A Rhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther King's Speech

Throughout Kings speech, the idea of freedom, and equality of races was repeated. This idea came close to all who listened to that speech, it even hits the hearts of those still today. While the majority of the time blacks and whites are treated as they were created- equal, not long ago and still in some places, equality and freedom for blacks was not and is not always seen. In that time, blacks were treated most differently from whites. They were in lower places, did not have the right to vote, and they had to have separate facilities from the whites. King continually identified with his audience by suggesting some of the things that many of them were experiencing. He did not speak down on the others, he did not understate the circumstances,

This fact alone supports him in what he says. These people look up to what King has become even though his beginnings were the same as theirs. He gives them hope, and that is something they wished to cling to with a tight grip. During his speech King pleas, “Give blacks the right that they were promised as new citizens.” This is a logical appeal as they were made citizens, they should be given the same inalienable rights and rights stated in the constitution that any white person ever receives. He goes on to express his sorrow over the mistreatment of colored people. He relates how children are mistreated and deprived of a strong education and support that they need to grow into as strong of a person as they can be. He also mourns the fact that they as a people have no say in government affairs as they cannot vote. These are good examples of an emotional appeal to the audience. There were not any noticeable fallacies in logic that King displayed. One could argue that he made a hasty generalization of all white people being those who mistreat the blacks. While many, or most, did mistreat them, there were also many people who helped them, guided them and even lowered their status in order to help them. However, he never explicitly said anything about how the white community “all” mistreat them. He is simply making the appeal that