Rhetorical Analysis Essay for Malcolm X’s “The Ballot or The Bullet”

Jessica Liu

Mr. Humeniuk

11/16/21

In his The Ballot or The Bullet speech, Malcolm X uses parallelism and allusions to highlight human rights problems in America and call on African Americans to take action against injustice. By utilizing these devices he can straightforwardly communicate an otherwise complicated truth and elevate his credibility.

To explain the meaning of Ballot or Bullet, Malcolm describes it simply in one sentence. He states,” It's freedom for everybody or freedom for nobody,”(X 56). This parallel structure only allows his audience to consider two options, forcing them to pick a side. Not only does it emphasize the urgency of his words, but also eliminates feelings of hesitancy. To strengthen his point he makes a direct jab at the American government. He says,” You don’t take your case to the criminal, you take your case to the court,”(X 62). The criminal he refers to is the government, a criminal who he says is unfit and unworthy of bringing justice. Instead of calling on the government to solve the problem, Malcolm asserts that it should be the people who hold the government responsible for causing the problem in the first place. In doing so, he makes it clear that the government and America are not friends of African Americans. He states,” you believe integration will get you freedom; I think separation will get me freedom,”(X 65). In his speech, Malcolm does not ask for help or strive for assimilation in America, he believes that to achieve freedom, African Americans must rebel against the system. His clear-cut words help to break down an otherwise hard truth into a more digestible one.

Malcolm also references many historical events that help to strengthen his ethos. When talking about the history of slavery he says,”...some of you think you came here on the Mayflower,”(X 17). Once again bringing the idea of separation, Malcolm reminds his audience that African Americans didn’t come willingly to America like the pilgrims on the Mayflower. This allusion adds more weight to the idea that the government shouldn’t be relied upon or viewed favorably. It also builds a sense of connection and understanding between Malcolm and his audience who are predominantly African Americans and share the same ancestral history as his. He goes on to share more instances of segregation throughout history. For example, he states,”Liberty or death is was what brought about the freedom of whites in this country from the English,”(X 33). “Liberty or Death” is a phrase by Patrick Henry, a historical figure who advocated for war against Britain to get freedom for America. He is seen as a national hero who fought for America’s freedom. However, Malcolm begs to differ. Patrick Henry in his eyes only fought for the freedom of whites. In another example he says,”Here he is standing up in front of other people, Uncle Sam, with the blood of mine mothers and fathers in his hands,”(X 64). Uncle Sam is a symbol for America, and through this line, he introduces violence. The blood refers to human rights violations, a stark contrast to a patriotic symbol representing pride. Both mothers and fathers are plural and don’t just refer to Malcolm’s parents but many African Americans around the country. His words hit deeply with his audience's emotions and trauma, drawing feelings of resentment and bitterness.

Malcolm X’s Ballot or Bullet speech addresses the complex reality of segregation head-on and doesn’t beat around the bush. Throughout his speech he gives his audience two choices; the choice to vote for human rights and if necessary, to take them with violence.

Works Cited:

Media, American Public. “Malcolm X ‘The Ballot or the Bullet.’” APM Reports Investigations and

Documentaries from American Public Media,

https://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/blackspeech/mx.html.