Speeches, Poems, Essays and Songs

Speeches, Essays, Poems and Songs

Speeches, essays, poems, and songs are all ways people can voice their opinions and beliefs. As you look at the following examples, consider what argument the speaker or songwriter is trying to make, and why the use of speech or song is appropriate to their mission. Why might songs and speeches be effective in civil disobedience? What are the limitations of songs and speeches?

Resources:

  • Ain’t I a Woman?

http://eserver.org/race/aint-i-a-woman.html

  • Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/Ihaveadream.htm

  • “This Land is Your Land”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Land_Is_Your_Land