Beyond Vietnam -- A Time to Break Silence - American Rhetoric Rhetorical Analysis of MLK's Speech "Beyond Vietnam" He says, And we must rejoice as well, for surely this is the first time in our nation's history that a significant number of its religious leaders have chosen to move beyond the prophesying of smooth patriotism to the high grounds of a firm dissent based upon the mandates of conscience and the reading of history. writing your own paper, but remember to report, Rhetorical Analysis of Martin Luther Kings Beyond Vietnam: a Time to Break Silence. 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. What Is the Macro Environment in Business Analysis? In "Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence," Martin Luther King, a civil rights leader, uses his voice to bring attention to the injustices of race. Acting almost as a climax, King lyrically urges his audience to voice their opinions and wage a war against this unjustified war in Vietnam. Using the approach, the context of the speech will be analyzed according to the classical cannon of rhetorical. "The Fine Art of Baloney Detection" Essay by Carl Sagan. Moreover, Martin Luther King Jr meticulously chooses specific words that carry with them a negative connotation that helps associate the Vietnamese war with injustice. He does this by appealing to certain issues the public see as important, using irony, and using diction and tone in persuasive ways. Furthermore, when these stylistic elements are concluded with his use of parallelism, King effectively establishes Americas involvement in the Vietnam War as unjust. Martin Luther King Jr is an African American preacher and civil rights activist that along with every other African American male and female in 1976 was waging a war in America for their not-so-natural born rights. By continuing well 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 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. The image of death, as powerful as it is, becomes amplified when Martin Luther King associates the injustices of segregation with the Vietnam war. 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." He spoke at Riverside Church in New York City, a venue that had a history of hosting progressive speakers and thinkers. To this day, Kings speech remains one of the most famous and influential speeches in, Martin Luther King was a determined activist for equality for all. 1) Controversial Opinions of MLK 2) Religious figure talking about political problems 3) Malcolm X and his ideas Fitting Response EXIGENCY First Persona-Martin Luther King Second Persona-American Population and the Civil Rights Movement Third Persona- Vietnamese Population In order to convince his audience that the civil rights movement in the United States should oppose the Vietnam War, the speaker appealed to their ethos, pathos, and logos. Also, if you have a comment about a particular piece of work on this website, please go to the page where that work is displayed and post a comment on it. 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). Nothing could be lower than being placed parallel to the senseless violence of Nazi Germany. Moreover, it is the poor and the helpless mainly who are falling prey to this war game. Rhetorical devices are included in Martin Luther Kings speeches to prove conflict. For instance, he starts by stating the effects of the Vietnam War forced the American poverty program: "experiments, hopes, new beginnings." He uses the word 'We', connecting with the audience and ensuring them that together they will bring change to social conditions and attitudes. 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. 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 ". King demonstates this by saying, In deep disappointment, I have wept over the laxity of the church. On April 4, 1967, Martin Luther King, Jr., an enormously influential civil rights activist, conveys his indignant and hopeful thoughts regarding the Vietnam War, in his speech "Beyond Vietnam," by utilizing biblical allusion, anaphora, and use of diction. Rhetorical Analysis Of Mlk's Beyond Vietnam - 419 Words | Cram The irony is explicit in Kings words that the war is just an attempt to cover and hide the more pressing issues before America. Through the emotional, destruction of America's effort to support the war, King's powerful use of diction talking the loss of desire and new lives causes the audience to feel sorry for the poor of America. 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. They now also understand that the Vietnam War plays a bigger role in America than just the men gone to war, it affects others too, like them. His speech emphasizes at transitioning from war to peace and from violence to a nonviolent and peaceful society. Furthermore his speech did not. Furthermore, such a vivid picture will linger permanently in the audiences mind, which will make them think about the terrible outcome in the future. 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. 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. To start, Dr. Kings use of metaphors allows his audience to understand his viewpoint better. 