Tucker 1 Grace Tucker Mr. Ruggles Honors English II 28 3 2024 Argumentative Literary Device Speech Essay People may believe John F. Kennedy’s “Inaugural Address” uses metaphors in a more persuasive way than Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, but contrary to this opinion, MLK uses metaphors more convincingly to influence the audience toward his goals. MLK uses metaphors to state his objective to the audience. To start, “...the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination” (King 1). This example is solid because of the emotionally charged diction that contributes to the power of the metaphor. Instead of using basic words like “cuffs” MLK uses “manacles” and “chains” which …show more content…
For instance, colored Americans were only allowed to enter certain restrooms and shops; on top of that, they could only sit at the very back of buses. His goal is to explain how harsh the treatment is for the colored people; moreover, using “chains” to describe discrimination shows this by using a word that is the opposite of freedom. MLK uses metaphors to convince people that the behavior of white people is cruel, as well as using them to show the strength of the persecution. Martin Luther King Jr. utilizes metaphors to make an example of how oppressed the colored were by referring to the situation they were in. For example, “... quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality” (King 2). King’s goal in this quote is to show how unsatisfied the colored people should be with how they are being treated. This goal is displayed by the metaphor as storms are harsh, like persecution, and winds are quick and leave things a mess, like how quick the police were with their judgment and actions toward colored …show more content…
While MLK uses metaphors well in “I Have a Dream”, people may think JFK uses them better in his speech. In “Inaugural Address” by JFK, metaphors are used in a persuasive manner that may influence a reader to think he uses them with a higher quality. Furthermore, Kennedy uses metaphors to turn ideas into physical pictures. For example, “...struggling to break the bonds of mass misery...” (Kennedy 1). By showing people are bonded to misery, JFK makes a picture for the reader. Kennedy’s goal, which seems to support the idea of people being bonded to misery, is to have unity and fellowship in struggles. While these points are reasonable to base an opinion on, the literary device is hidden by shifting the focus to “struggling” rather than emphasizing the metaphor that describes the misery felt by the people. Moreover, his diction tends to be weak, such as using “bonds” instead of a stronger word to describe how they are tied down to misery. When JFK uses metaphors to describe negative situations, his positive goal of unity becomes tainted with the idea of being negative as
Dr. King uses imagery in his writing that makes the audience visualize what he has seen. He knows that the white moderates have strong family values, so he reaches out to them by providing stories about children. There is one story about a little girl who has just seen an ad on television and when she asks her father if she can go, he has to look his daughter in the eye and tell her that ?Funtown is closed to colored children?(King 561). He then goes on to explain about how that forces that young child to grow up to feel inferior and to begin to hate because she has darker skin than the other children do. Then there is another story about the family taking a cross-country vacation and having to ??sleep night after night in the uncomfortable corners of your automobile?? because motels would not accept colored people (King 561). It ...
The letter from Birmingham jail by Dr. Marin Luther King was written as a response of King to nine criticisms made against the Southern Christian leaders and King’s participation in demonstration in Birmingham. King handled many rhetorical devices to convince his opponents such as the white clergymen with his rights to protest, create tension for direct action and to achieve the racial justice. The devices fluctuate between Logos, Pathos and Ethos in a clever way to appeal to his audience and criticize them at the same time. King provided logical supports such as biblical figures, historical and philosophical references. In addition, he used verities of metaphors, allergy and poetic language. In my essay, I will point out some of the rhetorical devices and
MLK depicted gruesome imagery throughout his letter in order to force the white clergymen to feel the Negros pain. For instance, he mentions how Negros have tried many times to negotiate, and were left with ‘Broken promises, blasted hopes.’(King) Whites had always told the Negros to wait, that their segregation will end eventually. MLK describes the word ‘wait’ as it “rings in the ear of every Negro with a piercing familiarity,” (King), “It’s easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation to say ‘wait’.”(King) MLK’s choice of poignant wording to describe the Negros pain and suffering is effectively what helps deliver those feelings onto the white clergymen. While gruesome imagery is placed throughout his letter, MLK also dedicates an entire section of his letter solely to gain their understanding. “When you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters with impunity; when you see the vast majority of your twenty million Negro
Martin Luther King Jr. uses the emotional appeal most often than any other appeal and using it to his advantage, he makes it extremely effective in persuading the reader. He uses emotional appeal in many ways throughout his “letter from Birmingham Jail.” In one of the ways, he uses strong words as one of the most effective ways to relate to the reader and make them feel connected to him. He mentions in his letter that “When you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate-filled policemen curse, kick and even kill your black brothers and sisters.” Words such as vicious lynch, drown, hate-filled, curse, kick, and kill are all strong words that persuade a negative picture in the readers mind. Such examples he uses to define the evil acts of segregation appeals to the reader as unjust and unfair. King uses most of his emotional appeals from midway through the letter and keeps using it until the end. King relates himself to the audience, the clergymen, and shows the similarities ...
This is an imagery for the life of Negro people and that blacks were living a life no better than a jail because they were labeled as “colored”. He also stated, “It is unfortunate that demonstrations are taking place in Birmingham, but it is even more unfortunate that the city’s white power structure left the Negro community with no alternative” (King). The white had taken over the power of the country, left the blacks with no choice but to
During the 1960s inequality was a major problem in the United States. One advocate for making things right was Dr. Martin Luther King. Dr. King organized many marches, sit-ins, and boycotting events. But one of Dr. King’s greatest and memorable works has to be the “I Have a Dream” speech. During this speech Dr. King was conveying a message of freedom for all, to 250,000 civil right followers and many more people listening to the radio broadcast. To spread his message Dr. King uses rhetorical appeals like logos to appeal to the reason of his audience, ethos by his examples of practicing what he preached, and his metaphorical language and repetition.
