Question

Analyze the differences and the effectiveness of the speeches that you heard by Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X compared to Maya Angelou’s poem. How do the mediums influence the delivery and effectiveness of the meaning in the poem as opposed to the speeches?

Answer 1

The two speeches have the advantage of emotion that is conveyed through the orators’ voices. The orators, King and Malcolm X, can stress their words by changing the tone, pitch, or volume of their voice. They can also pause at opportune moments to let their audiences reflect on what they say. Experienced only as text, the poem, on the other hand, lacks this presentation element. However, in her poem, Angelou has the ability to use ambiguity and figurative language to draw the reader in to question the meaning. Orators have a difficult time using ambiguity because speakers need to make direct and persuasive statements. Also, this ambiguity and figurative language allows the poem to be timeless and could apply to circumstances in different places and times. Comparatively, the two speeches discuss only the civil rights events of the 1960s.

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer 2

The medium in which you convey a message can be quite important to the quality of the message that you want to make public. It can influence how persuasive the message is, how much people listen to it, and how powerful it proves.

In this case, King and Malcolm X both use speeches, while Angelou uses a poem. A speech is generally more persuasive because it allows the listener to hear the voice of the person, and with it, his personal tone and intonation. Moreover, speeches are generally more effective at creating a specific call to action. On the other hand, Angelou's poem is not as effective when it comes to action. However, it can still be very powerful because of the author's use of imagery and literary language.