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Rhetorical Analysis Of I Have A Dream

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“Let freedom ring.” Freedom is all something we all value in life; unfortunately, it wasn’t just handed to all of us. In “I Have a Dream,” Martin Luther King Jr. tries to convince all of America that everyone should be treated with equality. This address is very compelling because it uses tone, repetition, and allusion to convey a point using both compassion and power. The first paragraph references to the Declaration of Independence and our unalienable rights as Americans, trying to argue his point. Next, MLK uses a great amount of wisdom to show that his people are in need of aid from the powers of our country. Finally, he demonstrates emphasis to strengthen his point even further. No speech can be complete without an emotional tie to a historical …show more content…

has an outstanding amount of optimism and passion behind his words. This level of tone is beyond most others. In fact, it is almost as if Jesus himself spoke through this leader of equality and to all of America. “But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation” (King). His breathtaking words inspired each and every one of us to make a difference, and he wraps up this paragraph perfectly. “And so, we’ve come to cash this check, a check that will give us on demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice” (King). He compares a check to the acceptance of the rights of all people, that gives his people equality and all of America’s ‘unalienable rights.’ “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…” (King). This ending really spoke to everyone listening because of the talk of equality among others, and harmony for all. Furthermore, Dr. King repeats impactful phrases to try and hook the …show more content…

The use of this technique can be found in various other speeches because of its effectiveness on us men and women alike. This amount of power, passion, and emphasis strengthens his Ethos, Logos, and Pathos throughout his speech ultimately winning the vocal battle against all opposing him. “I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; ‘and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together’” (King). This is just one of the many (8+) times he says, “I have a dream” making it clear that it is one of the main points that he wants people to remember when they go back to doing their daily routines. “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” (King). With this faith, everyone could overcome any hurdles coming their way, just as Dr. King wisely told. “And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the

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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.

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In the beginning of the speech Dr. King gives an example of pathos and explains how even though African Americans live in a land of freedom, they are still being filed for their skin color. “...the (colored) is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land ”(King 261). When he used the words languished and exile it attracts listeners and gives them a small perspective on how the African Americans

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These clergymen deemed his organized group activities as “unwise and untimely.” (King, 1963). These men, who at the time had higher power over King due to their race, were unwelcoming and racist, which caused King to need firm and calm but strongly expressed arguments. King’s speech, on the other hand, is positive and powerful with a direct audience to speak to instead of a letter. His speech has an optimistic tone towards his audience as he quickly claims his happiness towards the gathering and his certainty of the impact he would make with “…the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.”

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These beginning lines help connect King to the audience and lays the foundation for the rest of the speech. Following these introductory lines, King alters his center of attention and starts to focus on America's history and the beginning of our nation. He states "five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice........". In this section of the speech, King alludes to Abraham Lincoln and the history of America to gain credibility with his audience.

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By using the rhetorical features, MLK’s speech reached a different level of effectiveness for his audience. Using credibility, authority, trustworthiness and similarity to build a relationship by using evidence, MLK achieved ethos. Then by stating his values and creating imagery achieved but hos vocabulary he effective used pathos. Finally, by his clarity, goals, evidence and consistency, MLK appropriately reached his audience logical and effectively using logos. Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered for his great speeches, accomplishments and his leadership skills, but also for the sincerity of his heart for the freedom and unity of all people.

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It is here in this speech where he gives his thesis, on the state of America. To King America has issued a “faulty check” to the African American peoples. He states “When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." He acknowledges the American Dream, a pathetic idea.

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He places the strong authority of the declaration on his side to show how the American people are in contradiction to their own “sacred obligation” and the Negros have gotten a “bad check.” A metaphor representing the unfulfilled promise of human rights for the African Americans. King skillfully evokes an emotional response from all races with the use of religion: “Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.” By doing this he finds a common ground that brings black and whites closer with a common belief in God they share, as well as the mention of

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“In expressing [his own emotions] with such powerful eloquence, in connecting strongly with the emotions of his listeners, and in convincing them to empathize with others, Dr. King demonstrated emotional intelligence decades before the concept had a name”(“Dr. Martin”). He demanded to end racism throughout the entire United States. King utilized repetition, metaphors, diction and rhetorical devices, that provokes ethos and pathos, throughout his speech in order to connect with his audience as well as to motivate them to stand up and fight for their freedom they well-deserve. One of the most used literary elements throughout Martin Luther King’s speech are diction, which leads to rhetorical devices such as, ethos, logos, and pathos.

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Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech is one of the most well-known and critically acclaimed speeches of all time. Every child, every teenager, every adult has at some point in their lives heard King’s speech. They have heard the words “I have a dream” ring through the air. The success of King’s speech is not accidental by any means. King’s speech bears many of the hallmarks of a strong persuasive speech.

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1088 Words | 5 Pages

Next, MLK uses a great amount of wisdom to show that his people are in need of aid from the powers of our country. Finally, he demonstrates emphasis to strengthen his point even further. No speech can be complete without an emotional tie to a historical event, and that is exactly what Martin Luther King Jr. did best. The leader of equality himself alludes to our nation’s prosperity and power, arguing that we must be altogether in this effort.

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904 Words | 4 Pages

By using these rhetorical devices, King successfully inspired emotion in his audience and gave them hope for a possible bright future. We can see that Martine Luther King use several rhetorical devices within the speech to grab attention of the people who were engaged with the unjust oppression. First of all, in the beginning of his speech, he made a connection alluded to Lincoln’s speech ‘‘Five score years ago…’’ (Line 2.1, page1) this line referred to the Gettysburg Address, presenting by the United States president. King used it to enhance credibility primarily because of Lincoln’s high position related with civil rights.

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1272 Words | 6 Pages

King also states “[t]here will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights.”, in this King informs everyone that the equal rights movement will not give up and will persevere until they are granted their rights that they were promised. King also explains that it would be detrimental for America to ignore the importance and determination of the movement. King uses these phrases to empower the movement and forewarn the opposers of the coming “... whirlwind revolt ...” to “... shake the foundation of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.” (600), this message being central to his point of equal justice and equal rights, for everyone, which I believe gave the movement a boost in strength and endurance to power through adversity and gain the suffrage and rights they

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794 Words | 4 Pages

used allusion, metaphors, and repetitions in his speech to try to convince Americans to open up their door of selfishness and welcome change. Dr. King used metaphor to let people better understand things that they don’t necessarily know. KIng also used allusions to show people his ideas compared to theirs, and to make people remember certain things that those people said that goes against what the audience is doing. Finally, Dr. King used repetitions to show people something that is really important, and to remind them about things in the past that should be remembered. In the end, Martin Luther King Jr. “I have a dream” speech used many rhetorical devices to try to convince people to change their ways, open the doors of selfishness, and invite change.

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A2d: SMART Leadership Development Goals In order to be a more effective leader, I need to develop my professional interpersonal skills. Specifically, I need to develop assertiveness, a new and more positive outlook on employee recognition, and a better manner in which to confront disgruntled employees or customers. My estimated time of completion of this goal will be two months. At this time, I will measure my success by conducting a mock trial that entails scenarios that involve communicating with others.

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Another practice MLK uses throughout his speech is the wide use of anaphors. To influence his audience efficaciously he mentions “I have a dream”, “One hundred years later”, “let the freedom ring” due which the audience gain a preserving feeling. The intense use of anaphora elevates his speech and make his speech more powerful, memorable and quotable. The tone being used by MLK is informatory. His tone possess an essence of argumentation and description.

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