Rhetorical Analysis of MLK's Speech "Beyond Vietnam". His choice of diction and use of imagery help him deliver his point effectively in a manner that impresses both the audience's heart and mind. (These links will automatically appear in your email.). He calls the situation some idle political plaything of a society gone mad on war. Don't let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game. In Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech "Beyond Vietnam- A Time to Break Silence", delivered at Riverside Church in New York City on April 4, 1967, he claims that the American involvement in the Vietnam War is unjust. Likewise, the image of men, both black and while, "in brutal solidarity burning the huts of a poor village," helps establish the war in Vietnam as a complete disaster and atrocity. Martin Luther King notes that we have been repeatedly faced with the cruel irony of watching Negro and white boys on TV screens as they kill and die together for a nation that has been unable to seat them together in the same schools (King). And, to argue that King 's most radical days were never fulfilled; that his next campaign was to confront the president over the Vietnam War and economic disparity, a direct confrontation with a president over an immoral war state Hill and Wang from the book review. In multiple paragraphs of his speech, King effectively appeals to emotion by using personal anecdotes that involve him speaking to people of poverty directly. Dr. King paints a vivid, heart-wrenching picture of the devastation in Vietnam. Registered address: Louki Akrita, 23 Bellapais Court, Flat/Office 46 1100, Nicosia, Cyprus King also links the issue to the question of Americas integrity. By repeating the phrase, "for the sake," he creates a rhythmic flow that causes his audience to be more receptive to his idea. King is well aware that an audience that experiences strong emotional response to this speech is more likely to be convinced of his. Artifact One: Beyond Vietnam: A Rhetorical Analysis An Analysis of Martin Luther King Jr's Beyond Vietnam Along with calming someone, you can inspire others with your, In Kings speech, the use of sensory and visceral language is abundant, creating an emotional and powerful atmosphere. Thank you! He is disappointed in te church and his disappointment is worse because he feels so strongly for the church, as is evident through his tears. Favorite Quote:Make as many as mistakes as you want, just don't make the same mistake. Some would be uninterested and some not knowing what to do. Martin luther king jr beyond vietnam speech analysis sat. Rhetorical King successfully brings out the irony behind the war through the use of figurative speech and plenty of imagery to paint a picture of destruction and doom in Vietnam. Martin Luther King Jr says in his first paragraph that,"It seemed as if there was a real promise fr hope to draw men and skills and money like some demonic destruction suction tube." War was an inhuman and barbaric exercise and America's participation was not in human interest. He states, Many people have questioned me about the wisdom of my path. The Speech Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence by Martin Luther King, Jr: Rhetorical Analysis. Is Hydrogen Fuel Efficient Enough to Replace Fossil Fuels in the Near Future. Martin Luther King Jr. was a social activist that led the Civil Rights Movement, and other movements until his assassination in 1968. But be assured that my tears have been tears of love (8). Rhetorical Analysis Pearl Harbor Speech - 519 Words | Cram Rhetorical Analysis In King's Beyond Vietnam. Apart from the use of ethos, pathos and logos in his speech, he builds a rock solid argument by involving religious figures and facts from history and philosophy. King was establishing his point that America was more troubled about healing and adjusting other countries, but would never invest the same in their own country. cite it correctly. You may use it as a guide or sample for All of Dr. Kings arguments are very effective. This makes the irony explicit and that Vietnam being a smaller and weaker nation was being made to face injustice which it never deserved or desired. Additionally, when King claims that all this horror is in the name of America, he appeals to his audience's anger, leading them to believe that it is time for them to break silence on the fact that the United States became involved in an unjust war in Vietnam. How about receiving a customized one? He talks about the innocent people killed in the crossfire, mostly children. Likewise, the image of men, both black and while, "in brutal solidarity burning the huts of a poor village," helps establish the war in Vietnam as a complete disaster and atrocity. Acasestudy.com 2007-2019 All rights reserved. America is overlooking its own poor and pouring resources into a war which does not offer any political, economic or social advantage. He then outlines the history of the war in Vietnam, showing that he is not simply preaching about religious ideals. 