ipl-logo

I Have A Dream Rhetorical Devices

2125 Words9 Pages

PART A – Speech Delivery
1. Martin Luther King Jr. provides a very dramatic speaking style in his “I Have a Dream” speech, in which he alters his prosody by changing the pitch of his voice. One instance of this is when Dr. King Jr. says, “I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of ‘interposition’, and ‘nullification’ – one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today!” (7:36). King alters his prosody by changing the pitch of his voice multiple times throughout this moment. He makes it sound similar to singing a song, as there …show more content…

Metaphors in “I Have a Dream” appear all throughout King’s speech. It is first used very heavily near the introduction and it is spoken, “America has given the Negro people a bad cheque, a cheque which has come back marked ‘insufficient funds.’… And so, we've come to cash this cheque, a cheque that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice” (3:14). He is illustrating a connection with the African American population and a banking metaphor of a “bad cheque”, and says that they have all come to “cash this cheque”, referring to taking a stance and claiming the freedom that they should have, which comes across as very motivational. By using this metaphor, he is providing a better understanding of the audience, allowing them to have more of an emotional response; they truly want to cash this cheque. If spoken plainly, though he would have distributed his ideas, it would have been less effective with the audience. Though there are many of the Five Canon Styles that appear in this speech, the use of metaphor can be related to the cannon of style, because this is how King is choosing to express many of his ideas. This is done in order provide his audience with more detail to the concept that he is trying to illustrate, promoting them to further use their

Show More
Related

  • Dr. Martin Luther King Junior's Powerful Voice

    379 Words  | 2 Pages

    Doctor Martin Luther King junior’s powerful voice during the “I Have a Dream” speech inspired many people to make a change. For example, during the speech his voice would get louder and quieter to show what was more important and what was almost just supporting the big idea. By using different voice levels he showed what was really important for the people to get out of the speech when his voice grew louder. This is useful because it helps the audience understand what they really need to take out of the speech. Also, during the speech he makes it clear that he wants to be up there giving the speech and no one forced him.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Letter From Birmingham Jail And Baldwin's Writing

    804 Words  | 4 Pages

    King uses words that show him as inviting. A few of the words he uses that show this character are, “you”(342), “hopes”(343), “tension”(343), and “disappointment”(350). In a way, these words are passive, however, the context in which King chooses to use them gives these words more force to get his point across. King’s choice of words basically tells the audience to converse about the topic because he is open to the opposing side’s argument and will not write it off. Words like these used this show King’s effectiveness because the reader feels like they are being invited to have a civil

    Read More

  • The Power Of Words In Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Speech

    471 Words  | 2 Pages

    Words can change the world in many ways. Many of those ways can really make an impact on a person’s life or mind set. In the speech “I Have A Dream” by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., it proved to solidify the peace and fairness that he aimed to gain in this country by ending segregation between black and white people. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. vividly painted his vision of a better future for people of all colors in America.

    Read More

  • March On Washington Speech Rhetorical Analysis

    1236 Words  | 5 Pages

    I Have a Dream’s Rhetoric A momentous day in history is exalted by the enthralling speech and resonating imagery of a man whom wanted to make a difference. Just over 100 years after the Emancipation Proclamation was implemented, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered a very riveting speech to over 250,000 Americans during the March on Washington, the nation’s largest demonstration of peaceful protest. With peace typically comes logic of which King very much emanated from his speech. With powerful rhetoric, King captivated an entire crowd and subsequently the entire nation with emphasizing while being freed from the travesty that was slavery people of color are still placed in chains by society’s gruesome yet commonplace demarcations.

    Read More

  • Similarities Between I Have A Dream And Martin Luther King

    835 Words  | 4 Pages

    Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most influential figures of the American civil rights movement. Famous for his prowess with words, King was known for writing powerful texts throughout his life. Two of his most famous compositions were his “I Have A Dream” speech and his “Letter From Birmingham Jail”. Although King uses many styles of writing effectively, his writings with pathos are the most prominent. Since “I Have A Dream” uses more pathos than “Letter From Birmingham Jail”, “I Have A Dream” was more effective at inspiring change.

    Read More

  • I Have A Dream And Letter From Birmingham Jail Analysis

    920 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the two stories written by Martin Luther King Jr. “I Have A Dream”, and “Letter From Birmingham Jail” were two stories that truly impacted history. These two readings talk about one being about King Jr. tell his speech on the footsteps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C., about him having a dream, where blacks and whites can unite. In both writings by King Jr., mostly in his “I Have A Dream” speech, King Jr. uses a lot of persuasive techniques, mostly pathos.

    Read More

  • Perils Of Indifference By Elie Wiesel And Martin Luther King Jr.

    1049 Words  | 5 Pages

    He speaks in a measured and deliberate manner, conveying the gravity of the atrocities he is discussing. In contrast, King's speech is more celebratory and hopeful, reflecting the optimism and energy of the civil rights movement. This is shown through the quote “I say to you today, my friends, though, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream.” (King

    Read More

  • Logos In Dr. King's I Have A Dream By Martin Luther King

    853 Words  | 4 Pages

    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.”

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of I Have A Dream Speech

    914 Words  | 4 Pages

    Martin Luther King, Jr. was an extremely impactful activist during the Civil Rights Movement that gave over 2,500 speeches in his lifetime. Of these speeches, his most popular is his famous I Have a Dream speech that he gave on August 28, 1963 in Washington, D.C. during the March on Washington. Even famous speakers like Martin Luther King, Jr. use persuasive techniques to appeal to the different sides of their audiences. In order to appeal to his predominately African American audience, Martin Luther King, Jr. makes reference to Abraham Lincoln and his granting freedom to slaves by signing the Emancipation Proclamation.

    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

  • Allusions In I Have A Dream

    722 Words  | 3 Pages

    “I Have a Dream” by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on August 28, 1963 gave many examples of metaphors and allusions to build his argument. Such as alluding where they are located, comparing the treatment that African Americans were getting to handcuffs and restraints, comparing racial injustice to quick sand, and comparing brotherhood to a solid rock. These examples add support to back up his argument of how terrible the Africans Americans were being treated. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. uses metaphors and allusions to enhance his speech and make his point clear. To begin Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. uses allusions to tell where they are while he is giving the speech.

    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

  • Martin Luther King I Have A Dream Speech Thesis

    642 Words  | 3 Pages

    In 1963, Martin Luther King delivered one of the most influential and impactful speeches in history. King's I Have a Dream speech was consistently powerful assertions of emotional appeals, repetition and paradox. In King’s speech, he utilizes pathos to build a relationship between his black and white audience. This is evident through his references to both  black and white children and the history of slavery which appealed to the audience members of the older generation.

    Read More

  • Figurative Language In Martin Luther King Jr.'s I Have A Dream Speech

    1110 Words  | 5 Pages

    In addition to building a strong cadence, it unifies a sequence of ideas, emphasizes an idea by stating it more than once, and helps create a strong emotional effect” (p. 231). In this case, King’s repeated use of “I have a dream” resulted in all of the above, especially the strong emotional effect. Martin Luther King used the repetition of “I have a dream” several times in his speech, including these times: I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’ I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of

    Read More

  • Martin Luther King's Speech: Critique

    1229 Words  | 5 Pages

    King also used a number of figures of speech which includes allegory and parallelism. He applies allegory in the beginning of the speech, comparing banking to the rights of black U.S. citizens, “America has given the Negro people a bad

    Read More

More about I Have A Dream Rhetorical Devices

Open Document