ipl-logo

Rhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther King Jr

398 Words2 Pages

Justice is not treating someone unfairly because of their differences. Quite often many injustices go unnoticed; but one man noticed a big injustice that many people during his time ignored. This man was Martin Luther King Jr, famously known for addressing these injustices via his speech, “I Have A Dream”. This speech inspired over 200,000 Americans to march for a better future. The passionate tone of Martin Luther King Jr.’s, “I Have A Dream” is magnified and supported through the use of rhetorical elements. The three strongest elements that he used were diction, allusion, and syntax. In Martin Luther King Jr.’s, I have a dream”, he exploits the element diction, to emphasize his point. For example, “With this faith we will be able to work together, play together, to struggle together…” (King 51). In this quote, King repeats the word “together” to accentuate that we should be united as a whole nation. King states, “Now is the time to rise from the dark and …show more content…

employs allusion to emphasize the historical progression of racism. For example, King illustrates,”...In whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation” (King 48). The Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves of America, making it an important moment in history. King uses this allusion to show that eventually discrimination will no longer be an issue of our future. King also describes, “When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution...they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir” (48). He uses the Constitution to address the fact that African Americans are denied rights and equality, even though the Constitution states otherwise. King also writes, “My country ‘tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing” (51). King appeals to the audience using pathos, by talking about their nationalism. King calls on the ideal characteristics of a nation, having justice and freedom for

Show More
Related

Rhetorical Devices Used In Letter From Birmingham Jail

691 Words | 3 Pages

Martin Luther king Jr. uses many stylistic elements such as allusion and metaphors to support his evidence and influence your readers. King wanted to give the readers something to think about and he wanted

Read More

How Did Martin Luther King Use Ethos In Civil Rights

692 Words | 3 Pages

King inspired millions to change the situation they were in and end discrimination with his emphatic diction. Unbeknownst to many, allusion was one of King’s most powerful and persuading forms of rhetorical devices in his, I Have a Dream,” speech. “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” is guaranteed to both black men as well as white men, was a phrase spoken by King

Read More

Similarities Between Frederick Douglass And Martin Luther King Jr

630 Words | 3 Pages

Rhetorical and literary devices has been utilized to persuade an audience throughout history. In Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech and Frederick Douglass’ “Address to the Massachusetts Anti-slavery society” speech, they articulate the injustices the black man has experienced over the years by exercising allusion and anaphora. King and Douglass, both civil rights activist, desire action from society; they seek true equality for their black brethren. King and Douglass use allusion to create a recollection in the minds of their audience in order to reinforce their intents. King states, “five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation” referring to Abraham Lincoln.

Read More

March On Washington Speech Rhetorical Analysis

1236 Words | 5 Pages

Martin Luther King Jr. inexplicably opened the eyes of Americans across the nation with his role in the movement and his use of resonating imagery, excellent emotional appeal, powerful voice, and evocation of logic in his “I Have a Dream” speech. With such an enthralling rhetoric he gained a vast amount of support and exponentially increased the pride in standing up for what’s righteous and just. Exemplifying the throes of being a colored person, King evoked sympathy whilst simultaneously applying the valid logic that no human should be subjected to lesser standards. His rhetoric wholly changed American history that day and thus conveyed his ability to maintain equanimity throughout all of the

Read More

I Have A Dream Ethos Pathos Logos

1270 Words | 6 Pages

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.

Read More

I Have A Dream Rhetorical Analysis Essay

770 Words | 4 Pages

Martin Luther King Jr.’s overall tone in his speech is determination; determination to gain equality for all races and colors and for the nation to unite in fighting the injustices of inequality in America in the 1950’s. I Have A Dream, is all about his dream that one day all the injustices in the world will one day disappear. The use of diction brings the reader towards his tone of determination , contributing to his overall feelings towards his mission of wanting freedom and equality, which he portrays throughout the entire speech. King uses bold words repetitively such as "freedom" "dream" and “justice” to open his argument that equality will bring freedom to the black community.

