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MLK Rhetorical Analysis Essay

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Emma Winkler Mrs. Coleman English I 3 April 2024 MLK Rhetorical Analysis Essay On August 28, 1963, Martin Kuther King. Jr. stood in front of the Lincoln Memorial and delivered a speech that is commonly known across America called “I Have a Dream.” He delivered his speech in front of over 250,000 people of all races and backgrounds in hopes he could gather citizens who are willing to help make a stand and fight for equality and end segregation. He wanted to share his dream that his 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 character.” King utilizes repetition, anaphora, and allusion to help emphasize the importance of his speech. Firstly, the King of the. Jr. utilizes the repetition throughout his speech to gain the attention of the audience; he utilizes the words “freedom,” “justice,” and “equality.” King utilizes these to emphasize that his speech is about his dream to have freedom and equality amongst all races, religions, backgrounds, etc, and how he dreams of having a free and equal …show more content…

King repeating these words helps show his/nation’s goal for justice and equality and what we should be working towards as a nation. Secondly, King uses the repetition of the anaphora “Now is the time.” to help emphasize that now is the time to take action and make these goals happen. This phrase helps King emphasize that now is the time to take a stand together and make something happen. It shows that instead of waiting for change to occur naturally, now is the time to make it happen. King doesn’t want to wait another hundred years for the change to happen, he wants change to happen now because he doesn’t want his kids to suffer the same mistreatment he and other black citizens had to experience. Thirdly, King uses allusion to the Bible and the founding fathers of America and the goals of the founding

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