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. King uses personal anecdotes, elaborate word choice, and reliable facts to persuade his audience of the injustice of the war. Logos appeals to reasoning and argumentation by applying statistics, factual evidence, and data. Rhetorical Analysis Of Beyond Vietnam | ipl.org Rhetorical Analysis of Martin Luther King's "Beyond Vietnam - StudyMode His audience at Riverside Church, likely familiar with his Civil Rights work, would most likely than view him with more credibility because they too could sympathize to an injustice done by the American government. Beyond Vietnam Rhetorical Analysis Essay.docx - Course Hero King spoke for the weak that did not have the voices to speak for themselves; for example, he represented the poor. For example, he writes vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will, drown your sisters and brothers and hated filled policemen even kill your brothers and sisters (3). In addition, his use of parallelism allows him to appeal to his audience's pity for the oppressed in order for him to express his call to action, a call for activism that goes beyond Vietnam. By repeating the phrase, "for the sake," he creates a rhythmic flow that causes his audience to be more receptive to his idea. Later, he mentions, 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. (King). 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 a sense, he dives right into the idea that it is unrealistic for them to find freedom in a region halfway across the world when they couldnt even find it in America. He picks from history as well as politics and also supports his choices with philosophical wisdom. Then the segregation of African Americans and White Americans started. For example, in paragraph 7, King discusses the harsh reality of the war. 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. War is expensive. (2022, May 4). Overall, Martin Luther King Jr. eloquently argues against the United States involvement in Vietnam through his use of parallelism, diction, and imagery. The idea of nonviolence is much larger than ordinary people see. 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. Overall, Martin Luther King Jr. eloquently argues against the United States involvement in Vietnam through his use of parallelism, diction, and imagery. 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.". The third section is King's call for change. In his essay, Dr. King uses the metaphor America has given the Negro people a bad check, which came back marked insufficient funds (46). Dr. King plainly states his purpose near the beginning of his speech. (21). With an urgent tone, he repeats the phrase, we must speak (4), several times. They all had the same goal, but took a different approach with their speeches, and how they would rally support to improve racial equality. To achieve this, he used rhetorical strategies such as appeal to pathos and repetition. In Dr. Martin Luther King's 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. In short, this makes the audience more inclined to listen to the rest of Martin Luther king Jr's speech, as well as setting the bottom line that the Vietnam War creates devastating problems for everyone. If he had not shown knowledge of the background of the war, it would be easy to dismiss his other pleas as lofty religious ideals. 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. King draws sympathy for his cause from the reader who sees the unjustness of the situation he and his followers are dealing with. 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. Also, if you have a comment about a particular piece of work on this website, please go to the page where that work is displayed and post a comment on it. Ironic elements are evident in abundance throughout Kings speech which elicit an comical tone and draws on the reality of the war. BEYOND VIETNAM- " Martin Luther King" by Anne Marie Paintsil - Prezi King is effectively able to convey his point about his topic by using rhetorical devices such as logos, ethos, pathos. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair. (King). (2022) 'The Speech Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence by Martin Luther King, Jr: Rhetorical Analysis'. The speech was given to a large, mixed audience of primarily civil rights activists. Is Hydrogen Fuel Efficient Enough to Replace Fossil Fuels in the Near Future. A comment like this doesnt leave the reader unmoved. How about receiving a customized one? 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. You are free to use it to write your own assignment, however you must reference it properly. 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. 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. Please note that while we value your input, we cannot respond to every message. Despite criticism from speaking out about things other than civil rights, King uses syntax, rhetorical strategies, and appeals to . In a similar light, King addressed the speech I have a dream to a peaceful mass gathering in Washington asking for change. He evaluates the psychological as well as social, political and economic implications of America's participation in Vietnam war. When he argues that the wars 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. Finally, Martin Luther King Jr. uses parallelism within his own reflection to evoke emotions in his audience to show that . He was in the process of proving that it wasn 't a money issue in America, but an equality issue. Then Dr. King says that the church should oppose the war simply because it is counter to the ministry of Jesus Christ. King argues that all people are created equal and directly challenged the outdated and abhorrent views that upheld the false flag of racial superiority among White Americans. 