Read More

I Have A Dream Speech Rhetorical Essay

804 Words | 4 Pages

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.

Read More

Rhetorical Analysis Of I Have A Dream Speech

1013 Words | 5 Pages

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

Read More

Rhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther King's Speech

1848 Words | 8 Pages

Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most influential leaders of his time and played a crucial role in the African-American Civil Rights movement. Luther was a charismatic leader who took a firm stand against the oppressive and racist regime of the United States (US), devoting much of his life towards uniting the segregated African-American community of the US. His efforts to consolidate and harmonise the US into one country for all is reflected in many of his writings and speeches spanning his career. As a leader of his people, King took the stand to take radical measures to overcome the false promises of the sovereign government that had been addressing the issues of racial segregation through unimplemented transparent laws that did nothing to change the grim realities of the society. Hence, King’s works always had the recurring theme of the unity and strength of combined willpower.

Read More

The Theme Of Adversity In Of Mice And Men

971 Words | 4 Pages

Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech suggested the theme of adversity through his word choice, especially the use of literary devices. King used allusions, similes, metaphors, and imagery to convey the theme of adversity to the audience. In the speech King implied discrimination through declaring, "Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood." (2) This displays how comparing discrimination and quicksand exhibits the power that adversity has on our world. He is not directly speaking from personal experience in this speech, as in he is not using personal pronouns.

Read More

Rhetorical Analysis Of I Have A Dream By Martin Luther King Jr.

1088 Words | 5 Pages

“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.

Read More

Rhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther King's I Have A Dream Speech

801 Words | 4 Pages

In a society where one’s country has the ability to enforce the seclusion of the “equal and unalienable rights” of its people based on the color of their skin is one in which change has to be demanded. Having to be constantly petrified of the idea of walking down the street due to the possibility of being lynched by the Ku Klux Klan and the constant stigmatism of the “Jim Crow Laws” provoked Martin Luther King Jr. to fight for this change. Consequently, Martin Luther King Jr., an American Baptist minister and leader of the civil rights movement, impressively delivered his prominent “I Have a Dream” speech. His passion was not only noticeably demonstrated on the day he delivered his ideas, but also on the written words that can be seen today. In this work, Dr. King effectively uses the rhetorical appeal, Pathos, with his implementation of anaphora, parallelism and metaphors.

Read More

Rhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther King Jr

1397 Words | 6 Pages

The man who changed lives that day not only wanted people to hear his message, but also apply it to their live. (SS) In his famous, “I Have a Dream” speech Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. uses repetition, specific, illustrative details and examples, allusions, and figurative language in order to amplify his message that his audience needed to bond together to fight for civil rights and justice immediately. (com) Dr. King emphasizes the fact that his dream is to achieve

Read More

Literary Devices In I Have A Dream Speech

1158 Words | 5 Pages

Throughout his declaration for freedom and equality, King uses empowering literary devices and urges the human race to take action before racism consumes all thoughts, feelings, and emotions. In essence, Martin Luther King Jr.’s central idea in his “I Have A Dream” speech is we all need to work together as one to accomplish the goal of equality between all people for upcoming generations. First and foremost, King heats up his central idea in his speech by addressing the need to work together as one, both blacks and whites. Midway through his speech, King states, “They have come to realize that their

Read More

Martin Luther King's Speech: Critique

1229 Words | 5 Pages

Throughout his speech he implies a lot of metaphors to make his speech effective and influencing. For example, King constantly describes the Negroes as being “crippled” by the “manacles of segregation”, “Storms of Persecution,” and “chains of discrimination.” Through these metaphors King indicates the crises the Negroes face. A few of King’s strongest metaphors are his references to prejudice: “the quick sands of racial injustice”, the “heat of oppression”, “the dark and desolate valleys of segregation”, and the “chains of discrimination.” King also indicates the unbearable inequality by creating an image: “the sweltering summer of the negro’s discontent.”

Read More

More about Rhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther King Jr

Related Topics

Open Document