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. 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. 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. He then outlines the history of the war in Vietnam, showing that he is not simply preaching about religious ideals. 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. Rhetorical Analysis of MLK's Speech "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. One of Kings main techniques he uses to persuade the audience of his point is imagery. Acting almost as a climax, King lyrically urges his audience to voice their opinions and wage a war against this unjustified war in Vietnam. This convinces the reader to fully consider how the war has brought detrimental consequences, and through Kings diction, he is capable of convincing his audience to, When speaking about how the war had initially seem to have brought opportunities, he says, 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, and I knew that America would never invest the necessary funds or energies in rehabilitation of its poor. Evidently, the program for the poor was meant to be used in helping the poor, but as soon as the funds were directed to the Vietnam War, resources were no longer cast in their direction. 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. May 4, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/the-speech-beyond-vietnam-a-time-to-break-silence-by-martin-luther-king-jr-rhetorical-analysis/. StudyCorgi. 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 Speech Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence by Martin Luther King, Jr: Rhetorical Analysis." For example, this quote personifies war as being an enemy. King uses this metaphor to emphasize the treatment of African Americans in America. Moreover, it is the poor and the helpless mainly who are falling prey to this war game. 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. 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. This is an obvious and extremely effective argument, especially among a group of Christian church leaders. Dr. King's purpose is to make the church leaders he is speaking to aware that It is not typical for churches to do so. 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. By showing his own emotions, King inspires compassion in the. 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. Dr. King says that the war is draining valuable resources that could be helping the poor in our own country. Moreover, Martin Luther King Jr meticulously chooses specific words that carry with them a negative connotation that helps associate the Vietnamese war with injustice. Titled as the I Have a Dream Speech, he read this speech to the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. For example, in paragraph 7, King discusses the harsh reality of the war. He does not want the church leaders to simply listen to his message. So far we may have killed a million of them, mostly children (King). There is at the outset a very obvious and almost facile connection between the war in Vietnam and the struggle I, and others, have been waging in America. He changes his tone from passive to passionate. King uses emotional words and descriptions to capture the audiences attention and convey the injustices caused by the Vietnam War. The Speech Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence by Martin Luther King, Jr: Rhetorical Analysis. Would you like to get a custom case study? 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. Issues have been resolved because now the draft is less common because more people volunteer for war so the poor are not forced. 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. In a similar light, King addressed the speech I have a dream to a peaceful mass gathering in Washington asking for change. 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. He offers many practical reasons for the opposition, as well as spiritual and moral reasons. 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. new way beyond the darkness that seems so close around us. War was an inhuman and barbaric exercise and America's participation was not in human interest. (These links will automatically appear in your email.). Encompassed within this quote is pathos because the harsh accusation leads the reader to think poorly of the government while pitying the poor. 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. 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. He notes how essential it is to break silence before all hope is lost. We Will Write a Custom Case Study SpecificallyFor You For Only $13.90/page! 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 utilising figurative language to juxtapose optimistic progress and demonic destruction, King is able to emphasise how devastating the Vietnam War is. The idea of nonviolence is much larger than ordinary people see. He also focuses on the maltreatment of humanity, and how the Vietnam War is a start to the violence that occurs in 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. StudyCorgi. Analyzes how john kerry's "beyond vietnam- a time to break silence" by martin luther king jr. uses rhetorical devices that emphasize the importance and meaning of his speech. This special lyrical and parallel structure helped get his main points across and allows a large audience to understand simple but powerful words (Layfield) . 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. Dr. King plainly states his purpose near the beginning of his speech. He efficiently uses the anecdote to tell how he has spoken with young men, telling them how violence will not solve their problems. Rhetorical Analysis In King's Beyond Vietnam. 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. Thank you! The irony is explicit in Kings words that the war is just an attempt to cover and hide the more pressing issues before America. 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.". 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. King Jr knew that war creates confusion and that his audiences mind was boggled with questions. He mentions that the war has led to the increase of violence in . In the speech, Martin Luther King specifically indicates that America needs to end the war with Vietnam. 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. Finally, Martin Luther King Jr. uses parallelism within his own reflection to evoke emotions in his audience to show that . His use of diction and imagery arouses anger while increasing his credibility since he criticizes the unjust war he describes. Perhaps a new spirit is rising among us. Dr. King genuinely believes that the war is in direct opposition to the teachings of Christ and therefore the church must speak out in a united voice against it. 4 May. This lecture became an explosive example of colorful language and visual examples that expanded the idea of rhetoric. He wants them to go back to their churches and spread the message. This essay was written by a fellow student. 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. War is expensive. Copyright 2023 service.graduateway.com. Many people believed that America had no reason to interfere, Dr. King being one of those people. He calls the situation some idle political plaything of a society gone mad on war. We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. 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. 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. 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. The speaker comments, that they wander into the hospitals with at least twenty casualties from American firepower for one Vietcong-inflicted injury. He spoke at Riverside Church in New York City, a venue that had a history of hosting progressive speakers and thinkers. He proves that the government has been manipulating the poor when he writes, It was sending. 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). The third section is King's call for change. 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 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. It is why he constructs an argument that will help people decide which side to stand with and which to not. They all had the same goal, but took a different approach with their speeches, and how they would rally support to improve racial equality. 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. 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.". If it is, let us trace its movements and pray that our own inner being may be sensitive to its guidance, for we are deeply in need of a new way beyond the darkness that seems so close around us. This is a logical fact with which no one can argue. 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. 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. writing your own paper, but remember to 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 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." 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). He applies ethos to establish credibility, pathos to appeal to emotions, and logos to support his claims with hard evidence. To achieve this, he used rhetorical strategies such as appeal to pathos and repetition. It is clear that he wants the audience of church leaders to go back to their churches and fearlessly speak out in opposition of the war. Rhetorical Analysis of MLK's Speech "Beyond Vietnam" December 22, 2016 By Richcoca PLATINUM, Canoga Park, California More by this author Widely known for his work in the Civil Rights Movement,. However, he is about to arm them with many valid reasons why it is crucial for them to join the opposition. Pathos is a method applied to represent an appeal to feelings and emotions in a speech and other various kinds of writing. 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. submit it as your own as it will be considered plagiarism. Nothing evokes a more emotional response than the image of children suffering or being killed. By continuing well 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. Acasestudy.com 2007-2019 All rights reserved. These statements serve to communicate to the audience that the speaker is someone of authority and should be listened to. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. He expresses that the first step toward equality as the earth moving and nations running with fear. Finally, Martin Luther King Jr. uses parallelism within his own reflection to evoke emotions in his audience to show that . 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. 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. 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. To start, Dr. Kings use of metaphors allows his audience to understand his viewpoint better. There were many reasons why so many Americans were against the war. 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. "The Speech Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence by Martin Luther King, Jr: Rhetorical Analysis." This quote is referencing how poor and rich people were drafted to war but the poor people had no one left to support the family. America is overlooking its own poor and pouring resources into a war which does not offer any political, economic or social advantage. 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.". His use of imagery and diction is aimed at making people break their silence and express their anger clearly. The war in Vietnam to do this day has gone down as one of the influential and controversial wars in United States history. Comparing the Justice System during the 1960s to a corrupt bank allows the audience to connect to what Dr. King is saying. 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. 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.