The next piece I will include is Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Address to the March on Washington." This text will introduce students to civil rights and the power of speech including particular rhetorical devices. Dr. King was a leader in the civil rights movement. He spoke of nonviolent means to solve the problems of racism in America. To say his speeches were extremely powerful and skillful is an understatement. His speeches are not only a segue into the concept of civil rights but an excellent opportunity to analyze rhetorical strategies. I think his language is a good starting point for this part of the unit.
I will provide students with a list of literary devices such as anaphora, metaphor, simile, alliteration, allusion, etc. We will read the speech aloud as a group. While reading, students will look for examples from this list. Once we have finished reading, students will have the opportunity to look over the speech and identify the literary devices. This will lead to a discussion of King's language and questions about its effectiveness. Some questions we will discuss are: Is King an "outsider"? Who is his audience? Does King speak in a civilized manner? How is King different from Huck? How is he the same?
Sojourner Truth also spoke of the injustices in society. In her speeches, "Ain't I a Woman" and "Speech at Meeting Commemorating Emancipation," Sojourner Truth depicts the double oppression of being a woman and an African American in America. Sojourner Truth's language was somewhat different from King's. Her language was not standard and therefore was not considered civilized by the mainstream, white society. In this way she differed from King. He used standard English to convey his message. Although she uses nonstandard English, her voice is heard and her message is clear. How did this happen? This could lead into an interesting discussion. Some of the questions I will ask are: In what ways would Sojourner Truth's language be considered civilized and in what ways would it not be considered civilized according to mainstream standards? How was the word of an African American woman actually heard at that time? What difference does this difference in voice make?
Once the discussion of the speeches winds down, students will take the opportunity to write their own speeches in their journals. Only one draft is required at this time. It is merely an exercise to get students thinking about issues and utilizing rhetorical devices. Nevertheless students must keep in mind their audience. I want them to take a stance on an issue in America today. They should focus on a societal problem. Students will identify themselves as an outsider in some way and identify their audience. They will select a tone for their speech. They may choose a genial tone or an unruly one. They may use standard or nonstandard English. Select students will perform their speech in front of the class. Each of the following criteria will be evaluated on a scale of one to ten: the audience is identifiable, it deals with a problem currently affecting society, there is an appropriate tone for the subject and audience, the language is compelling and persuasive, there is sufficient support for the position, it is coherent and cohesive and there is a clear style.
