I Have A Dream Rhetorical Analysis

Near the end of Martin Luther King’s speech a gospel singer Mahalia Jackson shouted to Dr. King saying, “Tell them about the dream, Martin”. At this point Dr. King stopped reading the speech and expressed his inner feelings saying “I have a dream..”(Mlk, 4). He continued to tell the crowd of his dream for the Negros to be free and equal and that they would be able to live happily and do as they pleased. He had a dream that America would live out the meaning of the constitution stating “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal”. He tells the crowd that at the end “We are free at last”. Dr. King’s choice of words and the tone in which he delivers his speech is enticing and pleasing to the crowd of America.

Question 1 Martin Luther King Jr. has used a variety of figurative devices in his memorable speech “I Have A Dream” on August 28, 1963 in Washington, D.C. about civil rights. He used devices like metaphor, simile, anaphora, repetitions and allusion to express his thoughts of eliminating discrimination, in order to develop equality amongst people and his vision of what the country should be like in the future. Firstly, King uses similes to compare justice to the power of water. This is evident in this quote, “justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream”.

Using a variety of rhetorical devices, Martin Luther King Jr’s purpose of his “I Have A Dream Speech” takes a huge step for black americans by voicing the opinions of the people in a civil, non violent manner. He’s a role model for future activists to present the point clearly without hostility or anger, but with a firm tone and many of rhetorical devices. Dr. King gives the speech to help his cause of nonviolent activism against segregation and in favor of civil rights.

Dr. King was a minister that dedicated his life in trying to end racial discrimination and to determine justice for all. As a civil right activist and leader. Dr. King presented his speech not only to African Americans but to all Americans, so he could motivate the idea of equality. Dr. King’s speech is known as “a work of art of rhetoric” by researchers. Through all the rallys and the speech, Dr.

The speech “I Have A Dream” was voiced by activist Martin Luther King Junior on the Lincoln Memorial during an era in which blacks suffered prejudice in America, a place in which whites could enjoy the land’s opportunities and freedoms but blacks could not. Martin Luther King’s speech was intended to express his present and future aspirations towards the upheaval concerning the inequality and racial injustice that the nation was experiencing however, lacking understanding thereof. Through the use of anaphoras, powerful imagery, and literary devices Martin Luther King Jr. successfully engaged his audience and portrayed a significant, historic message to his audience: racial equality and justice is overdue.

One of the biggest forms of rhetorical devices King used was his expressive use of metaphors. Further into the speech, he says “[n]ow is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice.” By relating darkness to segregation, it put emphasis on what segregation felt like to the individuals who suffered from it, and how bad it truly was. King used metaphors to grab the listener’s or reader’s attention by using emotionally effective words to relate to how he felt or needed to say. Another prime example of this is when he stated , “[b]ut we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt “ ; meaning there’s no room to not bring this time of sorrow and unfairness to justice. All throughout his rhetoric, King used metaphors like these to further accentuate the true meaning and feelings of what he was saying.

On August 28, 1963 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C., Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a 17-minute public speech to over 200,000 supporters of the Civil Rights Movement. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech was a response to continued racial bias nearly 100 years after the end of slavery and a call to action, meant to unify the country in the fight to end segregation. King used his time at the historic event to urge Americans, of all races, to work together throughout the country to ensure equality for all citizens. Though King’s delivery of the speech is widely recognized as impactful because of his passionate sermon-like delivery, the context of the speech contains many rhetorical components. Those rhetorical efforts

King first uses the pair of metaphors “heat of injustice” and “oasis of freedom”. By pairing these metaphors, King allows the audience to see that African-Americans are struggling and can be saved if all of America acts now. The next metaphor King uses is “table of brotherhood” Using this metaphor, King shows that peace can be easily achieved, even by something as simple as accepting each other’s culture and thriving to together as one.

