Rhetorical Precis

“Lessons of Martin Luther King Jr.”

Cesar Chavez, in the speech, “Lessons of Martin Luther King Jr.” (1974), argues that the

chemical industry promised the growers that pesticides would bring great wealth and bountiful

harvests to the fields but it was a lie and the workers are paying the price. Chavez supports his

claim by showing ethos, pathos, and logos; using logos especially in speaking about how

pesticides have created a legacy of danger and death. The author’s purpose is to show and tell

how terrible the pesticides are so that they could boycott and stand up against them just like

King. The author writes in a passionate tone to show we could make a difference just like King.