Martin Luther King Jr. applies imagery throughout his speech in order to illustrate the horrors of the war to arouse anger at its atrocities and injustice. By repeating the phrase, "for the sake," he creates a rhythmic flow that causes his audience to be more receptive to his idea. Acting almost as a climax, King lyrically urges his audience to voice their opinions and wage a war against this unjustified war in Vietnam. For these practical and logical reasons, the church should join the opposition. "The Fine Art of Baloney Detection" Essay by Carl Sagan. 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. Dr. Kings purpose is to make the church leaders he is speaking to aware that the time has come for them to speak out loudly in opposition of the war in Vietnam. However, he is about to arm them with many valid reasons why it is crucial for them to join the opposition. The image of death, as powerful as it is, becomes amplified when Martin Luther King associates the injustices of segregation with the Vietnam war. He does this by appealing to certain issues the public see as important, using irony, and using diction and tone in persuasive ways. Finally, Martin Luther King Jr. uses parallelism within his own reflection to evoke emotions in his audience to show that . As a leader of his people, King took the stand to take radical measures to overcome the false promises of the sovereign government that had been addressing the issues of racial segregation through unimplemented transparent laws that did nothing to change the grim realities of the society. For example, King says, We have waited for more than 340 years for our constitutional and God given rights (2). He wants them to go back to their churches and spread the message. 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. King Jr knew that war creates confusion and that his audiences mind was boggled with questions. 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. Apart from being an advocate of Mahatma Gandhi's idea of nonviolence, Martin Luther King Jr was a great leader and rhetor of all times. StudyCorgi, 4 May 2022, studycorgi.com/the-speech-beyond-vietnam-a-time-to-break-silence-by-martin-luther-king-jr-rhetorical-analysis/. The American intervention came at a time when the Vietnamese were expecting freedom and peaceful life and it came in a manner that was even devastating compared to the French occupation. (2016, Nov 14). Ethos, the appeal to the legitimacy and authority of the speaker, is used throughout the speech. He offers many practical reasons for the opposition, as well as spiritual and moral reasons. We try to make TeenInk.com the best site it can be, and we take your feedback very seriously. Moreover, it is the poor and the helpless mainly who are falling prey to this war game. Manacles of discrimination, Lonely island of poverty and Chains of discrimination paint a bleak picture of life as a minority in America, and contrasts phrases such as Bright day of justice and Sacred obligation which symbolize freedom. 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. This special lyrical and parallel structure helped get his main points across and allows a large audience to understand simple but powerful words (Layfield) . His use of diction and imagery arouses anger while increasing his credibility since he criticizes the unjust war he describes. At the heart of their concerns, this query has often loomed large and loud: Why are you speaking about the war, Dr. King? Why are you joining the voices of dissent?(King). Moreover, Martin Luther King states that after the French were defeated, it looked as if independence and land reform would come again through the Geneva Agreement (King). Despite criticism from speaking out about things other than civil rights, King uses syntax, rhetorical strategies, and appeals to . Finally, Martin Luther King Jr. uses parallelism within his own reflection to evoke emotions in his audience to show that . 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. The rhetoric helps prove how the poor lived worse in the, King, a supporter of President Lyndon B. Johnson and his Great Society, became concerned about U.S. involvement in Vietnam. Retrieved from https://studycorgi.com/the-speech-beyond-vietnam-a-time-to-break-silence-by-martin-luther-king-jr-rhetorical-analysis/, StudyCorgi. Choose skilled expert on your subject and get original paper with free plagiarism He also states, I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. However, the persuasiveness of his speeches does not come solely from his ability to connect with his audience's emotions but from an extraordinary ability to reason and validate his point. Later in his speech, King writes again using an advanced vocabulary to reinforce his academic background with, America would never be free or saved from itself until the descendants of its slaves were loosed completely from the shackles they still wear. By using the word shackles, the reader can easily create a vivid image in their mind of how restricted the poor must feel, and whether it be physically or mentally, they can understand how much the restrained are longing for a sense of freedom. His first reasons are all about practicality. The most famous speeches in the United States history all have utilized rhetoric devices and strategies. You are free to use it to write your own assignment, however you must reference it properly. For example, this quote personifies war as being an enemy. But be assured that my tears have been tears of love (8). The war lasted from 1955 to 1975.The nation as a whole began to uproar over the war and the major consequences of the war. Kings letter is a response to those in the church who have critizied him, Yet, instead of apologizing, he stands strong for his cause and turns it around on them stating his own critisim. Rhetorical Analysis of MLK's Speech "Beyond Vietnam". These statements serve to communicate to the audience that the speaker is someone of authority and should be listened to. All rights reserved. He evaluates the psychological as well as social, political and economic implications of America's participation in Vietnam war. 