King was smart though and by saying these words he reassured his followers that their destiny and their freedom would not be left in the hands of others and that they would be able to control their own future. They would be able to say that the black people were starting a violent protest and needed to be stopped and therefore retaliate with “physical violence”. King does not want the equality-seeking listeners to go out and use force or start a battle to get their freedom because then it would give the white people a reason to fight. King also makes a few allusions to the Bible “Let us not seek to satisfy thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred,” is the first allusion to the Bible in his speech. These allusions were probably geared more towards the white listeners than it was towards the black because it provided textual evidence from past documents which stated that all men were created equal and all people should have the right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Martin Luther King’s use of alluding to other historic documents, which also deal with equality issues, helped his speech reach the listener. Martin Luther King’s speech could have very well been titled something else but because of his use of anaphora which strongly emphasized these words it earned itself the title “I Have a Dream.” This statement was probably spoken with great emphasis since it gave the listeners the desire to change “today” instead of continuing to be discriminated against. King uses his the phrase “I have a dream today,” twice as its own paragraph. This hope was that they would one day be treated as equals and walk side by side with the all other races. “I have a dream that one day the nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed? that all men are created equal.” For the next few lines of his speech he repeated these words, “I have a dream,” which helped arouse emotion in his audience and give them hope. The very title of his speech was probably taken from his use of anaphora which was present throughout his speech. This helped him influence his listeners towards wanting equality for all and changing what was happening in the present so they didn’t repeat things in the past The different rhetorical devices, allusions to historic documents, and metaphors seemed to have brought about the emotions that King was trying to arouse in his listeners. Martin Luther used different parts of the English language to enhance the meaning of his speech and bring out the details. is one of the most influential speeches ever. The “I Have a Dream” speech by Martin Luther King Jr. When King states in paragraph 3 through 4, that “in a sense we have come to our nation’s capital to cash a check,” the use of this metaphor directly illustrates the call for freedom and refusal to accept discrimination, and stand up to face “the palace of justice” mentioned in paragraph 6.I Have A Dream Analysis Essay, Research Paper Discrimination is wrong, and therefore should be “made low,” as will be for every mountain and hill. Going on to note the importance of “now,” and how “we can never be satisfies,” King ascertains that even in the face of “police brutality,” we must still “have a dream” and “let freedom ring.” The repetition of these phrases is imperative to observe as they establish that the status quo must not be accepted as reality of life.
It institutes that freedom is light and slavery is vile darkness which must be overcome by this “joyous daybreak.” After the mention of freedom being confirmed, the repetition of “one hundred years later” with the verification that “the Negro is still not free” answers the purpose of the speech appealing to logos: it must not be this way-change is necessary. This is important to note, because similar imagery runs throughout the entire speech. Powerfully intertwining the words, “great beacon light of hope” and “joyous daybreak” to represent this “momentous decree,” the use of imagery establishes that a long awaited moment had finally occurred.
Standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, King begins his speech with a reference to the Emancipation Proclamation, which was to free the slaves. His speech empowers and encourages the audience to make a stand against discrimination and the status quo. In Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech “I Have a Dream,” his extensive use of imagery, repetition, and metaphor, as well as an appeal to the reader’s sense of ethos, logos, and pathos, persuade the audience to have faith and optimism in the face of despair and prejudice.