Connor Kelley

Mrs. Anaya
English 101
9-9-15

Analysis of Frederick Douglass and Malcolm X

Rhetoric is, quintessentially, the strategic use of language, and I can think of nothing
more ironic than to analyze the rhetoric of a story on how someone learned to read and write
(what we apply rhetoric to). Frederick Douglass and Malcolm X were both African American
men that learned to read and write quite a while later than most did in their respective times.
While these men didnt develop these skills until later in life, they certainly managed to develop
a profound use of rhetoric that indicates a complex understanding of written and spoken word
alike. This is best showcased in the way that both men use of Ethos and Logos in their
autobiographical works Learning to Read and Write by Frederick Douglass, and Learning to
Read an excerpt of the Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X and Alex Haley.
Ethos is, in laymans terms, the accountability and trustworthiness of the author. There
are many ways to build Ethos in a piece, the most common being to use information from a
credible source. Both pieces being analyzed are primary source documents that were authored by
the men that they are written about. This in itself dramatically builds Ethos. In the case of
Frederick Douglass, specifics are given about his life, both in and around the plantation where he
lived. These claims and statements could be cross referenced with other primary source
documents, adding to his Ethos. Malcolm X on the other hand gives concrete details about his
time in prison, and several sources that could be vetted to determine the authenticity of the
material, adding even more credibility to his statements. With these things as evidence, it is clear
to see that these men both knew how to keep their writing credible, and in turn, gain the trust of
their readers.
Pathos focuses on the emotional side of a writing piece, and is discredited by most as
being a weak form of rhetoric. In actuality, the proper use of Pathos can entirely change the
nature of a piece, and provide the extra depth needed to truly examine an issue. The two
autobiographies are written in very different ways, and their respective authors use of Pathos
compliments their message nicely. Douglass writes his piece detailing more about the struggle to
learn against the oppression of others. He gives details about his lamentations of never being as
free as the white boys he saw, cursing his intelligence as that it made him realize how depraved
he was, and even regaling on how he had wished to die to be free of his misery. Malcolm on the
other hand writes with the conviction of a blind man given sight. He goes on about how his
sentence did not seem nearly as long as it was, and that even in the prison he felt more free than
ever after learning how to read. These two men highlight their message with their own stories
and emotions, and it gives us a feel for what they went through, and how they handled adversity
in their attempt to read and write.

Frederick Douglass and Malcolm X came from different times, where the chances for
African American men to learn to read and write were few, but they overcame. Their detailings
about how they did this gives us a peek into their struggles, and helps us to see how between
Douglass and Malcolm, the oppression had certainly decreased some. The proper use of rhetoric
is something that even experienced readers and writers struggle with, and amazingly, despite all
of their struggles Frederick Douglass and Malcolm X were able to learn to use a level of rhetoric
that I truly admire.