Category: I Have a Dream

The ‘I Have a Dream’ speech is a public speech that was delivered by American civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. on 28 August 1963. In this speech Martin Luther King is trying to expose the American public to the injustice of racial inequality and persuade them to stop discriminating on the basis of race by joining him in a campaign to extend the freedom of rights to all Americans. In this essay I will critically analyse the content of Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech. I will identify and explain the type of text; identify and explain the purpose of the text; identify the target audience and identify and explain the persuasive linguistic rhetorical devices used in the text and the function thereof in order to persuade the audience.

Firstly the ‘I Have a Dream’ speech by Martin Luther King falls under the genre of non-fiction prose and is in the form of a political persuasive speech. This can be identified by the attention grabbing opening statement in paragraph 1 of the text stating ‘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”.

Secondly the purpose of the ‘I Have a Dream’ speech by Martin Luther King is to remind the American people that the goal of true freedom for African Americans had not yet been realised, to expose the injustice of racial inequality to the American public and ultimately persuade them to stop discriminating on the basis of race and enlighten them on the change that is coming. This can be deducted through phrases like “vicious racists”, “interposition”, “nullification”, “dream”, “will”, “able” and “join” in paragraph 1.

Thirdly the target audience of Martin Luther King’s speech is intended for the black and white American public. This can be found in paragraph 1 of the speech text stating “one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with the little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.” Martin Luther King therefore addresses all races in his speech in order to create unison between black and white Americans.

In addition the various persuasive language and rhetorical devices used by Martin Luther King includes the following:

Anaphora can be found in paragraph 1, paragraph 2 and paragraph 3 of the speech text encompassing the phrase “ I have a dream”. This phrase occurs three times in the text. Through the repetition of the phrase ‘I have a dream’ Martin Luther King is able to emphasise and portray the vision he has for a racially equal American society and country and for everyone to get along. The repetition of the phrase “I have a dream” is convincing because the dreams that Martin Luther King presents to his audience is powerful and inspiring.

Allusion is used in the speech by Martin Luther King and can be found in paragraph 3 which states “I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together”. According to ( The Holy Bible: New International Version 1988:806) this allusion is a reference to Isaiah 40:4-5 in the Holy Bible. This reference is used by Martin Luther King to persuade his audience that his sentiments are in line with the Word of God and initiates an urgency in the audience to listen to his suggestions as they are God fearing. Another allusion is also made to an American patriotic song “My country ‘tis of thee” in paragraph 5 which appeals to the Americans patriotism.

Hyperbole which is an exaggerated claim or statement is used by Martin Luther King in paragraph 1 of the speech text stating “ I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together”. Hyperbole is used by Martin Luther King to motivate his audience that when all black and white citizens live in peace and have equal rights all other problems faced by the people will disappear, thus emphasizing the benefits of justice and equality and making the sentiment more powerful and convincing to the audience.

Parallelism can be found in paragraph 4 of the speech text which states “With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day”. Parallelism is used in the speech to intensify and emphasise the concept of unification through the repetition of “together” in the sentence.

Logos is used in the speech where Martin Luther King uses descriptive imagery and facts to appeal to the audience’s sense of logic and reason and make them understand the oppression that black Americans face. Pathos is used by Martin Luther King that appeals to his audience’s emotions. This can be found in paragraph 1 in the sentence “ 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”. This is suggested to make the audience feel guilty and empathetic for separating innocent children on the base of race. Ethos is present in the speech, characterised by Martin Luther King being well-spoken and the use of good grammar making him sound credible and educated.

Metaphor can be found in paragraph 4 with the sentence “With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood”. In this sentence Martin Luther King compares the racial inequalities faced to “the jangling discords of our nation” and the achievement of equality to “ a beautiful symphony of brotherhood”. These comparisons borrows emotional content from the issues faced, such as the guilt of the destruction caused by racial discrimination and impacts emotionally on the audience by portraying the peace to come if racism is abolished.