4 May. Perhaps the most convincing part of the speech is the emotional appeal. This is a logical fact with which no one can argue. Rhetorical Analysis of MLK's Speech "Beyond Vietnam" He does not want the church leaders to simply listen to his message. Please enter the email address that you use to login to TeenInk.com, and we'll email you instructions to reset your password. What Is the Macro Environment in Business Analysis? His speech emphasizes at transitioning from war to peace and from violence to a nonviolent and peaceful society. Need a custom essay sample written specially to meet your However, he wishes that they would have lived up to his respect, and continues to hope that they will do so in the future. All rights reserved. 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 Americas founding principles of the unalienable rights of every individual; life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is why he constructs an argument that will help people decide which side to stand with and which to not. This essay was written by a fellow student. For example, he says that if Americas soul becomes totally poisoned, part of the autopsy must read: Vietnam. King uses this metaphor to establish the potentially dreadful consequences of America continuing to fight the war. You are free to use it to write your own assignment, however you must reference it properly. He says, To me the relationship of this ministry to the making of peace is so obvious that I sometimes marvel at those who ask me why Im speaking against the war (12). Through his use of imagery, diction, and parallel structure, Martin Luther King Jr associates the war in Vietnam with injustice in his famous speech, "Beyond Vietnam - A Time to Break Silence.". Vietnam War Rhetorical Analysis - 896 Words | Bartleby Widely known for his work in the Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King Jr eventually also gained momentum in the anti-war movement against the war in Vietnam. The third section is King's call for change. The image of death, as powerful as it is, becomes amplified when Martin Luther King associates the injustices of segregation with the Vietnam war. This lecture became an explosive example of colorful language and visual examples that expanded the idea of rhetoric. Lastly, Martin Luther King uses logos in his famous speech. Using the approach, the context of the speech will be analyzed according to the classical cannon of rhetorical. King proved this partly with the quote, America would never invest the necessary funds in the rehabilitation of its poor so long as adventures like Vietnam continued (King, Beyond, 9). Through this speech, and his ideals of determination, many rhetorical devices are put to use to drive forth these points. Retrieved from https://studycorgi.com/the-speech-beyond-vietnam-a-time-to-break-silence-by-martin-luther-king-jr-rhetorical-analysis/, StudyCorgi. In this way, he personifies war as a demon that consumes people's lives and a nation's valuable resources which would otherwise be happy if it was not being ruined by bombs and bullets. assume youre on board with our, Martin Luther King Jr. vs. President Obama, https://graduateway.com/rhetorical-analysis-of-martin-luther-kings-beyond-vietnam-a-time-to-break-silence/. This is an attempt to connect with the audiences emotions and prove that the war was imposed on them and even if politicians call it patriotic, society and people would never love war. More importantly, King states that, the poor has been manipulated into believing a type of reality that simply isnt accurate or fair on their part. Acting almost as a climax, King lyrically urges his audience to voice their opinions and wage a war against this unjustified war in Vietnam. King Jr knew that war creates confusion and that his audiences mind was boggled with questions. There were many reasons why so many Americans were against the war. For these practical and logical reasons, the church should join the opposition. War makes the innocent lose hope and leaves behind horrific memories for generations on both sides. Introduction Martin Luther King, Jr in his speech "Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence" argued that US foreign policy was hypocritical when compared to the inequality present in the United States. He then paints a picture of the suffering endured by Vietnam and tells how the United States has a long history of doing the wrong thing to this tiny country. Along with, and the almost facile connection between the war in Vietnam, First, Martin Luther King Jr. uses emotional appeals to persuade his audience that the Vietnam War is unjust because it is unfairly killing the poor and its destroying the country. May 4, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/the-speech-beyond-vietnam-a-time-to-break-silence-by-martin-luther-king-jr-rhetorical-analysis/. Though disappointed, King still loves the church. Luther was a charismatic leader who took a firm stand against the oppressive and racist regime of the United States (US), devoting much of his life towards uniting the segregated African-American community of the US. Since the founding of the Americas in the late 1400s, slavery was a problem; until the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1862. Thank you! To construct a clear and strong picture and show how condemnable the war exercises in Vietnam were, King compared it with an arena of gladiators which even if it amuses and engages, is something absolutely animal and barbaric. His use of diction and imagery arouses anger while increasing his credibility since he criticizes the unjust war he describes. The war was only