Martin Luther King Jr’s rhetorical choices stressed the importance of remaining non-violent as well as trying to view the world in the perspective of the opposition. Those choices proved powerful to people of all races. Martin Luther King Jr. incorporated all three modes of persuasion in his speech but it is clear that pathos is the primary vehicle in which he chose to move his audience. Martin Luther King Jr. uses pathos because of the diverse audience itself. If he were to spend all of his time writing his speech on the legislative aspect of the civil rights movement, his speech would not have had the same impact as it did.
Martin Luther King Jr references Paul when he states “So I am Compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own home town. Like Paul, I must constantly respond to Macedonian call for aid”(444). In addition to establishing that he is a religious man he also show that he is a literate, knowledgeable and wise man when he quotes Socrates, Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson who were all seen as radical leaders of their time periods but are now heroic leaders of change. One of the main focuses of his argument is Justice and direct action which is an idea that King supports throughout his argument by showing that he has immense knowledge of court cases and historical situations which agains adds to his
The listing of each person’s motivation and quote creates a rhythm, emulating the flow of time and visualizing how different people fought for freedom. Eventually, the rhythm is accelerated as the introductions to each person get shorter and shorter, representing that we are getting closer to the present. It shows that change is imminent and it cannot be stopped. Just as how many other good extremists have succeeded in their efforts, King and the civil rights movement will succeed. King utilizes repetition and imagery to create pathos in his audience.
By depicting a future in which everyone is treated equally regardless of race. He appeals to the emotions of his audience. In order to foster a sense of solidarity and shared suffering. He also discusses his own experiences as well as those of other African Americans. King made a strong speech and his rhyming passionate delivery helped make the gravity of his message clear.
During the days of segregation Martin Luther King was trying to make changes in society. He would use different things such as pathos, logos, and ethos to persuade the people of America to stop violence and start non-violent resistance. King also shows the difference of being the oppressed and the oppressor by explaining how not doing anything to make a change is being the oppressor and is still wrong in every way. Martin Luther King explains himself through ethos, logos, and pathos to show right from wrong and oppressed and the oppressor to make a difference in America during the Civil RIghts Movement. He used ethos the most in his speeches such as relating to bible verses or explaining the struggle that the black american has to go through every single day.
King’s persuasive prowess in the speech is how he used logical and sensible arguments. A great example is when he states that their children are “stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity” by segregation laws and policies (King). He is alluding to the fact that African American children feel singled out and embarrassed by the fact that they are segregated from the white children. Most parents would never want their children to suffer through that kind of embarrassment, and yet African Americans experience it daily. A second example of King using logic and reasoning is when he states, “But one hundred years later, the Negro is still not free.
Martin Luther King Jr. was an important figure in gaining civil rights throughout the 1960’s and he’s very deserving of that title as seen in both his “I Have a Dream” speech and his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” letter. In both of these writings Dr. King uses logos - logical persuasion - and pathos - emotional appeal - to change the opinions of people who were for segregation and against civil rights. Although King was arrested for a nonviolent protest, he still found a way to justify his actions with the use of logos and pathos. MLK uses both ways to gain the attention and agreement of the audience but, he uses pathos not just more, but in a more relatable way in order to appeal to his audience.
My Dearest Parents, When you last heard from me, it was about two months when I first boarded the ship. The voyage was normal at first, the only discomfort being the number of passengers traveling with me. The reason for the overcrowding was due to the passengers hoping they can experience a new life for not only themselves, but also their family and friends. This was my intention too. After a couple of weeks at sea, there was a massive storm that threw the ship off course.
Another strategy is quoting credible people that agree with his views and statements; King says, “I would agree with St. Augustine that “An unjust law is no law at all.” Saint Augustine was one of the authoritative figures of medieval philosophy whose influence reached the present day (Mendelson). King also says, “To use the words of Martin Buber, the great Jewish philosopher.” King uses little effective words like “[M]y Christian and Jewish brothers,” and “[F]ellow clergymen.” He further says, “[T]hat some of our white brothers have grasped the meaning of the social revolution and committed themselves to it,” and goes on to give the names of these people.
He believed in nonviolent resistance and was a strong advocate for justice and equality. Through his speeches and peaceful protests, he inspired a nation to stand up against racial injustice and to work towards a future where all people are treated equally. King says, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.”
On August 28th, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr gave us one of one of the most rhetorically moving speeches ever given. Titled as the “I Have a Dream Speech,” he read this speech to the “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom”. As a civil right mover he gave this great speech to all Americans (black and white) so that he could give off the idea of equality on the same level. Because of his crowd of mix races King made sure to make his speech imploring to all no matter what the race that they may be. He uses metaphorical imagery, powerful diction,and symbolism to create an impact on the audience.
During the era of the civil rights movements in the 60s, among the segregation, racism, and injustice against the blacks, Martin Luther King Jr. stood at the Lincoln Memorial to deliver one of the greatest public speeches for freedom in that decade. In Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech he effectively uses ethos, diction and powerful metaphors to express the brutality endured by African American people. Yet his most important method of reaching his audience, and conveying his enduring message of equality and freedom for the whole nation was his appeal to pathos. With these devices, King was able to move thousands of hearts and inspire the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Opening his speech Martin Luther King Jr. sets up his credibility with his use of ethos, referring to the Declaration of Independence saying, “This note was a promise that all men… would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life.”
The main idea of his speech is that all people were created equal and, although this is no longer the case nowadays, King felt it must be the case for the future. He argued peacefully, yet passionately and powerfully. In preparation for the speech, he studied the Bible, The Gettysburg Address and the US Declaration of Independence and he alludes to all three in his address. The intensity of King’s speech is built through parallelism, metaphors, bold statements and rhythmic repetitions:
I have a dream speech Analysis Martin Luther king Jr once said,“ I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration of freedom in the history of our nation.” He addressed these words on August of 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial after marching through the streets of Washington. He addressed segregation injustice and racial discrimination against African Americans that took place during his era, in his “I have a dream speech.” He recognized that american was founded on freedom, democracy where each individual has a voice and matters. Only few weeks back protesters were getting arrested for fighting for equality.
He incorporated a lot of biblical allusions to insist the audience that his speech is in accordance to the Bible, as King writes that he has a dream that one day, “every valley shall be exalted,” every hill and mountain “made low,” all rough places will be “plain” and crooked places “straight” and that the “glory of the Lord shall be revealed.” (Isaiah 40:4-5). On another occasion he paraphrased one of biblical statement “weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” (Psalms 30:5 ) in his words as “It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity “cite .King’s allusions to past events help to create unite both races and inspire them to tackle this problem collectively as both colors experienced American history in some form or another. King not only references the Biblical allusions which emotionally appeal to people but also mentions legal statements like declaration of independence and Emancipation proclamation by mentioning “Five score years …” to refer to Abraham Lincoln’s address and “promissory note” to direct their attention towards their legal rights as mentioned in the constitution.
