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. King deliberately begins his speech similar to the “Gettysburg Address” which instantly …show more content…
King alludes to Lincoln because he too was an activist for black rights and if such an important and powerful figure in American history felt this way then there is obviously good reasoning in why blacks should be bestowed with true justice. King delivers his speech under Lincoln’s memorial because Abraham Lincoln represents Liberty, Equality, and Independence which is what Dr. King has devoted his life to. Frederick Douglass states “what doth it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul” which is a biblical scripture. This quote illustrates that committing actions with only ones personal gain, will ultimately not be worth the payout because one would be throwing away their integrity and honor. Douglass is comparing this idea to the war. The Blacks have allied with the North and are fighting against the