Onomatopoeia is found in paragraph 4 referring to the “jangling” which is a discordant metallic sound and describes to the audience the havoc the racial discrimination is wreaking. Martin Luther King makes use of inclusive language in his speech which is exemplified by the occurrences of the words like “our” and “we” in paragraph 4. The function of using inclusive language is used to suggest that the speaker and the audience are on the same side and that they share the same common prospects .

Emotive words such as “vicious racists” are used in paragraph 1 describe the severity of the racism with descriptive adjectives and provoke emotional reaction from the audience Repetition of the word “freedom” in the text reinforces the overall argument an message of the speech, thus emphasising what the text is about.

The tone of the speech is liberating, empowering and hopeful which also succeeds in persuading the audience. Symbolism is used in paragraph 4 referring to “ a stone of hope” where the stone refers to something permanent like hope should be, therefore reiterating the hopes and dreams Martin Luther King has for America.

Diction such as “interposition” and “nullification” represent the interventions and actions taken by the state and is used in the speech to expose the restrictions those racially discriminated against live under. This is suggested to evoke a sense of awareness is the audience. Ultimately Martin Luther King’s speech can be defined as a persuasive speech, because his implementation of the above mentioned persuasive language and rhetorical devices and strategies contributed to effective persuasion of his audience.

Bibliography

1. The Holy Bible. 1988. New International Version. Cape Town: The Bible Society of South Africa.
2. University of South Africa. Tutorial Letter ENG2602/101/3/2019: Genres in Literature and Language: Theory, Style and Poetics. Pretoria

In the year 1963, there was still segregation within the United States. Black men had fewer privileges and fewer rights over white people, so they were trying to stop segregation and bring equality to all Americans.

Martin Luther King’s speech ‘I Have a Dream’ was one of the greatest and a turning point in the struggle for equality. In the first part of the speech, Martin lists the injustices that African Americans faced, segregation, police brutality, disenfranchisement, and discrimination, and also urged a call for non-violent actions. “We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the 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” . In the second part of the speech, Mr. King conveys his dream of peace and racial harmony, a vision of the future in which people “will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character”.

Using rhetorical devices like repetition, rhyme, and metaphors, “I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together”, as well as historic, biblical and literary references that moved the crowd, this message of struggle and hope became a defining moment, not only for Mr. King’s career but also for the civil rights movement.

The text could be interpreted differently depending on the reader. For African Americans, it could be interpreted as a hope of achieving the goal of equality and peace among all American citizens and also fulfilling the Emancipation Proclamation that had been going on for a hundred years, but black people were not free yet, so it again gave them a hope of being ‘free at last’. On the other hand, it can also be interpreted as an attempt at rebellion or a revolution or simply as an offense as it criticized some states “down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification”. Also, it could cause a new point of view and attention over the struggle for the civil rights of African Americans and admiration for their peaceful protests, “We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence”. For the white Americans who were not racists, this could have been seen as a call for help.

If the text had been written in the past in the USA, it could be seen as a threat in one way as it promoted things such as freedom and equality but also criticized some states and social groups that were not allowed. So this could have been banned as black people had even less rights and freedom. For the authorities in the South, this speech could be seen as a threat as it targets the most racist states. For a different nation, this could have been supported or not, but it wouldn’t have a significant impact on the Negro’s struggle because it should be targeted at the center of the problem, and the only responsible and with the power to do something, the Americans.

To summarize, we can say that the speech of Martin Luther King occupies a significant place in the history of African Americans because he played one of the key roles in the struggle for equality during the time of segregation in the United States.

Martin Luther King Jr. in his speech at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C. persuaded the audience to join his campaign by talking about his views on jobs and freedom for all. He talked about civil and economic rights and to end racism in the United States. He wanted all to be treated equally and fairly, and in his speech – the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation – he was very confident in what he believed. This speech was given at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C., in a public matter, but was intended for the US Government and all other parties that did not believe that people regardless of color should have the same rights and equal opportunities. Martin Luther King believed as a person that it was his responsibility to create awareness about racism and the lack of equal opportunity for people in the United States. The speech has the motive of creating awareness amongst the American population. The purpose of this speech was to create awareness and to persuade the audience by using the Emancipation Proclamation – which is that every man should have equal rights, regardless of race.

