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Rhetorical Analysis Essay: The Ballot Or The Bullet

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Rhetorical Analysis Essay
By Kevin Tu / Feb 06, 2023 / Ms. Fisher, 9th-grade literature and composition

This essay illustrates the use of rhetorical strategies and the use of stylistic choices in the speech by Malcolm X known as, “The Ballot or the Bullet”. That was done on the date of April 6th, 1964, at King Solomon baptist church, Detroit, Michigan. The purpose of this speech was to warn/raise awareness among African-Americans on the following election of the 45th president of the United States, advising them to be careful whom they vote for.

Use of rhetorical appeals
You will notice the overall use of rhetorical devices in this speech as it is used over and over again. Although all of the rhetorics are used, Ethos, the appeal of credibility will be discussed. The use of ethos is mostly the mentioning of him being a Muslim man. And as a Muslim man, he decided he would join the Nation Of Islam (NOI). As shown here he got his beliefs from the NOI, “I still credit Mr. Muhammad for what I know and what I am” ( X/Little page 1). be noted, Mr. Muhammad was the leader of NOI. …show more content…

Blurring himself into a spot with the other ministers of freedom fighting by saying, “I am a Muslim minister. The same as they are Christian ministers” (X/Little page 2). Before all of this, he speaks well about all the Christian ministers mentioned. And as now that he had mixed himself up with the other ministers his main point is all of us fight for the same cause of black nationalism. So no matter what religion he is, all of his other views are forward black nationalism. Staining a spot for

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