Malcolm Exx

1) List at least one example of the following: Malcolm's use of ethos, logos, pathos.
Ethos: Opening of the speech, connecting with the audience, throwing a little humour into the setting to set a calm before divulging into his very serious topic.

Pathos: The family talk. He talks about the hours, months, and years that the ancestors of the African-American put in and received no compensation for, hoping to trigger an emotional response within the community.

Logos: Arguments on change, and how it can be done rationally. Many things that are needed to be changed are just ways of thinking, such as; "Now in speaking like this, it doesn't mean that we're anti-white, but it does mean we're anti-exploitation, we're anti-degradation, we're anti-oppression. And if the white man doesn't want uus to be anti-him, let him stop oppressing and exploiting and degrading us."


2) What is the purpose of the speech?  How does Malcolm obtain that purpose?
To encourage the black community to go out and vote. This is the direct message taken from his words, but he's more concerned with getting the people involved and educated on what is going on around them. Either get knowledge and empower yourself, or take 'the bullet' as an alternative.

3) Who is his audience?  How do you know this?
A large audience of black people. The black people need to be empowered in such a time when civil rights means so much and is in crucial need to be reworked for the benefit of the African-American community. He needs the people to take action and react to their surroundings in order for positive change to occur.

4) List at least one example of the following types of proof:

a) analogy/narration to back up his main idea
Comparing the audience and their need to work together to overcome such oppression, degradation, and exploitation. He compares those within the audience/negroes as a whole as having more in common than Kennedy and Krushchev, yet the latter two have functioned decently before.

b) statistics
 "In this present administration they have in the House of Representatives 257 Democrats to only 177 Republicans... In the Senate, there are 67 senators who are of the Democratic Party. Only 33 of them are Republicans.

c) facts
See Above.
Most come in form of statistics. Most others are logical facts or rational explanations.




d) expert witnesses
Lomax, the Reverend/African preachers he mentions. (Adam Clayton Powell - Christian Minister; Reverend Galamison.) Used more as examples than witnesses or givers of any testimony.

5) Does he have refutation of the opposing side?  If so, what is it?

Random bits that point out occurrences or loopholes of logic, or parallel a different attitude within American culture/politics.

"Don't let anybody tell you anything about the odds are against you. 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.

6) List some structural devices and discuss their effect:

Parallelism
The parallelism is found throughout the entire speech and the effect of this repetition is to drive the point home to the audience. His resolve is so imperative that he emphasizes key phrases so that the audience can gauge the importance of his words and take action.

"All of us have suffered here, in this country, political oppression at the hands of the white man, economic exploitation at the hands of the white man, and social degradation at the hands of the white man."

Short Sentences
The short sentences are typically the aforementioned points that Malcolm wants to deliver. They are short, hard-hitting, and simple to understand.



"It's got to be either the ballot or the bullet."


Long Sentences (Types of long sentences)


7) What other things does Malcolm X use for effect?

Personal Anecdote:
"I was in Washington, D.C., a week ago Thursday, when they were debating whether or not they should let the bill come onto the floor..."