Emotive Language In Mlk Speech

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“Remarks on the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.” delivered by Robert F. Kennedy on the 4th of April 1968 to the people of Indianapolis. This speech was shortly given after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Robert’s speech used a variation of persuasive techniques to assure the people of Indianapolis about the death of Martin and how it was a cruel act brought upon the nation. He states how King’s loss is felt by all races and to ask the people to bring about goodness rather than adopt lawlessness. Lastly to ask the people to think of our nation rather than themselves first. Robert Kennedy uses repetition to propose an opinion, to let the audience know that what he repeats is something to recognize and to reflect on. Robert …show more content…

Kennedy uses within his speech emotive language as well as some metaphors, quotes and also similes to help reinforce the devastation and the grief that has laid waste to the entire country about the death of Martin Luther King. Within this speech Kennedy speaks with emotion and passion. He states, “For those of you who are black and filled with hatred and distrust… I can only say that I too feel in my own heart the same kind of feeling.” He then continues to talk about how his family member was killed who also was a white man. This was done to make this speech more personal than formal. He wanted to show the people that he actually cares and that he too has also gone through hard times. But even though he may have had a family member killed by a white man he can still push forward from that and move in a direction of peace. Kennedy uses quotes to have an impact also. This was done because this specific poem talks about pain which people feel and in this case it’s from the death of King. But although there is much hurt and much pain, there is a silver lining that can be learnt from this. It’s the wisdom to see what has been done and as a nation to work together to put an end to the violence, to the stain of bloodshed that has spread across the land. Lastly Kennedy quotes a statement made by the Greeks, “To tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world.” This is to impose that although mankind has tendencies to act violently or stated “savagely”.

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