“But now I do have that chance -- and I’ll let you in on a secret -- I mean to use it. And I hope that you will use it with me.” (Lyndon Johnson). On March 15, 1965, Lyndon B. Johnson, the president at the time, gave a riveting speech to congress and to the American people to try to quell the violent demonstrations for racial equality and establish equal voting rights for all. Throughout his speech, “We Shall Overcome”, Mr. Johnson used a wide variety of persuasive techniques to ensure the success of the speech. Mr. Johnson created pathos by using emotionally loaded language and evoking an emotional response, while appealing to logos through the use of quotations.
Mr. Johnson’s most prominent method of persuasion throughout his speech is pathos, in particular that he was able to evoke an emotional response in the audience. This can be seen when Mr. Johnson declares, “To deny a man his hopes because of color, or race, or his religion, or the place of his birth is not only to do injustice, it is to deny America and to dishonor the dead who gave their lives for American freedom.” Mr. Johnson stating that denying a man his hopes is to do injustice and is denying America kindles a feeling of regret due to the fact that America is supposed to be a place where all people can be free, but in actuality one of the most important rights, suffrage, is being …show more content…
Johnson’s speech, “We Shall Overcome”, is efficacious as he uses a variety of persuasive techniques allowing him to appeal to all of his audience. Some of the more pronounced persuasive techniques he uses in his writing are evoking an emotional response, using emotionally loaded language, and using quotations from historical text. One way we know Mr. Johnson’s speech was successful is that just a few months later the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed reinforcing the 15th amendment guaranteeing all people the right to vote. Overall, Lyndon Johnson’s speech was one of the most effective speeches in American
Mr. Johnson’s most prominent method of persuasion throughout his speech is pathos, in particular that he was able to evoke an emotional response in the audience. This can be seen when Mr. Johnson declares, “To deny a man his hopes because of color, or race, or his religion, or the place of his birth is not only to do injustice, it is to deny America and to dishonor the dead who gave their lives for American freedom.” Mr. Johnson stating that denying a man his hopes is to do injustice and is denying America kindles a feeling of regret due to the fact that America is supposed to be a place where all people can be free, but in actuality one of the most important rights, suffrage, is being …show more content…
Johnson’s speech, “We Shall Overcome”, is efficacious as he uses a variety of persuasive techniques allowing him to appeal to all of his audience. Some of the more pronounced persuasive techniques he uses in his writing are evoking an emotional response, using emotionally loaded language, and using quotations from historical text. One way we know Mr. Johnson’s speech was successful is that just a few months later the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed reinforcing the 15th amendment guaranteeing all people the right to vote. Overall, Lyndon Johnson’s speech was one of the most effective speeches in American