Washington March Allusion

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The Washington March was on August 28, 1963, and more than a quarter of a million people participated. People participated in it because they wanted to have equal job opportunities. One person who had a significant impact in the Civil Rights Movement for African Americans. He was also there to deliver a speech. His name was Martin Luther King Jr. In his famous “I Have a Dream Speech,” Dr. King uses allusions, figurative language, and repetition to get his point across that they need segregation to stop and how they need to change those laws. Dr king claims that people are bound by segregation, he explains this by using metaphors. For example, in paragraph 3 he starts by saying that “The Negro is sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination.” This matters because he is trying to make a connection with chains and manacles to show the bond between African Americans, segregation, and discrimination. In addition, he uses metaphors to state, “The Negro lives on a lonely island of material prosperity in a midst ocean of material prosperity.” This is important because he is making a comparison to how insufficient opportunities are something that they have to live with. …show more content…

He uses this allusion because Abraham Lincoln was a respected man. Dr.King chose to make this allusion because he wanted the audience to make a connection to Abraham Lincoln’s speech. And if they made that connection then they would trust him more. He also uses allusion when he says, “No, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream. He alludes to the bible. He knows that most of the people there have read the bible. And so he uses that allusion for him to build trust with the audience. He also makes this allusion because he was a