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). It also describes the Jim Crow laws and the busboy cot from 1955. He picks from history as well as politics and also supports his choices with philosophical wisdom. Furthermore, when these stylistic elements are concluded with his use of parallelism, King effectively establishes America's involvement in the Vietnam War as unjust. describing the ways in which the war is detrimental to the American people, King writes that "Vietnam. Rodriguez 1 Melanie Rodriguez Ms. Jimenez Composition II 20 October, 2017 A Rhetorical Analysis of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Beyond Vietnam" "Never be afraid to do what's right. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. (These links will automatically appear in your email.). King also links the issue to the question of Americas integrity. 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. Overall, the effective use of various rhetorical strategies is what makes the speech so valuable. We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. Additionally, by constructing an optimistic view on the civil rights situation during that time period and immediately refuting it, King is able to establish a strong sense of, Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most influential leaders of his time and played a crucial role in the African-American Civil Rights movement. Finally, as the speech comes to a close, King writes, If Americas soul becomes totally poisoned, part of the autopsy must read: Vietnam. King goes so far as to suggest that the war will bring America to its death if it continues overlooking the problems Americans are facing at home. On April 4, 1967 at Riverside Church in New York, MLK delivered "Beyond Vietnam" , which created a different perspective on the Vietnam war, in which is a negative thing. Pathos is a method applied to represent an appeal to feelings and emotions in a speech and other various kinds of writing. What Is the Macro Environment in Business Analysis? His pleas are first to the audiences sense of logic and their immediate concerns for their own country. Retrieved from https://graduateway.com/rhetorical-analysis-of-martin-luther-kings-beyond-vietnam-a-time-to-break-silence/, Rhetorical of Analysis of Martin Luther Kings, I Have a Dream Speech, Break, Break, Break by Alfred Lord Tennyson Analysis, Martin Luther King Jr.: A Civil Rights Activist Who Changed, Rhetorical Analysis Martin Luther King Jr. versus Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr. 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.". King supports his discussion by establishing authority and appealing to his listeners emotions. His speech emphasizes at transitioning from war to peace and from violence to a nonviolent and peaceful society. He does this when he writes, "It was a step that rocked the richest, most powerful nation to its foundations" (King 96-97). StudyCorgi. For instance, he starts by stating the effects of the Vietnam War forced the American poverty program: "experiments, hopes, new beginnings." 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. [emailprotected] 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. 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." In other words, the resources were used for the soldiers, yet the poor still needed them just as so. He successfully proves that The United States has done far more harm to the Vietnamese than good. King uses emotional words and descriptions to capture the audiences attention and convey the injustices caused by the Vietnam War. May 4, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/the-speech-beyond-vietnam-a-time-to-break-silence-by-martin-luther-king-jr-rhetorical-analysis/. Read a rhetorical analysis of Martin Luther King Jr's Beyond Vietnam: Time to break silence. 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. Therefore, to remain silent would truly be betrayal. To make his claims stand out and have a deeper impact, he uses instances from Vietnamese history to show the level of injustice faced by its people how war has destabilized them. Registered address: Louki Akrita, 23 Bellapais Court, Flat/Office 46 1100, Nicosia, Cyprus Recognizing that citizens in poverty were not able to support their families while away from home at war, Martin Luther King included that war [and being enlisted in battle was] an enemy of poor to demonstrate how even though any man could be drafted, the economically stable left behind support for their family while the impoverished were ineligible of doing so (Source A). King Jr delivered his "Beyond Vietnam -- A Time to Break Silence" in 1967 in NewYork City. In a solemn tone, he talks about their crops being destroyed and their water being poisoned, presumably referring to Agent Orange. During this time period there was a lot of controversy surrounding the war. 