ipl-logo

How Does Martin Luther King Jr Use Literary Devices

500 Words2 Pages

The use of literary devices can greatly enhance the effectiveness of a speech, and two examples of this are Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech and President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Inaugural Address. Both Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech and President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Inaugural Address are widely regarded as powerful examples of public speaking that effectively employ various literary devices. However, there is a strong argument to be made that Roosevelt's address was more effective in terms of its use of rhetorical devices and its impact on the audience.

One of the key rhetorical devices utilized by Roosevelt is repetition, which is particularly evident in his famous line, "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself." This phrase is repeated several times throughout the speech, emphasizing his message and inspiring confidence in his audience. On the other hand, while King also employs repetition in his speech, such as when he repeats the phrase "I have a dream" several times, it may be argued that the use of this device in Roosevelt's speech is more effective, as it drives home his central message more forcefully. …show more content…

For instance, he states, "We do not distrust the future of essential democracy. The people of the United States have not failed." This statement emphasizes the importance of democracy and the resilience of the American people, creating a sense of hope for the future. Similarly, King's use of antithesis is also evident in his speech, such as when he contrasts "the quicksands of racial injustice" with "the solid rock of brotherhood." However, it could be argued that Roosevelt's use of this device is more effective in conveying his message of hope and

Show More
Related

Letter From Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Analysis

1341 Words | 6 Pages

Martin Luther King was a very powerful speech writer, as well as great at getting the point across through paper. In two of his most famous works of art, “I Have a Dream” and “Letter From Birmingham Jail,” he uses many different types of writing tools. Some of these writing tools include, analogies, rhetorical questions, and repetition. Some tools are only used in one or the other because it either wouldn’t make sense, or it would bring down the strength of the words within the work. The use of analogies is very common in his work.

Read More

Rhetorical Devices In President Roosevelt

353 Words | 2 Pages

In President Roosevelt’s speech, there are multiple rhetorical devices that can get a point across. Using these rhetorical devices, the audience may be able to become swayed by the main message being expressed. The goal of a speech is to catch the audience’s attention greatly and persuade them to gain similar beliefs on whatever is being spoken of. In Roosevelt’s speech, the mood expresses a ray of hope yet a feel of strictness. One rhetorical device used by Roosevelt is personification.

Read More

Similarities Between Elie Wiesel And Martin Luther King Jr

495 Words | 2 Pages

One of the strongest repetitions in this speech is when King repeats “I have a dream.” This makes the audience inspired by King's dreams, as well as ambitious for chasing their own. Elie Wiesel shares

Read More

Rhetorical Strategies Of Martin Luther King Jr. And Thomas Jefferson

818 Words | 4 Pages

Martin Luther King Jr speech is more effective when using rhetorical strategies because he uses Juxtaposition and Anaphora in his speech to express

Read More

Pathos, Ethos And Logos In The Works Of Dr. Martin Luther King

1081 Words | 5 Pages

King uses logos effectively throughout the letter to make a compelling case for civil rights. For example, he writes, "The nations of Asia and Africa are moving with jetlike speed toward gaining political independence, but we still creep at horse-and-buggy pace toward gaining a cup of coffee at a lunch counter. Perhaps it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation to say, 'Wait.' But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your brothers and sisters at whim; when you have seen hate-filled policemen curse, kick, and even kill your black brothers and sisters; when you see the vast majority of your twenty million Negro brothers smothered in an airtight cage of poverty in the midst of an affluent society; when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six-year-old daughter why she can't go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children, and see the depressing clouds of inferiority begin to form in her little mental sky, then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait." Here, King uses a comparison to other nations and a rhetorical question to demonstrate the unfairness and urgency of the situation

Read More

How Does Fdr Use Repetition In The Gettysburg Address

1208 Words | 5 Pages

An example of this is when he says “we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground.” He repeats the phrase “we cannot” to emphasize how important it is to continue to fight. He does this to help the audience understand the importance of fighting. He tries to help inspire people not to lose hope and continue to fight. Roosevelt also uses repetition in her speech, she says “joy that our men are freed of constant danger, hope that those whom we love will soon be home among us, awe at what man’s intelligence can compass, and a realization that that intelligence uncontrolled by great spiritual forces, can be man’s destruction instead of his salvation.”

