In His Speech “ I Have a Dream”, Martin Luther King uses rhetorical devices and appeals in order to spread awareness of his cause. King was a pastor, and was the leader of the civil rights movement. He delivered his speech in the midst of the Jim Crow era, during the ginormous “March on Washington” protest. He also delivered his speech exactly one hundred years after Abraham Lincoln gave the Gettysburg address, standing in the footsteps in which Lincoln freed the slaves. In front of 25,000 people of all races and ages, he spread awareness of the discrimination against blacks, and the awful violence being put upon them. He wanted to share his dream of his children being judged on the basis of their character instead of the color of their skin. Speaking in a passionate/hopeful tone, he delivered a speech …show more content…
These words emphasize the importance of his main idea. Additionally, by using strong language, it helps King get his point across more clearly and connect on a deeper level with his audience. Words like “freedom” and “equality” help demonstrate the goal that King was looking to achieve through the civil rights movement. Secondly, MLK utilizes the rhetorical device of allusion to help persuade the audience to advocate for the Equality Act. The quote “five score years ago a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the emancipation proclamation” alludes to the 16th President Abraham Lincoln. This quote is also significant due to the fact it shows, one hundred years after the emancipation proclamation was issued, blacks were still being held back by discrimination and injustice. Additionally, this quote creates ethos and emotion in his speech. The third and final device Martin Luther King uses is an anaphora. The anaphora of “one hundred years later” is used numerous times to emphasize the lengthy period of time in which blacks locked true
Martin Luther King Jr. “I Have a Dream” speech was delivered as motivation to fight for their rights and help paint the picture of what America could look like in the future. He does this by in the beginning saying that even though the Emancipation Proclamation was signed African Americans are not treated as normal citizens. By saying this Martin Luther King Jr. was saying we should not just be content with being free from slavery. That now it is time to fight for our rights and to end discrimination because of the color on one’s skin.
On August 28th, 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C, Martin Luther King Jr., spoke to roughly twenty-five thousands people attending the March on Washington for jobs and freedom. In Dr. King’s speech, “I Had a Dream”, he uses rhetorical devices to convey that all people are created equal and to educate the importance of the Civil Rights Movement.
After 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln gave African American slaves their freedom in society they were still not treated as equals. In August 28, 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C Martin Luther King Jr. gave the speech “I Have a Dream” that impacted the nation. The twenty-six-year-old pastor of the city's Dexter Avenue Baptist Church had to show the grievances of his people, justify their refusal to ride on Montgomery's city busses, and encourage them in peaceful way. In the “I have a dream” speech given by Dr. King he uses persuasive appeals to fight for the civil right movements in the most civilized way. To do this he had to convince African Americans that his way of going with things was in their best interests, and he had to convince white Americans that his vision was not going to change their heritage and in their best interests as well.
In a period of time where few were willing to listen, Martin Luther King, Jr. stood proudly, gathered and held the attention of over 200,000 people. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech was very effective and motivational for African Americans in 1963. Many factors affected Kings’ speech in a very positive manner; the great emotion behind the words, delivering the speech on the steps of the memorial of the President who defeated slavery. And not only was this message beautifully written for the hope of African Americans, but the underlying message for white people, revolution and peace. To stimulate emotion from both parties of his listeners, King used a selection of rhetorical devices such as allusions to historical documents, metaphors, similes, anaphoras and others.
On August 28, 1963 more than 250,000 civil-rights supporters attended the March on Washington. Addressing the protesters from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. Profoundly, he proclaimed for a free nation of equality where all race would join together in the effort to achieve common ground. King stated his yearning for all colors to unite and be judged by character, not by race. African Americans would not be satisfied until their desire for freedom from persecution, bitterness, and hatred prevailed. Not only were the points in his speech powerful, but also the delivery he gave was so persuading and real that it changed the hearts of many people across America. By using four artificial proofs, mythos, logos, ethos, and pathos, Martin Luther King was able to open the eyes of people who were blinded by the color of skin.
