is trying to make a connection with chains and manacles to show the bond between African Americans, segregation, and discrimination.

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King uses allusions to the bible to show what's right from wrong and shows how long it's been going on throughout time. In addition King says, “They’re accustomed to being slaves,” which by that he is saying that is what first comes to mind when you think of a black American at that time. Furthermore King says that the black American is so used to being oppressed that they have acquiescence, they

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818 Words | 4 Pages

Thus, the allusions Mos Def utilizes allusions in his connection and credibility with the audience, not to mention creating a deeper meaning to his astonishing message of

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804 Words | 4 Pages

On August 28th, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr gave us one of one of the most rhetorically moving speeches ever given. Titled as the “I Have a Dream Speech,” he read this speech to the “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom”. As a civil right mover he gave this great speech to all Americans (black and white) so that he could give off the idea of equality on the same level. Because of his crowd of mix races King made sure to make his speech imploring to all no matter what the race that they may be. He uses metaphorical imagery, powerful diction,and symbolism to create an impact on the audience.

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970 Words | 4 Pages

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech had a great deal of logos and pathos appeals to persuade his audience to speak out against segregation and to give all men the rights they deserve. He gave many reasons in his speech to make the audience excited and want to take action, like when he says: “This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the “unalienable Rights” of “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”... America has defaulted on this promissory note, ... given the Negro people a bad check… which has come back marked “insufficient funds.” (King para. 4)

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1007 Words | 5 Pages

On March 18 2008, Presidential candidate Barack Obama delivered a speech towards and against his Reverend Jeremiah Wright’s and these comments and thoughts made by him are what triggered this speech because Barack Obama needed to deliver this message as soon as possible with the election coming up. The subject was based upon racial issues in America, it was being spoken towards undecided voters at the moment. What candidate Barack Obama was trying to deliver was that he does not agree with the statement made by his Reverend but understands the cause of it. An allusion is a reference to something real or fictional, to someone, some event, or something in the Bible, history, literature, or any phase of culture.

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1111 Words | 5 Pages

This reference in particular evokes the strongest emotional response from black people because many African Americans revered Lincoln for his decision to sign the revolutionary Emancipation Proclamation, and how the document symbolized a free future for slaves--the ancestors of the blacks in the crowd. But the next few lines following this allusion also persuades those ignorant of how little things have changed by highlighting the “manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination” that blacks still suffer from despite the hundred year gap. Here, he uses the connotations of “manacles” and “chains” to evoke a negative emotional response from the audience, especially from those unaware of the need to change, causing their opinion to match the speaker’s: against segregation. Additionally, King weaves biblical allusions into his speech to appeal to the Christians within the crowd. He uses the “dark and desolate valley of segregation” to illustrate the injustice African Americans have endured for centuries and juxtapositions it with the “sunlit path of racial justice” to exemplify a future where true freedom exists for

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