In his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, Martin Luther King preferred pathos, an appeal to emotion, as the primary way to influence his audience. In his speech, he mentions the phrase “tranquilizing drug of gradualism” which is a metaphor, by saying this, he means that this is no time to give up and give in, but rather to keep fighting for what you believe in. He used emotive language to draw an emotional connection to his audience, such as “sunlit path of racial justice”. He implies with this phrase that one day justice will be shown to all those who were negatively affected by racial differences.

He compares the Emancipation Proclamation with Holy Scriptures and says, “Now is the time to make justice a reality for all God’s children”. This statement makes people think that they have sinned and that they should make amends, this is also one of Martin Luther King’s techniques to persuade his audience. He also compares everyone equally by calling them brother and sister, all God’s children, which again speaks to the audience on an emotional level.

In his speech, Martin Luther King also describes some of the issues that his audience finds themselves in, for example, “Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells…”, this is often additionally an associated example of emotive language King uses to steer his audience. He encourages the audience to respond on an emotional level, rather than to consider the facts.

In his line “Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive”, Martin Luther King gave people a sense of insensibility to their sufferings. People believe that they must work for basic human rights and treatment while they have no revenge for the way they have been treated. Martin Luther King inspired the people through this speech and gave them a sense of hope and a nation that has equal opportunities for all.

The repetition used is something that makes King’s speech extremely powerful and effective, it helps to draw attention from the audience. By repeating his words, Martin Luther King shows his ever-increasing passion. He repeats the words ‘go back’ in his line: “Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back…”. Martin Luther King talks to his audience and their personal situations directly, “Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina…”, he is connecting with his audience by talking to them and not preaching to them. He feels a personal connection with each of his audience, and that is one of the most powerful persuasive techniques, making the audience feel like you are one of them.

“…wallow in the valley of despair…”. Martin Luther King encouraged his audience, who have suffered in their struggles for equal rights, to approach their struggles for social and political justice with hope and perseverance. He uses ‘wallow’ during a deep depression of unhappiness and helplessness to indicate to the audience that this type of thought will dull the mind and suppress the dream that every single one of them longs for, the American dream.

Martin Luther King is a very confident person when it comes to his beliefs and views, he mentions in his speech that even though we still face difficulties, meaning the living situations they had to live in, today and tomorrow, he still has a dream. The dream of a nation where all are treated equally and fairly.

He quotes the Declaration of Independence when he talks about the dream he had that one day this nation will rise and live the true meaning of its creed. He is persuading his audience by repeating these words, “I had a dream”.

Martin Luther King was an inspiration to many, and the ‘I Had a Dream’ speech and all the pathos that was effectively used in it changed the standard of living for millions of people in America. “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope” – Martin Luther King Jr.

Introduction

In the course of human history there have been a lot of people whose contribution to the development of society could hardly be exaggerated. These people were not concentrated on their own interests and aspirations. They had wider outlook and their goals and aspirations concerned their fellow citizens or even the whole humanity. Due to their kind and active souls that knew no rest, these people have managed to change society and this was the reason why their contribution has been appreciated greatly. It is a noble thing: to do something for your people, not for your own sake, to do something for the whole humanity is even nobler. This desire to make all people equal and happy can be traced in two seemingly different literary sources by Martin Luther King and Greg Mortenson. Thus, the main task of the present work is to compare the most outstanding speech in American History, “I Have a Dream”, by Martin Luther King and the book “Three Cups of Tea” by Greg Mortenson on the basis of their relation to education and success.