Martin Luther King uses a lot of repetition in his speech. They are scattered throughout but very close. One of the repetitions in his speech is “I have a dream.” He uses this phrase to show what he sees in the future of America. One of the phrases he uses with it is: “I have a dream that one day this nation will and live out the true meaning of its creed: we hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.” Another is “I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their nature. I have a dream today.” (King, M. L. Jr. (1963, Aug.28) Para 12) Two other repetitions he uses is “Let freedom ring” and “Free at last.” (King, M. L. Jr. (1963, Aug.28) Para 16&17)
Dr. King’s speech “I Have a Dream” is one of the most famous and important speeches ever given. On August 28, 1963 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C Dr. King gave his speech to bring freedom to African Americans across the United States. The audience who Dr. King is talking to is the American People. To get the message out Dr. King uses logos, pathos, and ethos, by doing this he captivates an entire nation using just words.
Martin Luther King’s speech was very persuading due to his ability to use language. His use of language was brilliant, with the combination of all lit elements, most importantly anaphoras and allusions. Dr. King uses allusions all throughout his speech, an allusion is an expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly. An allusion is used to refer back to something in the past and help emphasize a piece of writing. As shown in the text on page 1 paragraph 2, Dr. King uses a piece from the Gettysburg address to start his speech, “ Five score years ago.” Dr. King used a piece from the Gettysburg Address because that was a very important piece of writing in American history and it really helped emphasize his speech. Another allusion used in Dr. King’s speech is stated in the text on page 1 paragraph 4 “ When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the
The “I Have a Dream” speech given and written by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was and still is one of the most powerful speeches given. Because of the literary elements used in the speech is gives the audience something to think about and relate to and mixes with their feelings to possibly change their stance on the subject. Because of the serious issues that went on during the civil rights movement, such as separation of public services and unfair treatment to African Americans, something had to be done to end the racial injustice. People did try to prevent the discrimination by gathering marches and leading protests. But one of the largest impacts on this time period was the “I Have a Dream” speech and Dr. King’s use of literary
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 comprehension 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.
On August 28th, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous and powerful speech I Have a Dream, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. The purpose of his speech was to fight for the civil rights, equality, and to stop the discrimination against African-American people. His use of imagery, repetition, and metaphor in his speech had created an impact with his audience. King used the three rhetorical devices, ethos, pathos and logos to help the audience understand the message of his speech.
Martin Luther King did not know that his “I Have a Dream” speech would still be iconic 50 years later. In 1963 Martin Luther King Jr. delivered the “I Have a Dream” speech at the March on Washington. He was facing the problem of racial injustice for himself and everyone like him. He needed to create a speech that everyone could and would understand, could learn from, and could draw inspiration from. He had to address blacks and whites, he had to say things that everyone could relate to and he had speak in a way that he get the
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a civil rights activist best known for his "I have a Dream" Speech that helped further the abolishment of segregation in the United States. In this letter towards his fellow clergymen, Dr. Martin Luther King is elucidating that he is not an outsider; it is his God given right to be able to speak out on the injustice the colored community is facing. While writing his letter, King uses rhetorical devices and appeals to develop his argument that his actions along with the civil rights movement protestors are not unwise and untimely. Dr. King establishes his credibility by presenting his many organizational ties to the clergy. He consistently mentions his presidency and involvement in "the Southern Christian Leadership Conference" to show that he understands the clergymen.
On April 16th 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. protested Jim Crow laws and racial violence in Alabama during the civil rights era. King argued for change while justifying his actions in a serious and impassioned way. King makes it known that he is not unwise nor untimely. Therefore, he presents himself as one of the clergy, and that he can be believed. King, from the beginning, established and let it be known that he was credible; he supports this claim by emphasizing that he is not an outsider and showing his credibility.
The famous speech, “ I Have a Dream”, was held in 1963 by a powerful leader of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s. He was born January 15,1929 the son of an Atlanta Pastor. Martin Luther King Jr. always insisted on nonviolent resistance and always tried to persuade others with his nonviolent beliefs. In 1963, King spoke from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and almost 200,000 people attended his speech. All his listeners were Civil Rights supporters who rallied behind him and the people who watched his appearance on television. King traveled the country making speeches and inspiring people to become involved in the Civil Rights Movement. He organized non violent student sit-ins and fought for the rights of the black population.