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What Is The Metaphors In The Ballot Or The Bullet

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In America at the time The Ballot or the Bullet was given, segregation was still occurring. Malcolm X was a fighter for civil rights. In 1964 there was going to be a presidential election. Malcolm X was a civil rights leader and part of The Nation of Islam. He gave this speech on April third in order to talk about both the election and how African-American people should proceed in order to benefit from the election. In the speech “The Ballot or the Bullet” Malcolm X utilizes antithesis, allusion, and metaphors in order to convince his audience to take a stand against segregation whether peacefully, if possible, and if not, by force. The first of the three strategies X used in this speech was Antithesis. As he introduces the speech, uses the phrase, “Baptist, or a Methodist, or a Muslim, or a nationalist.” All of these people have very different …show more content…

While comparing the lives of the African American people to that of the white people, he uses the term, “Sitting at the table doesn’t make you a diner…” He uses the diner as a metaphor for America. White people are able to eat from the table, symbolizing how much freedom the white people had in America at the time. The other metaphor used was used throughout the speech. “In 1964, it's the ballot or the bullet.” The entire speech is a metaphor. He repeats “the ballot or the bullet” multiple times, always drawing his argument back to it. The ballot is fighting peacefully, voting for rights in order to rid the country of segregation. The bullet is force. If peacefully fighting won’t work, then fighting with actual force will. The metaphors found in The Ballot or the Bullet In the speech “The Ballot or the Bullet,” Malcolm X uses Antithesis, Allusion, and Metaphor in order to impress upon his audience the importance of fighting back against segregation. Whether by peace or by force, the audience must fight. Remaining silent is not an

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