In the “Metaphors We Live By,” George Lakoff and Mark Johnson explain that metaphor is much more than just a poetic device—it is essential and pervasive in our everyday life, communication, thoughts, and actions (Lakoff and Johnson, 1980, Pg. 3). In the speech “I have a Dream” by Martin Luther King Jr., there are many metaphors that fall into metaphorical categories which Lakoff and Johnson describe in the “Metaphors We Live By.” King tries to pull attention of his audience by using metaphors in his poem so his audience could understand the message better. Before looking at the King’s speech, a clear understanding of Lakoff’s and Johnson’s terms and metaphorical concepts need to be present. Following that, you should know when, where, and why King wrote his speech and what is it about.

King refuses to believe that anything, even that injustice from white supremacists and police brutality could halt their cause. King carried this mentality with him wherever he went and protested his beliefs. This positive force is exactly what the suffering citizens of racial injustice needed to push

A final example of imagery is in Dr. King 's final paragraph when he says “... we will be able to speed up that day when all of God 's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics,will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual…”. Dr. King and with a very positive, utopic, Godly picture where as he began his speech with the opposite. Dr. King does this to leave a positive note in his audience’s mind at the end of his speech. Dr. King gradually changes the mood in his speech with imagery; he starts with a bleak, painful, dystopian picture and gradually changes it to one that is hopeful, Godly, and utopic. Dr. King does this to enhance the effectiveness of his message by painting a crippling picture to invoke compassion and empathy from his audience. Dr. King evolves that picture to one of God and unity because it 's very relatable to his audience. During that time, most Americans were Christian so people would want to act on Dr. King 's message because they believe it would make them a better Christian.

Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech impacts many has he critiques and criticizes the way American ways as African Americans do not have freedom during the recitation of his speech. Martin Luther King used literary elements in order to effectively convey his “I Have a Dream” speech. Without the literary elements, his speech would not be as effective because these are the elements that draw on an individual’s attention and allows for them to connect with the person who is talking. Martin Luther King uses various literary techniques such as themes, symbols, pathos, accessible language, speech structure, metaphors, and rhetorical questioning. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech emphasizes the need for freedom as a theme.

Boycotts, riots, criminal activity and violence were all events happening in 1963. Segregation was at its worse and minorities were getting sick of it, ready to take things into their own hands. However, Martin Luther King Jr. insisted that violence was not used. In an attempt to express his vision, he wrote his famous speech, I Have a Dream, and he delivered it in front of the Lincoln Memorial during the March On Washington. The speech was delivered in a very troubling time for America. Racism, segregation, and injustice were all factors that inspired King to write speeches and attempt to make a change. Although he was frustrated and angry with the way minorities were treated, he made sure to include in all of his speeches that violence is not the way. He emphasized that using violence would defeat the purpose of their protests. King focused on two main subjects in this speech; He warned America of things that will happen, and gave hope for future change. Anyone who witnessed the deliverance of this speech was greatly impacted by King’s rhetoric and method for delivering this speech. King was effective in delivering his speech by using rhetoric such as being persistent by using repetition, giving hope by using pathos, and trying to reason by using logos.

It’s August 28, 1963. The sun beats down on the hot streets of Washington D.C. as over 250,000 protesters sit or stand as close as sardines; watching, starring, as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. goes up to a pedestal and proceeds to speak a speech that will resonate in this country for years to come. Dr. King wrote his “I Have a Dream” speech for the March on Washington for which he presented his speech in front of thousands of Civil Rights protesters and activists. In this exhortation, Dr. King beats down the issues of human rights, Jim Crow laws, and racism with the rhetorical strategies of metaphors, anaphoras, and ethos.

Martin Luther King Jr’s speech took place at the Abraham Lincoln monument where racial discrimination was once fought but not resolved. He believed sending this message of equality to all men and women would be most impactful outside Lincoln’s monument. “I Have A Dream” is an inspirational speech about the need for racial equality in the nation. Dr. King’s speech against racial injustice was the stand everyone needed to see to prove to everyone that this is time for everyone to come together. Martin Luther King Jr involves the audience’s attention with the use of poetic devices.