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Lyndon B Johnson Allusion

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Lyndon B. Johnson was the president when the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed. The passing of this bill was largely influenced by the speech Johnson gave on March 15. This speech was named “The American Promise” due to the hope and assurance that President Johnson provided through his words. Through this speech, President Johnson was able to conjure support to pass his voting rights bill by using rhetorical techniques such as, allusions and connotative diction.
Any kind of speech can and should connect with its audience on a personal level. President Johnson uses many different techniques to accomplish this feat. One of these techniques is allusion. President Johnson includes multiple allusions throughout the speech, but one of the most …show more content…

Connotative diction was more prevalent than any other technique. One example of this is when President Johnson says, “There is no cause for pride in what has happened in Selma. There is no cause for self-satisfaction in the long denial of equal rights of millions of Americans. But there is a cause for hope and for faith in our democracy in what is happening here tonight” (Johnson). The response President Johnson was trying to stimulate was disappointment in the American people for what they had done to the African Americans. However, he followed up their disappointment with words of encouragement to do better and help instead of humiliate. His hopes were that Americans hearing how shameful their actions were would prevent them from continuing to happen. President Johnson also brings forth connotative diction when he states, “ For the cries of pain and the hymns and protests of oppressed people have summoned into convocation all the majesty of this great Government–the Government of the greatest Nation on earth” (Johnson). The first portion of the quote describes how the African Americans have been trying to gain equal rights and how they have been bringing attention to the suffering they were put through. Yet again, President Johnson follows up the sadness with comfort and confidence in their country. He provides positive aspects of their country and gives them assurance that the United States will overcome its struggles for equal voting rights. Through these quotes, it is able to be understood how connotative diction can impact one's speech and supply support from the speaker's

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