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. Rhetorical Analysis, Martin Luther King Rhetorical Devices Analysis, Rhetorical Analysis of Martin Luther King Jr.S Speech, A Rhetorical Analysis Journey Through Martin Luther King Jr.s SpeechI Have a Dream. He says 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. King uses this statement to point out the inconsistency with America trying to establish freedom far away before establishing freedom on their own home soil. Martin Luther King Jr proves to all throughout his speech "Beyond Vietnam --- A Time to Break Silence" that the Vietnam war was unjust by his use of emotional diction, the allusion of Jim crow, and repetition. If you are the original creator of this paper and no longer wish to have it published on StudyCorgi, request the removal. Likewise, during this time period, America [put little effort into] rehabilitation of its poor creating an even harder life for them (Source A). This paper was written and submitted to our database by a student to assist your with your own studies. "The Speech Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence by Martin Luther King, Jr: Rhetorical Analysis." Rhetorical Analysis of MLK's Speech "Beyond Vietnam", Key Ingredients to Being a Successful Student. Favorite Quote:Failures help one grow as a person. To help his audience see that Vietnam is only madness, a wastage of resources and an ignorance of more pressing concerns, King once again affirms that war was never a means of peace. Martin Luther King Jr. Src: Pixabay Read a rhetorical analysis of Martin Luther King Jr's Beyond Vietnam: Time to break silence. Favorite Quote:Make as many as mistakes as you want, just don't make the same mistake. He uses metaphorical imagery, powerful diction,and symbolism to create an impact on the audience. He mentions that the war has led to the increase of violence in . He applies ethos to establish credibility, pathos to appeal to emotions, and logos to support his claims with hard evidence. submit it as your own as it will be considered plagiarism. 663 Words; It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. (King). If you use an assignment from StudyCorgi website, it should be referenced accordingly. Not to mention, many young people protested because they were the ones being drafted while others were against the war because the anti-war movement grew increasingly popular among the counterculture and drug culture in American society and. Many great speeches are increasingly different. 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. 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. Martin Luther King Jr. applies imagery throughout his speech in order to illustrate the horrors of the war to arouse anger at its atrocities and injustice. 2022. To get his point through and make the meaning clear, King uses phrases like break the silence of the night, a vocation of agony, based upon the mandates of conscience, deeper level of awareness. While pathos elicits an emotional response from the audience to make them more accepting of Kings ideas, repetition structures the speech and emphasizes key ideas for the audience to take away from listening. He spoke at Riverside Church in New York City, a venue that had a history of hosting progressive speakers and thinkers. The speaker comments, that they wander into the hospitals with at least twenty casualties from American firepower for one Vietcong-inflicted injury. It also uses a bit of strong imagery. Martin Luther King Jr proves to all throughout his speech Beyond Vietnam --- A Time to Break Silence that the Vietnam war was unjust by his use of emotional diction, the allusion of Jim crow, and repetition. King uses personal anecdotes, elaborate word choice, and reliable facts to persuade his audience of the injustice of the war. (21). 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. To further strengthen, the credibility of his argument and question the morality behind the war, he says, Since I am a preacher by calling, I suppose it is not surprising that I have seven major reasons for bringing Vietnam into the field of my moral vision. He calls the situation some idle political plaything of a society gone mad on war. 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. If you have a suggestion about this website or are experiencing a problem with it, or if you need to report abuse on the site, please let us know. us: [emailprotected]. StudyCorgi. Favorite Quote:What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. Dream like you will live forever, live like you will die today. The Braveheart speech, while famous for being powerful, is very different from another powerful speech, the one from Dead Poets Society. Encompassed within this quote is pathos because the harsh accusation leads the reader to think poorly of the government while pitying the poor. In his second paragraph, he connects with his audience by saying we have been repeatedly faced, For instance, in the second paragraph of his speech, he says, I could not be silent in the face of such cruel manipulation of the poor. The words silent, cruel, and manipulation speak out to an audience, especially for one that has faced hardship themselves in times of need. In his speech, Beyond Vietnam- A Time to Break Silence Martin Luther King Jr., uses appeals to emotion, appeals to credibility, and powerful diction to strengthen his argument and persuade his audience that the Vietnam War is unjust. Get original paper in 3 hours and nail the task. He is using vivid language to describe the casualties; however, they are also supported by evidence, as he is using precise numbers in this part of the speech. The speech deemed racial segregation to be an inhumane practice that subdivides society into groups that essentially alienate them from the true sense of humanity; which is brotherhood. 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. This demonstrates to the audience that he realizes it is going to be difficult for them to speak out in opposition of the government. By claiming that the United States, "the greatest purveyor of violence," prefers, "massive doses of violence to solve its problems," King effectively establishes the U.S. government as the pervasive wrongdoer. On April 4, 1967, Martin Luther King delivered his first major public statement against the Vietnam War, entitled "Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break the Silence." Addressing a crowd of 3,000 at Riverside Church in New York City, King condemned the war as anti-democratic, impractical, and unjust. Please enter the email address that you use to login to TeenInk.com, and we'll email you instructions to reset your password. Rhetorical Mlk Speech "Beyond Vietnam". In Dr. Martin Luther Kings speech Beyond VietnamA Time to Break Silence (1967), Dr. King asserts that the war in Vietnam is totally immoral and has far reaching negative implications not only for Vietnam, but for The United States and the rest of the World as well. Dr. King's purpose is to make the church leaders he is speaking to aware that All of the valid arguments and vivid imagery Dr. King uses combine to make this a very effective, passionate and memorable speech. He notes how essential it is to break silence before all hope is lost. The speech was given to a large, mixed audience of primarily civil rights activists. 