Martin Luther King Jr I Have A Dream Rhetorical Analysis

Martin Luther King Jr. Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Martin Luther King Jr., a social rights activist, in his persuasive “I Have a Dream” speech, made an attempt at a call for equality. King develops his argument through various examples of repetition and anaphora and then concludes his speech by using a hopeful tone as well as diction to advocate for changes to economic and racial injustices. He spoke in order to show his passion and belief that all people deserve to earn fair opportunities and a fair life. His audience were the civilians on a march for civil rights that showed up in support of him, however, his intended audience were the people of the United States that were unconcerned or uninterested with the issues.

King’s purpose throughout

As King starts his paragraph, he uses anaphora to get his point across and state why now is the time for change. “Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children,” (1). King starts each of his sentences with “Now is the time,” this is suggesting that now should be the time that things should change for the better. King is especially passionate about the change that needs to happen and he shows it in this quote by his choice of diction. “With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day,” (2). With every sentence beginning with “With this faith,” it’s showing his audience what will come of the change. More specifically, it shows what positive outcomes change can lead to. King’s choices of anaphora

In this quote, King shows his audience that he has the same dream as others and that’s why he is so adamant about why it needs to happen. “And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream,” (2). King is telling his audience that even though there might not be change right now, he has hope that there will be. It shows his audience that his dream will never die, and even when change does happen, his dream will continue and progress. He is tremendously passionate about the way he speaks and what he speaks about and in this quote, he shows that by stating positive outcomes. “And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: Free at last! Free at last ! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!” (3). When everyone is able to come together without hatred or being seen as inferior to one another, they will be able to be free and heal all as one rather than alone or still in groups. By showing his audience a brighter side to the situation, he is