Martin Luther King’s famous “I have a dream” speech was spoken when the black people fought for their freedom. King puts this fight into words. It is not just the words that make his speech so well-founded, it is the way he uses them. What builds King 's speech is his utilization of images, allusions, repetitions, emotive language, contrast, structure, and purpose.
King uses images to strengthen his speech. One image is, “little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with the little white boys and white girls.” The idea behind this is the dream for unity and equality between whites and blacks. I think this image is powerful because it demonstrates the idea of unity, as opposed to segregation. It conveys the hope that one day
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When coloured people came to cash the check, it came back marked “insufficient funds.” The climax is reached when King states the black people refuse to believe the “the bank of justice is bankrupt.” In other words, the blacks are fighting to gain the freedom that they had been promised. This idea draws concepts from everyday life to help the people, both black and white, understand the point segregation and injustice have gotten to. This image is potent because it speaks to the need for justice.
A powerful thing about King 's speech is the language he uses. One emotive phrase is, “we cannot walk alone.” The idea here is that the blacks need to fight together, even if they are being segregated. This is powerful because it unifies the people, who are fighting for the same thing- their freedom.
Next, King uses repetition. The phrase, “I have a dream” is an example. The significance behind this is that even if black people have been segregated and silenced for so so long, they are still people with dreams. He reiterates this because he wants them to remember that they are allowed to dream of