Old Major Speech Rhetorical Analysis

Martin Luther King was willing to sacrifice his freedom, and his life to obtain and justify racial equality all throughout America. In the “letter from Birmingham Jail” King writes about many terrible and violent acts the whites committed against the blacks. Dr. King also goes in further discussing about how tough it is for the black children to learn with all the discrimination. “When you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six-year-old daughter why she can’t go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that Fun town is closed to colored children, and see ominous clouds of inferiority beginning to form in her little mental sky, and see her beginning to distort her personality by developing an unconscious bitterness toward white people….” Dr. King uses an effective use of appeal because it gives the reader an issue which most can relate too.

Martin Luther King uses this ability he has in writing to the clergymen about the struggles the black race has faced, in order to detail the history of the dehumanization the white race has ordered upon blacks for many years. King is attempting to show that it is unfair and daunting towards the black community to face these discriminations every day. King when mentioning discrimination, says ¨We have waited for more than 340 years for our constitutional and God given rights . . . Perhaps it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation to say, "Wait." But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; [when you have to tell your six-year-old daughter] Funktown is closed to colored children, and see ominous clouds of inferiority beginning to form in her little mental sky, and see her beginning to distort her personality by developing an unconscious bitterness toward white people;¨(3).

Ironic elements are evident in abundance throughout King’s speech which elicit an comical tone and draws on the reality of the war. King makes the nation appears as hypocrites because Americans pretend to fight as a united nation whereas segregation is among the same schools, the same neighborhood, the same country. The fact that “young black men are being sent [across the world] to fight for the liberties in Southeast Asia, which they [have] not found in Georgia and East Harlem” questions the validity of America’s founding principles of the unalienable rights of every individual; life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

I chose The Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin. I am very familiar with it because I did a project on it, so I will be able to explain it in greater detail than if I had chosen another story. It was quite enjoyable and informative, too, so I find it interesting to discuss. The Autobiography is about Franklin’s journey to become a better person. He originally wanted to become perfect, but he was never able to achieve this goal.

Jones and the pigs. At the start of the film the farm is shown as an unfair and unhappy place and that’s why the animals decide to have a meeting in the barn. During the meeting old major discussed the “miserable, laborious and short” lives of his fellow animals. When Mr. Jones is running the farm the animals are worked as slaves and get just enough food to keep breath in their bodies and killed mercilessly when they are not useful anymore. Old Major relates a dream that he had the previous night, of a world in which animals live without the cruelty of men and they are free, happy, well fed, and treated with dignity.

MLK has an encouraging and patient tone, that illustrates his pathos, of being able to show his emotions in his words. In his letter, he states, “As in so many experiences of the past, we were confronted with blasted hopes, and the dark shadow of a deep disappointment settled upon us” (2). Shows that through many situations he has gone through, he has suffered through disappointment, and that many times he tries to be strong for himself and others. But there was always this shadow, that represented the rejection of the whites, being able to know that what they are doing is very wrong. In his life, he has always been told this, “For years now I have heard the word “wait.”

MLK knows that people can sense doubt, so he demonstrates himself as a blazing leader that is certainly on the podium. In his speech, MLK used vivid language often paired with imagery to build his cause and define the problem, and pronouns such as “we” and “us” invoke

MLK justifies his actions through making problems in segregation clear to the reader, but there are details that weaken his argument. MLK puts into view the injustice of being discriminated by a law and the wrongs that happen to the minorities. The morality of segregation is put on the spot and thoroughly questioned by MLK. Although he make a great argument his comparisons and apology does not help his

Martin Luther King Jr. was an important figure in gaining civil rights throughout the 1960’s and he’s very deserving of that title as seen in both his “I Have a Dream” speech and his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” letter. In both of these writings Dr. King uses logos - logical persuasion - and pathos - emotional appeal - to change the opinions of people who were for segregation and against civil rights. Although King was arrested for a nonviolent protest, he still found a way to justify his actions with the use of logos and pathos. MLK uses both ways to gain the attention and agreement of the audience but, he uses pathos not just more, but in a more relatable way in order to appeal to his audience.

On August 28th, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr gave us one of one of the most rhetorically moving speeches ever given. Titled as the “I Have a Dream Speech,” he read this speech to the “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom”. As a civil right mover he gave this great speech to all Americans (black and white) so that he could give off the idea of equality on the same level. Because of his crowd of mix races King made sure to make his speech imploring to all no matter what the race that they may be. He uses metaphorical imagery, powerful diction,and symbolism to create an impact on the audience.

“...when you are harried by day and haunted by night by the fact that you are Negro, living constantly at tiptoe stance, never quite knowing what to expect next, and are plagued with inner fears and outer resentments; when you are forever fighting a degenerating sense of “nobodiness”- then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait. There comes a time when the cup of endurance runs over, and men are no longer willing to be plunged into the abyss of despair. I hope, sirs, you can understand our legitimate and unavoidable impatience.” (MLK, 276). King uses this strong sense of appeal to emotion to engross his readers and let them know how hard it is for them.

Imagine being given the responsibility of addressing a nation, that does not at all want anything to do with directly joining the war, during the midst of the Second World War. This was the task given to Franklin D. Roosevelt on December 29, 1940. The American people wanted to stay as far away from war as possible but as the Nazis were moving in on Britain, Roosevelt realized that if Americans didn’t want to join the war, they could still help and he had some major convincing to do. Britain was at war and losing against the more powerful Nazi Germany, the Axis powers were trying to manipulate people into believing that what they were doing was strictly for protection purposes and their intentions were nothing but good. Truthfully the Nazis

The book Animal Farm is an allegory which corresponds to the Russian Revolution. In the book, the animals take over the farm and run the humans off of the property. They are tired of being treated cruelly and decide to take things into their own matters. This is where “war” between animal and man start. The Russian Revolution had much in common with this but also has its differences.

Based on the action the animals have taken it is quite clear that they have rebelled against Mr. Jones and his alliances. Although the animals rebelled against the human race because Old Major convinced them that the humans are responsible for their suffering and labor on animal farm, the animals still have to endure labor in order for animal farm to stay on it foundations and remain viable. Also, because the humans surround the animals it might be hard for them to fortify themselves to continue following Old Major’s guidance before he died. Although the animals wanted to get rid of the human race, the animals themselves are perpetrating actions and a mentality that a human would follow. By the animals having a mentality of rebellion it is

He tells the animals about a dream he had where animals live without humans. Old Major decides that anything that walks on two legs are enemies and all four legged animals are