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Rhetorical Analysis Of Lyndon B Johnson's We Shall Overcome

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Before the Civil Rights Movement sparked, our country was plagued with discrimination. After violence by police against African American protesters in Selma, Alabama erupted, President Lyndon B. Johnson addressed the public, in his speech “We Shall Overcome,” declaring how the country must unify against discrimination. The author showed the need to consolidate the nation’s forces to fight for equality through his use of repetition of parallel structure and a passionate appeal to convey a hopeful tone. The author used repetition of parallel structure to persuade his country to fight against discrimination. Johnson used “so it was” followed by an allusion to a historical landmark, such as “Lexington and Concord” and “Appomattox,” to illustrate past victories in arduous battles by …show more content…
“But there is cause” to believe a nation has the power to change their situation (1). The sudden shift between the causeless and the caused for strengthens the contrast between old, mistaken ways of thinking to new, hopeful dreams of equality shared by all. As a country, problems, such as discrimination, are shared nationwide. Racial inequality is not divided by “North[]” and “South[]” (1,1). As a unit, discrimination is an “American problem” only to be combated by a unified force working toward the betterment of tomorrow (1). Johnson wants the public to understand that no man has the right to decide what man can be dignified and who is to be deprived. A man’s dignity “cannot be found in” any aspect of his life other than his freedom (1). Dignity is a birthright with equal opportunity to be earned. The skin color tells nothing about the character underneath. Johnson wants the public to understand that being a Negro does not make one man any more honorable than another. The greatest duty as a country is to “insure that” its citizens are treated equally and respectfully (2).

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