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Rhetorical Elements Used In Dr. King's I Have A Dream Speech

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One of the most convincing rhetorical elements that Dr. King used in his “I Have a Dream” speech is pathos. Pathos is the idea of using emotion by use of particular words or repetition to persuade an audience. One example of Dr. King using pathos is the repetition of the statement “I Have a Dream” throughout paragraph’s 18-22. Watching and reading the speech, you can notice the emotion going running through the words as it effectively persuades the reader into truly believing that every racial disadvantage can be reformed with the help of their individual selves. Another example of pathos is found in paragraph 14. Dr. King proclaims “We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity
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Though all of the rhetorical methods are fascinating, the most important aspect is how they relate to each other and the influence they create. As the structure of “I Have a Dream” is very important to its success, King carefully tries to relate all of his rhetorical methods with his structure. For example, part of King’s structure is intended to make the viewer have bad feelings about racism. To make this happen, King utilizes the rhetorical method of pathos along with metaphors and other rhetorical types and schemes to make the viewer feel sympathetic for the blacks. Also, King wisely chooses the rhetorical methods in his essay in order to make them fit with the structure.

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In this speech, King uses the rhetorical appeal of Pathos. One example of Pathos being used in the speech is when King states, “I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation,” (1). This quote demonstrates Pathos because of

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Additionally, Dr. King describes the problem that is still present at his time. He mentions back to the documents when the country starts a new government. In the Declaration of Independence it states that all men are created equal. That would include African Americans, but according to Dr. King’s speech it says, “One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacle of segregation and the chains of discrimination” (Dream 3). The blacks were promised freedom, yet they are not as equal as the whites.

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Dr. King uses all sorts of figurative language in his writing. He uses a form of persuasion known as logos and pathos. Logos is the appeal to logic, and pathos is the appeal to emotion. Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream Speech” took place during the March on Washington

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King uses Pathos in his " I Have a Dream '' speech to make people believe there is hope for Racial Equality. He uses pathos when he states, “The negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination ” (King 261). In this quote, Dr.king explains that black people are still suffering from racial inequality. This is an example of pathos because after the five score years passed black people were still getting persecuted. Dr.king’s use of pathos in the example proves that he can make people believe that there is hope for racial equality.

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In DR.King's famous speech that was spoken in the shadow of the Lincoln monument was one of the greatest speeches ever given. In this speech he is caught using what is called pathos appealing to the listener's emotions and less so using logos giving information that proves a point with data and logic. This leads me to the conclusion that he uses pathos better and I think that he knew this too because you can see he uses this in his most important speeches or letters as it helps get support for his cause. In his ¨I Have a Dream¨ speech Dr king says things like ¨one hundred years later the Negro still is not free one hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination¨

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Dr. King explains how he has a dream for segregation to come to an end. He wants all equality, he tells you this by

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The Company of Wolves The Company of Wolves was written by Angela Carter, a legendary English fiction writer. Before Angela could become this greatly renowned Novelist, she had to of had a start in life. She was born in Eastbourne, England on May 7, 1940. Her father was a journalist, and one of her greatest influences in the world of writing.

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Martin Luther King Jr. was a leader in the African American Civil Rights movement in the 1960s, he was known for his nonviolent movements and methods of protesting. This involved many African American citizens to take verbal and physical abuse from the police and not being able to do anything about it. He used his words to inspire the nation into taking action, instead of promoting violence. Dr. King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech in front of thousands of United States citizen from all different backgrounds at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. Kings uses ethos to point out why segregation was unjust and to justify why African Americans deserves the same rights as the white citizens of the United States.

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“I Have A Dream” “I Have A Dream”, a quote that many Americans hold dear to their hearts and a quote that is remembered and is associated with an unforgettable movement in history of the Untied States of America. From 1954-1968 one of the most memorable movements in history took place and will not be forgotten is the civil rights movement. Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the many greats remembered and recognized in the movement for being an influential leader of his time. Having given over 2000 speeches, MLK(Martin Luther King) has one particular speech that stands out from the many and it is his “I Have A Dream” speech. MLK’s message being about peace, unity, fairness and freedom for and to all people shines through in this speech.

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There is a disagreement in society. It is a disagreement and an argument that has been continuing for many generations, and will continue for many generations after this one. It is a disagreement of oppression, a disagreement of injustice, a disagreement of racial discrimination. This disagreement had been discussed, and argued as well as against it has even been written about. In Martin Luther King Junior’s ‘I have a dream speech’ this racial disagreement is discussed and spoken about in front of thousands of people and became one of the most referenced and influential speeches in history.

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Dr. King uses his life experiences as a logical appeal to create an urgency to help the African Americans receive the freedom they were promised. King shares, “For years now I have heard the word “Wait!” It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This “Wait” has almost always meant “Never.” We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that “justice too long delayed is justice denied” (para. 13).

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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.”

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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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The “I Have a Dream” speech is well known throughout history to be one of the most famous speeches to be on the subject of civil rights. Throughout the entirety of “I Have a Dream”, Dr. King uses pathos more than logos. “We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities.”

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