Rhetorical Analysis Of 'The Ballot Or The Bullet'

Civil Rights Activist, Malcolm X, in his speech “The Ballot or The Bullet” addressed the issue that the black community needs to take action about how the government treats them unfairly. Malcolm’s purpose was to emphasize the idea that the black community needs to be informed about the political community. He praises the idea that they had let the government blind them for a way too long. He chose this speech to express cause and effect within the black community because he wants his audience to see that they are being taken advantage of. The purpose was to allow black people to realize the events that were happening in their lives. Malcolm X began his speech by analyzing his audience and declaring that it is time to decide whether to vote

With this discussion, he uses the appeal to pathos. The uses emotional appeals are featured in paragraphs 11-14. Malcolm uses emotions because he wants the audience to feel the events in America especially when it comes the time to vote. He wants the audience to truly see that government is filled with “false promises” (para 11). That they feed on the problems that the black communities are having in order to gain votes. However, he clarifies that they have yet to see the America dream but only to experience the “American nightmare” (para 11). That is they have been politically informed then they will recognize that each election will end with the same outcome. He acknowledges that they black people have the power to determine who is in office and who is not. Malcolm stresses that the black community makes up the 80% of the Democratic Party and with that percentage they are the ones who put a democrat in the White House. He emphasizes that “the Negro vote is the key factor” (para 12) that it is the only reason why they Democratic Party is a part of the government. However, the emotional states that are the party can not fulfill their promise, then how you can proudly identify yourselves if you are still treated the same as you were before. Because election time is a time where the black community is taken advantage of; Malcolm X addresses the issue about the legislation civil rights with defines the right to guarantee the voting rights to the “Negros” within the states. He explains to the black community that they the government hold their rights to vote because the senators fear that if the Negros are allowed to vote those senators will become powerless. Malcolm wants the audiences to understand they have the power to change America or still continue to allow the government to control