Rhetoric, the art of speaking, is vital to everyday life. Whether it's convincing others of your worth, as Sojourner Truth does in "Ain't I a Woman," or engaging before a larger audience like Martin Luther King Junior in his "I Have a Dream" speech, rhetoric plays a significant role. because it is the key that opens the door to self-expression. Without it, no one would be able to convey their message or get any thoughts across. A silent world would then emerge, devoid of communication. Trust would not be there as there would be no words for someone to convince their loved ones of their sincerity. You need to use correct diction and syntax so that you can effectively convince others to share your beliefs, or at least respect them. Language allows equality to be established. People tend to raise or lower their personality to form a more equal position with their audience. Queen Elizabeth's opening words in "Address to the Troops at Tilbury" are "my loving people." The fact that she chooses these words instead of something less formal makes the audience more willing to listen to her. The fact that she is the queen, therefore possessing power and authority, makes it necessary for her to become one of the troops regarding their social status. Likewise, Truth changes position to convey its message, but starting with “well, children” to express itself in a more superior light. A matriarchal figure represents strength and knowledge and is what Truth wanted to create. By making it seem like he was superior, he actually established a similar standing with his audience. Because one is more willing to listen to someone who is similar to them in terms of status, it is imperative that that…half of the paper…is a truly smarter person. You subconsciously make better decisions and know who to trust because suddenly words become much more important. Everything said is now analyzed for validity. Ultimately, rhetoric is significant in multiple ways. It creates an environment where two parties can interact and express their beliefs, while establishing equality. Both Truth and Elizabeth had to convince another group of people, not quite on their social level, of something that meant so much to them. The only way they could have done this successfully was to use the correct diction. Rhetoric makes you a better speaker and a smarter audience member because you are not only able to convince people, but you are also able to distinguish facts from a sea of ​​lies. Understanding rhetoric helps you become a well-rounded person, becoming both a contributor and a recipient.