Genre
Political Speech
Setting and Context
1964, against a backdrop of segregation and social unrest.
Narrator and Point of View
Malcolm X narrates the speech from a first-person point of view.
Tone and Mood
The tone is provocative and righteous. The mood oscillates between despair, anger, and hope.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Malcolm X is the protagonist. The white supremacist system is the antagonist.
Major Conflict
The major conflict is between African-Americans and white supremacy, concretized in the twin issues of the upcoming election and the ongoing filibuster against the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
Climax
The climax of the speech centers around the issue of the ballot (effective voting practices) and the bullet (racial revolution). If the ballot doesn't work, Malcolm X says, then African-Americans will have to resort to the bullet.