going to consume lives and resources. An Analysis of Martin Luther King Jr's Beyond Vietnam Martin Luther King Jr. builds an argument to persuade his audience that American involvement in the Vietnam War is unjust. Rhetorical Analysis In King's Beyond Vietnam He strengthens his argument through his use of rhetorical questions and an anecdote. King Jr makes a strong statement against war and his speech successfully evokes compassion and sympathy for the poor and the weak in both Vietnam and America. The paper concludes that Kings dream have not come true, but, Rhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther King Beyond Vietnam. Here, Martin Luther King Jr is getting the audience emotionally and completely invested by showing the effect of America in Vietnam on their lives. Rhetorical Analysis of MLK's Speech "Beyond Vietnam", Key Ingredients to Being a Successful Student. In Martin Luther King Jr's passionate speech about America's involvement in Vietnam, he manages to create a strong and compelling argument that America's involvement in unjust . Thomas 1 Javon Thomas Mrs. Yelton English 1301 - Period 4 14 September 2018 Beyond Vietnam Rhetorical Analysis Essay In Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech, Beyond Vietnam-A Time to Break Silence, King discusses his views on America's involvement in the Vietnam War. Beyond Vietnam- A Time to Break Silence speech delivered on April 4, 1967, revolved around the growing concern with America's involvement in the Vietnam war. Beyond Vietnam A Time To Break Silence Analysis - Bartleby He uses metaphorical imagery, powerful diction,and symbolism to create an impact on the audience. Furthermore the Kings parallel structure clarifies and highlights his intent by building up to a more important point. Through utilising figurative language to juxtapose optimistic progress and demonic destruction, King is able to emphasise how devastating the Vietnam War is. StudyCorgi. The line, For the sake of those boys, for the sake of this government, for the sake of the hundreds of thousands trembling under our violence, I cannot be silent, demonstrates how King uses parallelism. Analysis Of Beyond Vietnam: A Time To Break Silence By Martin | Cram Then came the buildup in Vietnam, and I watched this program broken and eviscerated, as if it were some idle political plaything of a society gone mad on war(8). He quotes Langston Hughes, in his speech to establish a connection between the struggle for civil liberty in United States and the oppression in Vietnam. A few lines after, King writes about the injustice the African-American community has faced, by stating, We were taking the black young men who had been crippled by our society and sending them eight thousand miles away to guarantee liberties in Southeast Asia which they had not found in southwest Georgia and East Harlem. To further show to the audience how his community has been suffering from the war, he uses a comparison statement between the facts to illustrate how freedom has been hard to attain. His main purpose was to try to persuade the audience to . King uses personal anecdotes, elaborate word choice, and reliable facts to persuade his audience of the injustice of the war. As he notes towards the end of his speech, "If we will make the right choice, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our world into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood ". Kings dialect showed the audience civil right issues, involving many rhetorical strategies using ethos, logos, and pathos, to a racially tempered crowd whom he viewed as different, but not equal. It also describes the Jim Crow laws and the busboy cot from 1955. Dream like you will live forever, live like you will die today. Dr. King's purpose is . Encompassed within this quote is pathos because the harsh accusation leads the reader to think poorly of the government while pitying the poor. He then goes on to reveal some of his more personal feelings. In conclusion, Martin Luther King, Jr uses ethos, pathos, and logos, among other rhetorical devices, to support his argument that American policy in Vietnam was inconsistent with its treatment of African-Americans in the United States. In this way, he condemns and questions the Vietnam war and its relevance at a time when America had several of its own major problems to address. He uses the word 'We', connecting with the audience and ensuring them that together they will bring change to social conditions and attitudes. report, Rhetorical Analysis of Martin Luther Kings Beyond Vietnam: a Time to Break Silence. Rhetorical Devices In Beyond Vietnam Speech | ipl.org Kings main motive was to persuade people to see how war was destroying lives, society and economy and being silent meant being in approval of the war. us: [emailprotected]. Despite having a shining moment of experiments, hopes, [and] new beginnings during the struggle for human rights, King illustrates the Vietnam War as broken and eviscerate and a political plaything of a society gone mad on war. No one should be restricted from rights and opportunities that others are given for that long. When he argues that the war's immoral nature should be "incandescently clear," he implies to his audience that those who do not voice their opinion against the war are not concerned for, "the integrity and life of America.".