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The Autobiography Of Malcolm X Rhetorical Analysis

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Rhetoric, or the author’s ability to persuade an audience of a claim, has been a strategy used by writers and speakers for centuries. When used accurately, it can be an extremely powerful tool. Rhetoric can be expressed in many different forms. It can be seen in form of appeals to certain aspects such as emotion, authority, or logic. It can also take form in devices (form of sentences, arrangement of words, etc) and in the type of claims that the author selects. A strong example of effective rhetoric in action is found in The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley by Malcolm X. The book traces the story of Malcolm X’s upbringing and displays how he rose to become the person that he is known for to this present day. Throughout his …show more content…
Diction is an important aspect of rhetoric and the presentation of Malcolm X’s story in this autobiography because of the connotations that come with the choice of words. A significant portion of the book where diction is seen is how Malcolm X discusses white people. In the beginning of the book, Malcolm X talks about white people by calling them “devils”. For instance, “‘the devil white man’, down through history, out of his devilish nature, had pillaged, murdered, raped, and exploited every race of man not white” (165). The use of the word “devil” represents a strong negative connotation which channels Malcolm X’s anger towards whites who committed racist actions towards racial minority groups. After his trip to Mecca, Malcolm X’s view on racism and white people shifted. He switches from calling whites “devils” to “brothers”. For instance Malcolm X says this when reflecting about his Mecca trip, “...the orthodox Islam which had given me the insight and perspective to see that black men and white men truly could be brothers” (371). The choice of the word “brothers” gives a more positive connotation. This change in word choice by Malcolm X directly shows his shift in views on racism which occurred at the conclusion of his trip to Mecca. The change is also significant in a rhetorical sense because both words are powerful and have the capability of leaving an impact on the

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