He expresses his anguish at seeing people of Vietnam and America suffer and also notes that if American folks do not break their silence they stand to lose much more than their opponents. 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. 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. At ' (Document, The war in Vietnam to do this day has gone down as one of the influential and controversial wars in United States history. 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. 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 . This part of the speech is evoking violent images of death that would affect the emotions of the audience. 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. His masterful delivery of these metaphors and the frequent repetition makes the speech much like a poem or a part of a song. Dr. King paints a vivid, heart-wrenching picture of the devastation in Vietnam. 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. Src: Pixabay Read a rhetorical analysis of Martin Luther King Jr's Beyond Vietnam: Time to break silence. Furthermore, when these stylistic elements are concluded with his use of parallelism, King effectively establishes America's involvement in the Vietnam War as unjust. Furthermore, such a vivid picture will linger permanently in the audiences mind, which will make them think about the terrible outcome in the future. 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. 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. Luthers speech was a passionate rhetoric that preached his views about the future. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. King Jr knew that war creates confusion and that his audiences mind was boggled with questions. 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. StudyCorgi, 4 May 2022, studycorgi.com/the-speech-beyond-vietnam-a-time-to-break-silence-by-martin-luther-king-jr-rhetorical-analysis/. 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. The rhythm and frequent repetition are used to drive home his key points, stressing the importances of his goal. King demonstates this by saying, In deep disappointment, I have wept over the laxity of the church. 2 February 2013. Throughout the first paragraph of Kings speech, he used emotional diction with words such as struggle, poverty, and poor to prove that the war in Vietnam was bringing down the Americans and their families fighting overseas. 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 opinion on America's involvement in the Vietnam War. 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. 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. His passionate tone flowed through these strategies, increasing their persuasive power on the people and encouraging them to follow/listen to his message on racial injustice. Registered address: Louki Akrita, 23 Bellapais Court, Flat/Office 46 1100, Nicosia, Cyprus 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. 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. 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. Martin Luther King, Jr indicates that he is seen as a figure of authority by the civil rights movement. On April 4, 1967, King addressed a crowd of 3,000 in Riverside Church by delivering a speech titled, "Beyond Vietnam," in the midst of the cruelty of the Vietnam War. Public Speech. Please enter the email address that you use to login to TeenInk.com, and we'll email you instructions to reset your password. (2016, Nov 14). King uses personal anecdotes, elaborate word choice, and reliable facts to persuade his audience of the injustice of the war. On August 28th, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr gave us one of one of the most rhetorically moving speeches ever given. Furthermore the Kings parallel structure clarifies and highlights his intent by building up to a more important point. He means to make people ask questions of themselves and ponder over the meaninglessness and uselessness of war and what would remain behind once the war was over. 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. In case you can't find a relevant example, our professional writers are ready 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. 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 uses personal anecdotes, elaborate word choice, and reliable facts to persuade his audience of the injustice of the war. His first reasons are all about practicality. 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." Not only were they fighting for their own rights in 1976, but they were sending away the son, husbands, brothers of other Americans thousands of miles away to the country of Vietnam to fight an unjust war for the rights of the people in Southeast Asia. Which of your works would you like to tell your friends about? 663 Words; He evaluates the psychological as well as social, political and economic implications of America's participation in Vietnam war. Martin Luther King Jr. disagreed with the way the war was being handled, and thought nonviolent demonstrations would be more efficient. War was an inhuman and barbaric exercise and America's participation was not in human interest. 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 shows a strong theme of determination, along with dedication, and perseverance. 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. 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. 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. There were many reasons why so many Americans were against the war. Would you like to get a custom case study? 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. 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. 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. Supplemental understanding of the topic including revealing main issues described in the particular theme; - M.J. Many great speeches are increasingly different. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. (King). 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. Ironic elements are evident in abundance throughout Kings speech which elicit an comical tone and draws on the reality of the war. 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. King's criticism of the war as "broken and eviscerated," allows him to establish a disappointed tone that conveys the idea that the war is immoral and by doing so his precise word choice lets him to attack it as such. Here, at ACaseStudy.com, we deliver professionally written papers, and the best grades for you from your professors are guaranteed! Acting almost as a climax, King lyrically urges his audience to voice their opinions and wage a war against this unjustified war in Vietnam. Get original paper in 3 hours and nail the task. He picks from history as well as politics and also supports his choices with philosophical wisdom. In multiple paragraphs of his speech, King effectively appeals to emotion by using personal anecdotes that involve him speaking to people of poverty directly. The speaker comments, that they wander into the hospitals with at least twenty casualties from American firepower for one Vietcong-inflicted injury. 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. 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. 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. By expressing how much he believes in the American dream and a new dawn, it reassures people that even though there is little progress at a time, King will always fight not only for himself, but his family, friends, and all those who are not held to the same respect. Pharapreising and interpretation due to major educational standards released by a particular educational institution as well as tailored to your educational institution if different; The audience now feel as though this is very important because it has to do with regular poor people and t effects them as well. It encompasses all humanity and not just America. 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. 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). 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. 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). In his essay, Dr. King uses the metaphor America has given the Negro people a bad check, which came back marked insufficient funds (46). 