In Martin Luther King’s famed “I Have A Dream” address, and his “Letter From Birmingham Jail” King makes use of bothe logos and pathos in his writing. It is because of these that his writings have risen to such prominence and stirred so many to action. But while he used both logos, the use of reasoning, and pathos, the use of emotions and charged language, a careful analysis shows that they are not equal. For King has a talent for dramatic, poignant resounding language, one which he uses to full effect and is much more powerful than logos. To demonstrate, take this passage “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of it’s creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy” (King, Jr.). Martin Luther King Jr. exceeded this “measure of a man” during his civil rights acts as a strong soldier in a very volatile time. During this time of “challenge and controversy” King made himself heard in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. In some of his civil rights acts that occurred in Birmingham, resulted in him ending up in jail. During his time in jail, he wrote his also famous “Letter From Birmingham Jail.”
Imagine you’re living back in 1963, it’s the year of change, for the better. There’s a man, Martin Luther King Jr., who is one of the most prominent figures in the Civil Rights movements. He has two famous works, First, the Letter from Birmingham Jail. from back in August; a powerful response King gave after reading the criticisms of the clergymen of Birmingham. Second, there is the “I Have a Dream” speech from The March on Washington.
Martin Luther King is known throughout the United States and possibly the world for his work in civil rights and the large movement in 1954 to 1968. After a protest on April 12th he and 50 other civil rights leaders were arrested. In a span of four days Martin Luther King wrote a 7,000 word letter addressed to a group of Christian and Jewish religious leaders who criticized the protest and King as well, calling him an outside agitator. In this letter there are many uses of ethos, pathos, and logos. Martin Luther King uses ethos when making credible connections to real people and events that occurred in the near present or past.
Dr. King reached his audience well using Pathos and Ethos, but a large lack of Logos makes the audience believe that the speech was not founded in fact. Obama used a lot of Logos but many of the facts
Marc Antony, Martin Luther King Jr, and Barack Obama, in particular demonstrate how pathos is the most effective rhetorical device as it allows the orator to build an emotional connection with the audience, and therefore persuade them. Back
He also uses highly connotative words to evoke an emotional response in the audience such as, “chains of discrimination” and “oppression” to reinforce the need for change. He also uplifts his audience through positive diction using words such as “freedom,” “majestic,” and “brotherhood” to motivate and inspire his audience. He also appeals to logos through his use of analogies: “America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked ‘insufficient funds.’” This analogy uses logic as a form of reasoning because he appeals to the basic concept of money and the frustration of receiving a “bad check.” Besides connecting to the audience through appeals, Martin Luther King Jr. also uses rich metaphors to convey his
The rhetoric techniques are ethos having credibility, pathos is emotions, and logos is logic. Martin Luther King Jrs speech resembles these techniques through promising, encouraging, and 20 African Americans have faith in Martin Luther King Jr. because his speech gave hope, and ethos is getting the audience’s trust.
Martin Luther uses logos effectively throughout his speech. Dr. King says,“ But one hundred years later, the Negro is not free” ( Luther). The fact is that one hundred year has past still no improvement on the situation. Another example is the analogy “ America has given the Negro people a bad check a check which has not come back marked insufficient funds”( King).He reasons that most people are understanding lack of money. King’s speech was effectively because of how he formatted his speech.
To begin with Dr. King used logos in his speech to educate the people and give them evidence and logic. Dr. King used both logos and pathos in his speech here is an example of logos used in his speech. “ Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, Signed the Emancipation Proclamation. ”(King 261) is the quote that Dr. King wrote in his speech. He is telling them that the African Americans have been free for five hundred years and that was a great point in history but the African Americans aren’t treated equally or fairly.
In the speech, “I Have a Dream,” Martin Luther King talked about how the United States is segregated and how he had a dream of peace with equality for all; everywhere, let freedom ring. Everyone, no matter their color, should have the same rights. Also instead of being violent, people need to be peaceful and “Not drink from the fountain of bitterness.” King truly spoke from his heart instead of just stating the big picture. King used Pathos and Logos excellently.
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech had a great deal of logos and pathos appeals to persuade his audience to speak out against segregation and to give all men the rights they deserve. He often gave a clear line of reasoning supported by evidence in his speech, like when he says: “This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the “unalienable Rights” of “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”... America has defaulted on this promissory note, ... given the Negro people a bad check… which has come back marked “insufficient funds.” (King para. 4)
Martin Luther King Jr., a minister and social activist, led the Civil Rights Movement in the United States from the mid-1950s until his death by assassination in 1968. He was an advocate for equality between all races and a civil and economic rights Activist. Because of his leadership, bravery and sacrifice to make the world a better place, Martin Luther King was awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize. His incredible public speaking skills and ability to properly get his message across can clearly be scene throughout the speech. Tone: Dr. King delivered his speech at the university of Oslo in Oslo Norway in front of a large group of people.
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.
Race relations in America have not gotten better since Dr. King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. Circa fifty one years ago, more than two hundred thousand whites and blacks gathered in Washington, D.C. August 23, 1963 was the day that all those blacks and whites thought that the tide would change for the better. He gathered all those people to talk passionately about civil rights; all people disregarding skin color should be treated equally. He was also fighting for all the blacks who had been turned down for jobs because of their skin color, who could not drink out of the same water fountains as whites, and who could not even receive the same level of education as white people. Martin Luther King was tired of the discrimination and