Read More

Compare And Contrast Gettysburg And I Have A Dream

519 Words | 3 Pages

Dr. King says I have a dream over and over around the end of his speech, this is a repetition. Dr. King allusion refers to Gettysburg about freedom. Dr. king said, “five score years ago.” And another allusion is let freedom ring. The different is Gettysburg uses a hyperbole

Read More

Rhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther King Jr King

272 Words | 2 Pages

Martin Luther King Jr. convinces churchgoers that the U.S. needs to get out of Vietnam war and support civil rights. He does this by proving himself as a reliable source and using emotion to persuade his audience. Reverend King first starts convincing his congregation by stating in the beginning of his speech"Since I am a preacher by calling, I suppose it is not surprising that I have … major reasons for bringing Vietnam into the field of my moral vision." He uses this quote to prove he is a credible figure to give moral advice and talk about the subject .

Read More

Martin Luther King's Argument Techniques

76 Words | 1 Pages

Martin Luther King uses argument techniques to achieve his purpose by the way he is taking things. He is wanting to get his point across of what he is saying, thats why he is repeating himself. King wanted the audience to be persuaded to listen and help them understand why these things are important. He is argument techniques that he has are important and good because he is very passionate about what he is talking

Read More

Anaphora In Letter From Birmingham Jail

826 Words | 4 Pages

King repeated many of his words throughout the speech, but the words he chose to repeat had an impact on his entire address and left the audience thinking about certain things. For example, King repeats the words “we can never be satisfied as long as…” and “we cannot be satisfied as long as…” until he finishes that part of his speech with, “No, no we are not satisfied and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream” (King). He repeats “satisfied” over and over to tell the Black Americans they cannot settle any longer and that they have to higher their standards when thinking about their rights. King’s repeating of those same phrases not only makes those sentences memorable but also makes an impact on the audience. Another, for example, “I have a dream…”

Read More

Speech In Martin Luther King's I Have A Dream

815 Words | 4 Pages

Martin Luther King’s famous “I have a dream” speech was spoken when the black people fought for their freedom. King puts this fight into words. It is not just the words that make his speech so well-founded, it is the way he uses them. What builds King 's speech is his utilization of images, allusions, repetitions, emotive language, contrast, structure, and purpose.

Read More

Figurative Language In Martin Luther King Jr.'s I Have A Dream Speech

1110 Words | 5 Pages

In addition to building a strong cadence, it unifies a sequence of ideas, emphasizes an idea by stating it more than once, and helps create a strong emotional effect” (p. 231). In this case, King’s repeated use of “I have a dream” resulted in all of the above, especially the strong emotional effect. Martin Luther King used the repetition of “I have a dream” several times in his speech, including these times: I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’ I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of

Read More

I Have A Dream Rhetorical Devices

431 Words | 2 Pages

He repeated the phrase "I have a dream" multiple times throughout the speech, creating a powerful and memorable refrain that helped to solidify his message in the minds of his listeners. Additionally, King also used personal anecdotes and references to historical events and figures to make his message more relatable and powerful. Another effective technique used in the speech was King's use of emotional appeal. He spoke about the injustices and suffering that African Americans had experienced and called on the conscience of the nation to take action.

Read More

Letter From Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Devices

466 Words | 2 Pages

In Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter From Birmingham Jail” and “I Have a Dream” speech he uses many different rhetorical devices. He uses rhetorical devices such as repetition, analogy, and rhetorical questions. In each writing, he uses the devices for many different purposes. These purposes can be similar, or different. In short, Martin Luther King Jr. includes rhetorical devices in his writing.

Read More

Martin Luther King's Speech Tone

1111 Words | 5 Pages

To achieve this, he used rhetorical strategies such as appeal to pathos and repetition. His passionate tone flowed through these strategies, increasing their persuasive power on the people and encouraging them to follow/listen to his message on racial injustice. While pathos elicits an emotional response from the audience to make them more accepting of King’s ideas, repetition structures the speech and emphasizes key ideas for the audience to take away from listening. These two techniques played a crucial role in furthering his purpose and in provoking a powerful response from the audience that made this speech memorable and awe-inspiring. To this day, King’s speech remains one of the most famous and influential speeches in

Read More

More about How Does Martin Luther King Jr Use Literary Devices

Related Topics

Open Document