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Rhetorical Analysis Of Malcolm X's Ballot Of The Bullet

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Malcolm X’s use of Rhetorical Devices
Malcolm X’s Rhetorical Strategies in
The Ballot of the Bullet
This speech is Malcolm X’s call to action to fight back due to the way that the white man treats African Americans in the United States. The meaning behind the title of the piece is Ballot meaning the African’s right to vote and bullet meaning violence. Malcolm X believes that it is time to fight for the African Americans right to vote and stop being silent about it. The purpose of this essay is to explain Malcolm X’s usage of Ethos, Pathos, and Logos and African Americans right to vote.
Ethos, Pathos, and Logos are rhetorical devices used to persuade an audience to do what you say. Ethos comes from the Greek root of ethics and is all …show more content…

Malcolm urges African Americas to stand up and fight because if they aren’t afraid to go fight if they are drafted then they shouldn’t be afraid to fight here."If they draft you, they send you to Korea and make you face 800 million Chinese. If you can be brave over there, you can be brave right here. These odds aren't as great as those odds. And if you fight here, you will at least know what you're fighting for." He’s saying that the whites just send you over and say fight and you have no idea why you are just doing as you are told. But if you fight right here and right now then you will know why you are fighting and the outcome will be greater. Malcolm also mentions that “22 million Black people are victims of Americanism” and he considers himself one. These victims are those who are a part of the dishonest democracy that we have in the United States. Malcolm also discusses that there are “257 democrats and 177 Republican” in the House of Representatives he’s making a comment about racism because he’s saying that the house is evenly divided and we still can’t get the law to pass to allow African Americans the right to vote.
This speech was an effective use of Ethos, Pathos, and Logos. Malcolm X addressed the issue of African Americans inability to be able to vote and stayed serious and firm throughout the whole speech. He was able to capture the audience’s attention and get them ready to fight for their right to

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