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. 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. A lot of parts from Martin Luther Kings dream have come true, but it is still not all that is how King wanted it to be. Martin Luther King Jr. disagreed with the way the war was being handled, and thought nonviolent demonstrations would be more efficient. 4 May. King builds an effective argument by using imagery, noting the irony associated with the war, and pointing out the contrast between America before the war and America then. His use of diction and imagery arouses anger while increasing his credibility since he criticizes the unjust war he describes. He spoke at Riverside Church in New York City, a venue that had a history of hosting progressive speakers and thinkers. The Speech Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence by Martin Luther King, Jr: Rhetorical Analysis. 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). https://studycorgi.com/the-speech-beyond-vietnam-a-time-to-break-silence-by-martin-luther-king-jr-rhetorical-analysis/. Showing his knowledge of the history of the war and using it to discredit the United States reason for being there is crucial to Dr. King in developing his position. 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. This use of repetitive language conveys urgency and shows that he deeply believes the churches may influence the government if they speak against the war. 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. His main purpose was to try to persuade the audience to . As example, King uses I have a dream that one day and Let freedom ring.. to open his points on how Americans should change against racial indifferences. It encompasses all humanity and not just America. 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. King draws sympathy for his cause from the reader who sees the unjustness of the situation he and his followers are dealing with. Public opinion steadily turned against the war following 1967 and by 1970 only a third of Americans believed that the U.S. had not made a mistake by sending troops to fight in Vietnam (Wikipedia). He also says the war is further crippling the poor in the United States by sending a disproportional number of them to the front lines to die. First of all, King makes his point clear by appealing to the reader's common sense, beliefs and values (logos). StudyCorgi. Supplemental understanding of the topic including revealing main issues described in the particular theme; King is well aware that an audience that experiences strong emotional response to this speech is more likely to be convinced of his. He shows a strong theme of determination, along with dedication, and perseverance. This paper examines the conditions of the Afro-Americans lives from 1960-today with focus on education, work, income, police brutality and criminality. If you have a suggestion about this website or are experiencing a problem with it, or if you need to report abuse on the site, please let us know. He expresses that the first step toward equality as the earth moving and nations running with fear. In case you can't find a relevant example, our professional writers are ready In this way, while he successfully draws a parallel between the struggles of Vietnamese people and that of the Americans, he also lays the foundation for the next stages of his argument. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. Acasestudy.com 2007-2019 All rights reserved. He attempts to call upon sympathy within the audience by using highly expressive language. Rhetorical Analysis Of Beyond Vietnam A Time To Break Silence In the speech "Beyond Vietnam- A Time to Break Silence," by Martin Luther King Jr. he expresses his opinion on how the Vietnam war is unjust. Additionally, when King claims that all this horror is in the name of America, he appeals to his audiences 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. To achieve this, he used rhetorical strategies such as appeal to pathos and repetition. He also makes an emotional plea by vividly describing the conditions in Vietnam. Perhaps a new spirit is rising among us. Is Hydrogen Fuel Efficient Enough to Replace Fossil Fuels in the Near Future. Which of your works would you like to tell your friends about? 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. 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. The author is using pathos as one of his central rhetorical strategies. 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. Moreover, this set of diction allows King to logically state that he can not continue to fight on behalf of the oppressed if he himself doesnt address their oppressor, the U.S. government. For instance, he does when he depicts the, 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. The image of death, as powerful as it is, becomes amplified when Martin Luther King associates the injustices of segregation with the Vietnam war. 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. King calms the African Americans who are being oppressed by using the words, this situation can and will be changed. and Let us not wallow in the valley of despair. which gives them hope that there will be a new day when a change will take place.