Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Bella Lawson
Mrs. Morales
08 October 2019
Dr. Martin Luther King Junior showed the world, and Cesar Chavez, how nonviolent
resistance can truly make an impact on society. Much of what Chavez did was modeled after
King’s teachings and protests. Dr. King worked hard for the Civil Rights movement, and Cesar
Chavez drove himself to do the same--but for farmworkers. In Chavez’s article about nonviolent
resistance, he uses rhetorical devices such as allusions, repetition, religious appeals, and
emotional diction to persuade his audience members about the benefits of nonviolence.
Throughout his article, Chavez alludes to public figures such as Martin Luther King Jr.
and Gandhi, to give his argument credibility and leverage. In paragraph one, Chavez states,
“...King’s life is an example of the power nonviolence brings...” starting his first sentence off
with this brings power to the words Chavez is writing. Mentioning Dr. King and his life and
relating Chavez’s own movement to the Civil Rights Movement justifies Chavez’s argument
against violence by showing what other leaders have done with nonviolence. Later on in
everyday life. Chavez uses the significant figures to support his argument because both Gandhi
and Dr. King were nonviolent leaders, that influenced the world the way Chavez wanted to.
Chavez used specific repetition of words such as “nonviolence” or “we” to focus the
reader on the point he was illustrating. In the entirety of his writing, the word “nonviolence” is
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spread pretty evenly, except for paragraph 3. In paragraph 3, the word “nonviolence” is at the
beginning of almost every sentence. Starting his sentences with this word emphasizes Chavez’s
point of view. This incites the reader and hooks them, to read more. A little farther down, and
you can see Chavez’s use of the word “we”. In paragraph 5, Chavez repeats the word “we” 5
times. This emphasis on “we” makes the reader feel connected to Chavez and his ideas and
In the article, Chavez speaks about the plight of farmworkers using specific emotional
diction to make the reader latch onto his persuasion. Phrases such as, “burdens of generations of
poverty...powerlessness in the fields of America.” in paragraph 7, to make the reader feel pity,
and sadness for the farmworkers. This emotion is later changed into passion and a call to action
for nonviolence and social change. Chavez also speaks briefly about God, in paragraph 2, he
states, “...human life...given by God to man...” this links the reader to Chavez on a religious
standpoint, strengthening his argument and showing the reader similarities between their point of
On the tenth anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, Chavez published
an article about nonviolent resistance. This article contained rhetorical appeals that persuaded the
reader to understand Chavez’s point of view. These rhetorical devices included allusions,
repetition, emotional diction and religious appeals. Each of these strengthened Chavez’s