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. 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. The persuasive techniques utilized by King Jr are aimed at making people think over the outcomes of Vietnam war and if it was not against Americas integrity. Luther starts off by explaining that Vietnam heavily takes away valuable money of the US. He states, repeatedly, To begin, King uses figurative language in the first half of his speech to highlight the destructive nature of the war, strengthening his overall position. 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. He spoke at Riverside Church in New York City, a venue that had a history of hosting progressive speakers and thinkers. He believed that the Vietnam War diverted money and attention from domestic programs created to aid the black poor and would benefit only the banks who fund wars and the industries that supply the war. However, his words while they aim to bring the pain of the Vietnamese alive before the audience also include a request that a progressive nation should stand with humanity and not lose control of its feelings. The author here is using statistics to present the horrifying picture of the Vietnam War. 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). Would you like to get a custom case study? However, a very powerful speech, in manys opinion, is the Ive Been to the Mountaintop speech, given shortly before Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. Moreover, Martin Luther King Jr meticulously chooses specific words that carry with them a negative connotation that helps associate the Vietnamese war with injustice. So, what America is doing to other nations like Vietnam also matters. Read More Use Of Nonviolence In Cesar Chavez's Speech 409 Words | 2 Pages Martin Luther King Jr. was extremely passionate about nonviolence. It is just a continuation of the regimes that have been trying to oppress the Vietnamese. 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/. Read a rhetorical analysis of Martin Luther King Jr's Beyond Vietnam: Time to break silence. StudyCorgi. May 4, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/the-speech-beyond-vietnam-a-time-to-break-silence-by-martin-luther-king-jr-rhetorical-analysis/. 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. 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. submit it as your own as it will be considered plagiarism. If you are the original creator of this paper and no longer wish to have it published on StudyCorgi, request the removal. Choose skilled expert on your subject and get original paper with free plagiarism Rhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther King Beyond Vietnam 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. On August 28th, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr gave us one of one of the most rhetorically moving speeches ever given. https://studycorgi.com/the-speech-beyond-vietnam-a-time-to-break-silence-by-martin-luther-king-jr-rhetorical-analysis/. 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. 663 Words; 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. In his speech on the meaninglessness of the Vietnam war and to persuade the audience to listen to its own conscience rather than to conform to the idea of war in the name of patriotism, King Jr draws from the realms of economy, society, polity as well as religion and philosophy. Additionally, Kings statement that Southeast Asia is eight thousand miles away strengthens the irony by making Southeast Asia seem like a place which is completely disconnected from America. King is effectively able to convey his point about his topic by using rhetorical devices such as logos, ethos, pathos. This demonstrates to the audience that he realizes it is going to be difficult for them to speak out in opposition of the government. 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). Thank you for sharing this page with a friend! 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 doesn't address their oppressor, the U.S. government. 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. "beyond Vietnam-A Time To Break Silence" Rhetorical Analysis 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. Get original paper in 3 hours and nail the task. The problems being faced by either America or Vietnam were never going to be solved through rifles but through peaceful and nonviolent action. Favorite Quote:Failures help one grow as a person. Please enter the email address that you use to login to TeenInk.com, and we'll email you instructions to reset your password. 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. We try to make TeenInk.com the best site it can be, and we take your feedback very seriously. He mentions that the war has led to the increase of violence in . Analyzes the literary device martin luther king jr. uses in his speech is allusions, adding to the importance on how awful the vietnam war was corrupting the united states. Dr. King says, Even when pressed by the demands of inner truth, men do not easily assume the task of opposing their governments policy, especially in time of war (3). 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. Dream like you will live forever, live like you will die today.