Main Body

A few words about the authors and their motivation

In the first place, it is necessary to present a few words about the authors and their motivation that led them in their creation of the works. The life and work of Martin Luther King has always been treated as the example of an active, just, and inimitable man of genius and courage. He is called a “heroic figure”, “a leader” who developed “his ability to address injustice” and a person “prepared to face the price of unpopularity” (Ling 5). Martin Luther King was trying to reach the top of the mountain of racial prejudices in order to make all American citizens equal, and this ascend is similar to Mortenson’s ascend. Greg Mortenson had tried to reach the top of mountain literary “in honor of his sister” (Boerema 14) and later he tried to conquer the mountain of illiteracy and cultural stagnation in Pakistan. Thus, both authors were trying to improve living conditions of people, King was struggling against oppression of black people, Mortenson was trying to help people who were not his fellow-countrymen at all, he was driven by compassion of human beings on the whole. Thus, the authors shared the goals of one nature. However, there are several important differences between their works.

The factor of education

The role of Education in “Three Cups Of Tea”

Analyzing the attitude of the authors to education, it is necessary to state that in “Three Cups of Tea” education is the core of the book. Mortenson implied that “the third cup of tea” in Korphe made the village dwellers his family according to the saying we drink the cups of tea to do business; the first you are a stranger, the second you become a friend, and the third, you join our family, and for our family we are prepared to do anything – even die (Kauffman 34).

The importance of education for Martin Luther King

It is natural to mean well by your family, to make everything in order that your family could become happy. It is especially necessary if your family lives in a village that has “the scent of juniper woodsmoke and unwashed humanity” (Mortenson and Relin 24). It is especially necessary if your family lives in the country that is oppressed and suffers from terrorist groups. Mortenson experienced genuine kind human nature of the Pakistanis and the fact that he wanted to pay them back with the help of education a very bright fact. It means that he attributed the greatest role to education in human society. It was the starting point of everything for him. Education as presented in “Three Cups of Tea” is the secret of happiness; it is powerful enough to struggle against terrorism, because “the enemy is ignorance” (Mortenson and Relin 297). Education can establish equality and friendly relationship among people; this is the main message of the book.

Success as presented in the analyzed works

In fact, equality and friendly relationship among people is the goal of Martin Luther King as well but he does not mention education in his speech “I Have a Dream”. The reason for this is that he does not want to suggest the ways how to establish equality; his main aim is to awaken people and to show them that it is necessary to act. The plan of action will be his next step. However, to prove the importance of education for King, it is possible to quote the following idea of his: “Though education we seek to change attitudes … Through education we seek to break down the spiritual barriers to integration” (King 40).

The key to success in “I Have a Dream”

As for the key to success in “I Have a Dream”, it should be stated that the whole American nation will become successful as soon as all citizens become equal. This is the essence of democracy. In order to become successful and harmonious, America should eliminate such signs as “For Whites Only” (King unpaged). The key to success is in the Dream. The most important thing is that King’s dream “is deeply rooted in the American dream” (King unpaged). As soon as the dream of America and black people coincide, everyone will become happy.

The key to success in “Three Cups of Tea”

In comparison with King’s speech, in which the ideas are presented directly and in concise form, Mortenson’s book is much more longer, but it also narrates about success. It also concerns American people who suffer from terrorism. It also tries to awaken them just as King does several decades ago. The book inspires Americans to act because action is the key to success. The example is set by Mortenson already, and if Americans understand that they can become successful if they help other people, the dream of equality will come true.

Conclusion

Drawing a conclusion, it is possible to state that no matter how large is the gap between the speech and the book that are analyzed, both of them present the same idea: the necessity of equality of people. The authors offer their ideas of success that coincide. However, while King is trying to awaken and motivate people, Mortinson suggests concrete actions, the struggle against ignorance.

Works Cited

Boerema, Amy. “‘We Have to Live in Hope’ Author Promotes Peace, Tolerance through Education in Pakistan, Afghanistan.” Daily Herald. 2007: 14.

Kauffman, Richard A. “Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Fight Terrorism and Build Nations… One School at a Time.” The Christian Century. 125.15. (2008): 35.

King, Coretta Scott. The Words of Martin Luther King, Jr. NY: Newmarket Press, 2008.

King, Martin Luther Jr. I Have a Dream. 1963.

Ling, Peter John. Martin Luther King, Jr. NY: Routledge, 2002.

Mortenson, Greg, and David Oliver Relin. Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Fight Terrorism and Build Nations… One School at a Time. USA: Viking Penguin, 2006.