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The Use Of Rhetorical Devices In Dr. Martin Luther King's Speech

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Dr. Martin Luther King was a famous leader of the African American civil rights movement from 1955 to 1968, most notably known for his peaceful protests and speeches. In his speeches and other writings, he would try to persuade those opposed to his cause to join him by using rhetorical devices. The most common rhetorical devices he used in his writing were pathos, emotional devices, and logos, logical devices. Both pathos and logos were used in his two famous pieces, “I Have a Dream” speech and “Letter From Birmingham Jail” to help persuade his audience. The effectiveness of pathos and logos can differ tremendously from person to person, depending on an individual’s thinking or emotions towards a group or cause. In King’s speech and letter,

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