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. His speech grows deeply sarcastic at times. In the speech, Martin Luther King specifically indicates that America needs to end the war with Vietnam. Though disappointed, King still loves the church. War is expensive. He also reminds the church leaders of something seemingly obvious that they may have lost sight of: the Father is deeply concerned especially for his suffering and helpless and outcast children (13). Dr. King plainly states his purpose near the beginning of his speech. to help you write a unique paper. He notes how essential it is to break silence before all hope is lost. We try to make TeenInk.com the best site it can be, and we take your feedback very seriously. "The Speech Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence by Martin Luther King, Jr: Rhetorical Analysis." Martin Luther King Jr., Malcom X, and Stokely Carmichael all had quite famous speeches that took a stance on racial inequality. Thank you! For example, this quote personifies war as being an enemy. 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. 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. The image of death, as powerful as it is, becomes amplified when Martin Luther King associates the injustices of segregation with the Vietnam war. new way beyond the darkness that seems so close around us. 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. "Beyond Vietnam-A Time to Break Silence" Rhetorical Analysis Introduction In this paper the speech "Beyond Vietnam" of Martin Luther king will be analyzed through the framework of Neo-Aristotelian criticism. * Hyperlink the URL after pasting it to your document, American Women Struggle in the 20th Century, Charlottesville Tragedy: Racial Issue in the USA, Prison Staffing and Correctional Officers Duties, Gender Issues in the Us Correctional System. King said, the war was doing far more than devastating the hopes of the poor at homeWe 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. May 4, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/the-speech-beyond-vietnam-a-time-to-break-silence-by-martin-luther-king-jr-rhetorical-analysis/. In the 1967 speech, Beyond Vietnam, the author, activist Martin Luther King jr, states reasons why America needs to end their involvement in the Vietnam War. He applies ethos to establish credibility, pathos to appeal to emotions, and logos to support his claims with hard evidence. Registration number: 419361 His choice of words in the speech is meant to have a direct effect on the audience's psychology. 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. However, all wanted clarity on the subject. These arguments work because they point out that even though the war is not happening on our soil, it is having a devastating effect here, especially in poor areas where people cannot afford to be hindered any more than they already are. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair. (King). 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. His use of diction and imagery arouses anger while increasing his credibility since he criticizes the unjust war he describes. In his argument, King mounts a multi-pronged attack on America's participation in the Vietnam war and also gains people's sympathy for the Vietnamese. 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. He notes, as if it were some idle political plaything of a society gone mad on war, and I knew that America would never invest the necessary funds or energies in rehabilitation of its poor so long as adventures like Vietnam continued to draw men and skills and money like some demonic destructive suction tube. Furthermore, when these stylistic elements are concluded with his use of parallelism, King effectively establishes Americas involvement in the Vietnam War as unjust. 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. Favorite Quote:Life is like a box of cheese and flower petal sometimes it's soft and sweet, sometimes it just plain stinks. 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. King is effectively able to convey his point about his topic by using rhetorical devices such as logos, ethos, pathos. Please note that while we value your input, we cannot respond to every message. We try to make TeenInk.com the best site it can be, and we take your feedback very seriously. Many people believed that America had no reason to interfere, Dr. King being one of those people. 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. 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. 4 May. We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. 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. 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. 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. Apart from highlighting the wicked nature of the war, King Jr 's speech also sets the urgency for protest. Favorite Quote:"Faith is taking another step without seeing the entire staircase.". King's criticism of the war as "broken and eviscerated," allows him to establish a disappointed tone that conveys the idea that the war is immoral and by doing so his precise word choice lets him to attack it as such. In other words, the resources were used for the soldiers, yet the poor still needed them just as so. He mentions that the war has led to the increase of violence in . He calls the situation some idle political plaything of a society gone mad on war. Likewise, during this time period, America [put little effort into] rehabilitation of its poor creating an even harder life for them (Source A). It also reminds people of inequality through images of everyday life in the United States. 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. Rhetorical Analysis In King's Beyond Vietnam He strengthens his argument through his use of rhetorical questions and an anecdote. For example, King says, We have waited for more than 340 years for our constitutional and God given rights (2). In his speech addressed to the laymen and clergy at Riverside Church he used pathos, logos, imagery, and an argument shift to list the reasons why America should withdraw their troops, and to create sympathy within his audience. He specifically mentions a poverty program that was looking promising before the United States became involved in Vietnam. 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. This essay was written by a fellow student. There were many reasons why so many Americans were against the war. The war according to King Jr. is nothing more than a political game played for the sake of fun and ego. 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. The idea of nonviolence is much larger than ordinary people see. Just like the people of America, the Vietnamese also have a right to live free on the lands of their fathers. King spoke for the weak that did not have the voices to speak for themselves; for example, he represented the poor. 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. Rhetorical Analysis In King's Beyond Vietnam. 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. He uses the word 'We', connecting with the audience and ensuring them that together they will bring change to social conditions and attitudes. King is effectively able to convey his point about his topic by using rhetorical devices such as logos, ethos, pathos. In conclusion, Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Beyond Vietnam" speech was a powerful and eloquent call for peace and justice. He also affirms that people have better options and that the idea of war, despite that it sounds patriotic is basically inhuman. He proves that the government has been manipulating the poor when he writes, It was sending. He spoke at Riverside Church in New York City, a venue that had a history of hosting progressive speakers and thinkers. Then the segregation of African Americans and White Americans started. 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 . Through this speech, and his ideals of determination, many rhetorical devices are put to use to drive forth these points. 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.