The Civil Rights movement was a movement against racial segregation and discrimination in the southern States that became nationally recognized in the middle of the 1950s. Though American slaves were given basic civil rights through the Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments of the Constitution, African Americans still had a hard time trying to get federal protection of their newly found rights. A man by the name of Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the American Civil rights Leaders who used nonviolence in order to reach a social change. He used nonviolent resistance to overcome injustice against African Americans like segregation laws. He wasn’t just fighting for the equality of all African American but was also fighting for the equality of all men and women. Malcolm X is another great leader who fought for what he believed in. He was a black activist who, unlike King, promoted a little violence. Malcolm X wanted the nation (African Americans) to become more active in the civil rights protests. Both Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. had different methods for gaining civil rights. I believe that Martin Luther King Jr. method was more effective thanMalcolm X methods. In King “’Letter from Birmingham Jail” King defends himself on writing about why he is using nonviolent resistance to racism. Throughout the letter he shows his reasoning using logic, emotion, and ethics. Throughout his life King used this same method to reach how to hundred of thousands of African Americans.
Jesse Jackson vs. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. There are three ways to feel towards racism: accept it, hate it or be neutral. However, according to Jesse Jackson in his essay “Jets of Water Blast Civil Rights Demonstrators” and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” there are only two feelings, for it or against it.
While strengthening his argument of changing segregation laws, King utilizes metaphors that appeal to the audience’s emotional views. To begin with, King states “the disease of segregation,” (207) which immediately places segregation in a negative perspective. A disease is something that harms someone, and segregation does harm people in many ways. For example, segregation creates the barrier between blacks and whites and creates injustice in the daily lives of African Americans, which leads to police brutality, lynching, etc. Nevertheless, just as most diseases can be cured, King implies that segregation can also be cured. However, just like there is a battle to find a cure, there is also a battle to change segregation laws before it spreads any further to newer generations. Another metaphor King writes is the “air tight cage of poverty” (207) while referring to the life African Americans live in. Through this metaphor, King argues how segregation ultimately places black people into a cage of poverty. Because segregation denies blacks of more successful opportunities, there is an airtight cage that African Americans cannot leave. The cage is
In his essay "Letter from Birmingham Jail", Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. disproves the assumptions of people that believe racism is acceptable when he compares the maltreatment of blacks to the inhumane treatment of the Jews by Hitler. King establishes a relationship with his audience by connecting on a level that is larger than the exploitation of African American's rights. He forces his readers to think about the execution of millions of Jews that was ordered by Hitler. He makes it logically apparent in his letter that just because segregation is a law, it does not mean that it is just. These strong words by King help establish a common ground between himself and the reader that forces them to think about the immorality and injustice of their decisions. His thoughts and feelings are synonymous with the suffering experienced by African Americans in America during the civil rights movement.
Martin Luther King Jr., sparks emotion amongst the readers, through the use of pathos in attempt to create an emotional feel. His diction and vivid language makes this appeal successful. He writes on his scratch paper given to him in jail “I guess it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation to say "wait" (Longager & Walker, 2011, p. 270). The phrase “I guess” conveys the irony and absurdity of his claim. “Stinging darts” is also powerful, and truly makes the audience feel sorrow for those facing racial segregation. His strong diction is also depicted through anaphora. The repetition of phrases and words such as “when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mother,” “when you have seen hate filled policemen curse” and “see tears welling up in her eyes” provide the reader with a sense of sadness. By emphasizing “you,” he forces the reader to put themselves in the position that he is in, and experience it with him. Using anaphora creates a sense of memorability and urgency, all while remaining in the pathos category (Longager & Walker, 2011, p.256). Strategically used repetition not only forces the reader to focus on an idea, but also assists in conveying his intended message. The logos appeal is also in effect here. He utilizes the logos appeal to argue a non-violent protest is a wise decision. He details the daily life of an African American man, using words such as
The Ancien Regime (French for Old Order) was the way society was run, in a period in French history occurring before the French Revolution (1789 - 1799). France was ruled by an absolute monarchy (a system where the king was classed as divine - an infallible role) King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. The French society was separated into classes or Estates.
In Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream speech, King makes use of an innumerable amount of rhetorical devices that augment the overall understanding and flow of the speech. King makes the audience feel an immense amount of emotion due to the outstanding use of pathos in his speech. King also generates a vast use of rhetorical devices including allusion, anaphora, and antithesis. The way that King conducted his speech adds to the understanding and gives the effect that he wants to rise above the injustices of racism and segregation that so many people are subjected to on a daily basis. Throughout King’s speech, he uses the rhetorical mode, pathos, to give the audience an ambience of strong emotions such as sympathy.
From the steps of the Lincoln Memorial more than two score years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King electrified America with his momentous "I Have a Dream" speech. Aimed at the entire nation, King’s main purpose in this speech was to convince his audience to demand racial justice towards the mistreated African Americans and to stand up together for the rights afforded to all under the Constitution. To further convey this purpose more effectively, King cleverly makes use of the rhetorical devices — ethos, pathos and logos — using figurative language such as metaphors and repetition as well as various other techniques e.g. organization, parallel construction and choice of title.
Paragraph fourteen of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is the paragraph that makes the strongest appeal to the reader’s emotions by providing vivid examples of how hatred, racism, and discrimination negatively affected the lives of African Americans. These vivid examples range from stories of him explaining segregation to his children to the police brutality that was taking place throughout the south. Dr. King expresses himself in a way that forces the reader to visualize and deeply feel these events. His passionate use of rhetoric creates an emotional connection between the reader and the African Americans experiencing these injustices.