Use of literary devices is common in speeches, poetry, articles, and texts, which make a language more attractive to various audiences. Usually, they are a collection of artistic structures that are distinctive of all works of literature, often utilized by writers to give a logical makeup to their work through language. When used appropriately, stylistic features assist readers to interpret, appreciate, and analyze fictional works. The regularly used ones include alliterations, allusions metaphors, allegories, and dictions. Malcolm X is a black American activist, who employed literary techniques in his public messages. For instance, "The Message to Grassroots" is an article on one of his speeches, which constitutes of three forms of literary devices. Malcolm X uses diction, allusion, and metaphors to support his main critic of the civil rights movement in the U.S. and advocate for the rights of black people. 

Diction is highly used in X's article, as a way to make his tone more serious. For instance, he starts off by stating, "We want to have just an off-the-cuff chat between you and me" (Teachingamericanhistory.org.). "Off-the-cuff is an expression because it incorporates rhyming words: off and cuff. The mentioned diction is used to describe something not planned in advance. In this case, X's reason to use the phrase is to show a need for urgency for the issue at hand, as there is no time to plan for it. He had realized that America had a serious problem of discriminating the Negros, which was getting worse with each passing day thus making his message imperative. X continues with his speech and wishes to speak down to earth in a simple language (Teachingamericanhistory.org.). The diction "down to earth" defines a sensible or practical manner. When X uses this adage, he intends to make his listeners profoundly value the importance of addressing his concern. Black people were also U.S. civilians and the way they were abused highly violated their rights as citizens. Therefore, being sensible would make everyone see that exploiting the blacks was an inhumane way of treating individuals of the same nation. Further, it is evident to note that X repeatedly mentions the word problem. He affirms that, "America has a serious problem. Not only does America have a very serious problem, but our people have a very serious problem. America's problem is us. We're her problem. The only reason she has a problem is she doesn't want us here" (Teachingamericanhistory.org.). By reiterating the utterance problem, X expects his audience to offer more consideration to the current nature of the U.S. as a country. He wants the U.S. people to accept consciously that a problem exists within the nation, which must be faced by everyone. The above information illustrates the use of diction in X's message to the U.S. nationals.

Apart from diction, allusion is also evident in X's speech. For example, he asserts that "You didn't come here on the "Mayflower." You came here on a slave ship  --  in chains, like a horse, or a cow, or a chicken. And you were brought here by the people who came here on the "Mayflower." You were brought here by the so-called Pilgrims, or Founding Fathers" (Teachingamericanhistory.org.). In this statement, X alludes that the African American were unimportant people, who were perceived as unworthy. His tone in the use of this allusion reveals his painful emotions because of the trivial way the whites treated the people of his kind. X also uses allusion when he states that "He's the same man: blue eyes and blond hair and pale skin  --  same man" (Teachingamericanhistory.org.). He does not openly reveal the man he is talking about, but by describing his appearance, he expects his listeners to understand the person in question, who is the white. Another article on X's message contends that, "And one with a silly school boy tough guy front cloaked in the rhetorical piety of Bible belt fundamentalism suggesting the return of the Know-nothings..." (Brothermalcolm.net). This allusion portrays that ideas and agendas propelled by blacks were spreading at a very high rate in the white house, but those responsible apparently knew nothing about it, thus a reference to the 1850s U.S. Know-Nothing party. With the above information and quotes, use of allusion is apparent in X's articles on liberty to black Americans.

Metaphors are also significant in X's speech. The first metaphor is the use of catch hell by X. To "Catch Hell" is used to describe to obtain a brutal punishment or scolding. According to X, only black people used to catch hell as they were treated as insignificant (Teachingamericanhistory.org.). The second allegory is Uncle Tom as used to describe the Chinese. The phrase "Uncle Tom" was derived from Harriet Beecher Stowe's 1852 novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin. Just like the Tom character in the book, the phrase is used to refer to a willing and submissive person to authority. X explains the nature of the Chinese as acquiescent before the Chinese Revolution (Teachingamericanhistory.org.). They were very compliant to authority, hence the term "Uncle Tom." The third metaphor is scorched earth, as what Kenyans believed in during their resistance. The adage "Scorched Earth" is used to define destroying anything and everything that can be of use to an enemy. X says that Kenyans had a great desire for land, and so they eliminated anything that got in their way, thereby leaving a scorched earth (Teachingamericanhistory.org.). The use of metaphors as demonstrated above is an indispensable aspect of X's message.  

Stylistic features are used regularly in delivering messages, whether in poems, books, or articles. They are employed by authors to provide a logical framework for their work by use of language. Malcolm X used different literary techniques in his 1963 speech on liberation for the African Americans. The primary devices in his message were diction, allusion, and metaphor. His use of these literary devices revealed a hurting emotion which he obtained due to the way the white men oppressed the blacks. His speech touched many people and also reeducated the Negros on their fight for their rights.   

