ipl-logo

Similarities Between I Have A Dream And Martin Luther King

835 Words4 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. King 's “I Have A Dream” speech is arguably one of the most famous speeches in American history. It’s popularity and influence would mostly be attributed to Kings excellent use of pathos throughout the speech. Although both logos and pathos can be found in “I Have A Dream”, the lines containing pathos are much more poignant. For example, possibly the most famous line from Dr. King 's speech says, "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." (King 263). This line is so famous because it sparks an emotional connection between King and the audience, making them realize that it’s unfair for innocent children to be treated badly for having dark skin. Another example of pathos is when he says "Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of

Show More
Related

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of Clarence Jones's Speech 'Behind The Dream'

    303 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the 1960s, Clarence Jones co-wrote the famous speech "I Have A Dream" by Martin Luther King Jr, who was a well-known civil rights activist. In his book “Behind the Dream”, Jones tells about the process leading up to this famous speech. During the prologue of his book he uses many rhetorical devices to grab the audience's attention, including Pathos, Allusions, and logos. Within the prologue of “Behind The Dream”, Clarence Jones appeals to the emotions of the audience several times using Pathos.

    Read More

  • Literary Devices Used In Letter From Birmingham Jail

    183 Words  | 1 Pages

    Martin Luther King Jr. 's ‘Letter From Birmingham Jail’ uses many different forms of literary elements in a very successful attempt to grab the audience’s attention and sway them to his point of view. Throughout the letter, he uses multiple rhetorical statements, metaphors, analogies, and even direct references to certain figures and events, which creates a very well-delivered and convincing argument. King also chooses to focus on the African-American suffering from segregation and racial inequality, and even uses his daughter as an example of what African-American children were going through at that time. Using emotional text/tone to spark emotion from the reader can be very convincing in an argument because it gives the reader a different

    Read More

  • Summary Of Letter From Birmingham Jail

    814 Words  | 4 Pages

    Martin Luther King Jr., an activist and leader for the civil rights movement, wrote the Letter from Birmingham Jail and gave the famous “I Have A Dream” speech. While the letter is not as publicly acknowledged today, Dr. Kings speech will go down in history as one of the most influential and well-remembered speeches of all time. In Dr. Kings letter from Birmingham Jail, he addresses a group of men criticizing his actions in Birmingham. While holding his ground, Dr. King expresses his concerns using respectful words while providing straightforward examples of what they accused him of, and why they are wrong in those accusations.

    Read More

  • Martin Luther King Use Pathos In John Lewis Speech

    1118 Words  | 5 Pages

    In Martin Luther Kings “I Have a Dream” speech he primarily uses pathos. He uses pathos because he needs to send people home with a sense of hope. In the quote “But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still

    Read More

  • How Does Martin Luther King Use Ethos Pathos Logos

    1041 Words  | 5 Pages

    King connected to the audience’s emotions in an incredible fashion. One example of this is when King said, “We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their adulthood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating ‘For Whites Only’” (“I Have a Dream”). This made the audience sympathize with the difficulties African-American citizens go through. He specifically mentioned children, as well, which amplified the emotional effect on the audience.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of Letter From Birmingham Jail By Dr. Martin Luther King

    725 Words  | 3 Pages

    Compelling Craft The craft of using words to create a mood or an atmosphere takes great skill to make an audience understand and feel the cause a writer is fighting for. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a civil rights activist from the 1950’s to the 1960’s, wrote Letter from Birmingham Jail. In his letter he made a compelling argument to a group of clergymen, who questioned his quest. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. made his compelling argument using pathos, ethos, and Kairos by utilizing personal experiences, expressing a moral obligation to help, and his timely involvement for direct action.

    Read More

  • How Does Martin Luther King Use Pathos In I Have A Dream

    886 Words  | 4 Pages

    He wrote “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” and wrote his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. He was an American Baptist minister and activist who became the biggest visible spokesperson and leader in the civil rights movement. This man was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In both of his writings, he used pathos and logos to appeal to the audience and fit the occasion.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of Mlk Letter To Birmingham

    95 Words  | 1 Pages

    Upon being imprisoned for marching Dr Martin Luther King wrote a letter to the fellow clergymen of Birmingham, addressing his reasons as to why he committed his “crime”, This letter was widely known as “The Letter of Birmingham”. This letter was very influential and paramount to the cause of civil rights as it spurred up future events that would play essential roles in ending racial segregation in America. Throughout his whole letter, King used Ethos, logos, and pathos to firmly get his message across while adding rhetorical devices such as repetition, metaphors, and biblical references.

    Read More

  • Similarities Between I Have A Dream And Letter From Birmingham Jail

    792 Words  | 4 Pages

    Martin Luther King Jr., one of the greatest speakers for black civil rights movement, had written many great works in his time. Two of his pieces stand out as his greatest works. Letter from Birmingham Jail; a pieces written from a jail cell in birmingham where he was arrested for peacefully protesting, the letter was attended to the white clergymen who didn 't agree with his views and I Have a Dream Speech; was a speech king gave in front of the washington memorial. Both works convey similarities and differences in their tone, structure, appeal and figurative language. There are many similarities between “I Have a Dream” and the letter from birmingham jail.

    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

    King also discusses his personal life, along with his family and children, to show the crowd that he is fighting for the same things as them. In his I Have a Dream speech, Martin Luther King, Jr. used ethos to increase his credibility with his audience, pathos to appeal to his audience’s emotional side, and logos to appeal to his audience’s logical side. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s use of ethos begins in the first few lines of his I Have a Dream speech. He begins the speech with a direct reference to Abraham Lincoln and his Gettysburg Address. King speaks of Lincoln as an admired figure in the Civil Rights Movement when he states “Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand, signed the Emancipation Proclamation” (King 84).

    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

  • Letter From Birmingham Jail Ethos Pathos Logos

    563 Words  | 3 Pages

    Dr. Kings “I Have a Dream” speech shows powerful examples of logos and pathos. His effectiveness relies heavily on his usage of these two ways to explain the pain and suffering of segregation. By him capturing his true life’s reality through pity and credible sources allows him to become successful in attempting to end the racism crisis. King states that, “when our republic was writing the Declaration of Independence, they were making 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.” Logos is the prime example of King using this event of writing the Declaration of Independence.

    Read More

  • Pros And Cons Of I Have A Dream Speech

    970 Words  | 4 Pages

    He wrote “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” and wrote his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. In both of these, he used pathos and logos to appeal to the audience and fit the occasion, so that he can make the people do something about segregation and defend his ideas in an effective way. If he would not have spoken up and had influenced people to follow him, the world could have ended up still having segregation today. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American Baptist minister and activist who became the biggest visible spokesperson and leader in the civil rights movement. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. used pathos and logos in his speech to draw in people so he can make them act and he used pathos and ethos in his letter to defend his ideas using his knowledge of the audience and the occasion.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of I Have A Dream Speech

    1013 Words  | 5 Pages

    During the era of the civil rights movements in the 60s, among the segregation, racism, and injustice against the blacks, Martin Luther King Jr. stood at the Lincoln Memorial to deliver one of the greatest public speeches for freedom in that decade. In Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech he effectively uses ethos, diction and powerful metaphors to express the brutality endured by African American people. Yet his most important method of reaching his audience, and conveying his enduring message of equality and freedom for the whole nation was his appeal to pathos. With these devices, King was able to move thousands of hearts and inspire the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Opening his speech Martin Luther King Jr. sets up his credibility with his use of ethos, referring to the Declaration of Independence saying, “This note was a promise that all men… would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life.”

    Read More

More about Similarities Between I Have A Dream And Martin Luther King

Open Document