Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Alicia Garza are the leaders of anti-racist black movements, but their styles as speakers, behavior, ideals, and audiences are different and similar. Alicia Garza’s Keynote at CitizenUCon16 clearly highlighted the message inherent in her movement. Marxist, in many ways, radical and aggressive messages about the racial and social problems of the current American society. Although Dr. Martin Luther King’s speech sounds direct, on the contrary, it is devoid of Garza’s aggression and harshness (Alicia Garza Keynote at CitizenUCon16, 2016). A master of words, a preacher, and a fighter for the equality of people before God and the law, King speaks with hope for a better future for the world and the nation.
Garza’s character as a media personality is very different from King’s. They are both leaders of their people and their political supporters. However, Garza is a controversial figure even within his target audience. Many African Americans find her insincere and suspect her of exploiting the narrative, which is emphasized by general left-wing radicalism (Alicia Garza Keynote at CitizenUCon16, 2016). King, like any significant person, had supporters and opponents, but his narrative, ideas, and speech were directed in a different directions. King’s opponents who might argue with his grand dream speech are predominantly racist, based on how public and humane his speech was. Garza’s speeches can cause controversy due to various factors, mainly an ambiguous social meaning that goes beyond the fight against racism.
However, there is a similarity between the two leaders, and it is vital. In particular, the general position of the struggle for social equality. In addition to the obvious social factors that bring Garza and King closer together, it is also important to note the background. Both of them are leaders of their political groups. King had a flock as a preacher, and Garza was a union leader. The differences, as noted above, are weighty to the same extent as the similarities, if not more. Garza is a left-wing activist who speaks from a position of both racial and class oppression. In his views, King was conservative by modern standards (Martin Luther King – I Have a Dream Speech – August 28, 1963, 2011). As a believer, he saw the difference between the struggle for the equality of people before God and the law and more material factors.
Dr. King’s speech was given in a church and at the Lincoln Memorial, whereas today, we have social media and more opportunities for messaging. Furthermore, this is a significant difference because we are talking about a different level of immersion of people in the discourse and their proximity to the speaker’s personality. King spoke to his men in person, speaking to them as an equal (Ihsan, 2018). Garza separates himself from his followers as a leader and an influencer. As an internet figure, she relies heavily on advertising and hype rather than her personality, body language, and other things.
The audience is also essential in the discussion of two speeches and speakers. Garza draws on today’s young people who are part of the internet and are positively and negatively influenced. Strong statements, memes, hashtags, all this, and much more is the primary tool of the modern influencer. Ambiguity only emphasizes these methods, which are often not suitable for discourse. Radicalization and harshness in the course of confrontation can lead to violence, aggression, and other consequences harmful to the movement. In turn, King’s audience is people of the mid-twentieth century (Ihsan, 2018). These are workers and entrepreneurs, family people, primarily adults, and having a harrowing experience of real oppression, open and unhidden. King’s audience felt racism in every moment of his life because such was his pervasive influence in their time. Dr. King’s audience is people who strive for freedom and believe in a free future for their children. These factors dramatically distinguish them from Garza’s audience, which mostly encounters racism only from rare institutional and social marginals. Summarizing, both Garza and Dr. King were great speakers and leaders of their time and people, having much in common and differences from each other.
The impact of music on providing social and political commentary should never be estimated as it reflects the environment of the time in which it was created and offers valuable insight into whether the singer or songwriter supported the change for the better. Elvis Presley’s song “If I Can Dream,” released in 1968, is famous for its resemblance to the historic speech “I Have a Dream” given by Martin Luther King in 1963 (Morrison). The similarities between the song and the speech concern both the form and content of the test, with the key message being the desire for a better world in which everyone can exist in harmony and peace. Such a world can be achieved through the striving of every person not to abandon hope in a bright future and not to give up the difficult path that is in front of them.
Discussion
The American Civil Rights Movement under the leadership of Marin Luther King Jr. was the national crusade inspiring people of different social classes in America to turn against the long-standing racial and economic inequalities and make them crucial political issues not only in the US but worldwide. The speech given by King represents the pinnacle of the movement as it remains cited even today (Morrison). In the aftermath of his assassination, millions paid tribute to Luther King’s courage and determination to change the world, and Elvis Presley was one of them.
In his 1968 Comeback Special produced for television, Presley and his team wanted to show that the performer was not prejudiced and wanted to show his respect and admiration for the legacy of Martin Luther King. For example, King’s image of a “great beacon light” reappears when the song references a “beckoning candle,” while the “solid rock of brotherhood” aligns with the songwriter’s vision of “brothers” walking “hand in hand” (“Elvis Presley – If I Can Dream (’68 Comeback Special”). Finally, the “sunlit path of racial justice” is invoked through “a warmer sun where hope keeps shining on everyone” (“Elvis Presley – If I Can Dream (’68 Comeback Special”). These parallels illustrate the desire of the artist to demonstrate his appreciation for Luther King and ensure that the message of equality and brighter future proceeds.
Looking closely at Presley’s earlier work, it becomes evident that the artist was influenced by rock and roll, which initially originated from the Blues, a style of music rooted in the Deep South. Notably, Chuck Berry is considered one of the inventors of rock and roll, even though similar music existed before his career. However, had Elvis never heard Chuck Berry, his music would have probably been different or never come out? Even though there had been accusations of Elvis stealing the musical style from Black Culture, the artist himself had always given credit to the community. He said, “Nobody can sing that kind of music like colored people. Let’s face it: I can’t sing it like Fats Domino can. I know that. But I always liked that kind of music” (qtd in Kappel et al.).
Conclusion
Therefore, Presley played a crucial ally role and helped bridge gaps between Black and White cultures by showing that everyone can be equal in their expression. By speaking openly about the value of Black culture and its relevance to the modern discourse of his time, Elvis transferred the message of the belief in a brighter and just future in which prejudice and oppression would not exist.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech was a call for equality, freedom and the end of racism. Martin Luther King spoke of a future where all Americans were treated the same under the constitution and judged on the merit of their character, not the color of their skin (RARE FACTS, 2017). In her speech, Alicia Garza advocates for the rights of domestic workers in the context of the Black Lives Matter movement. She talks about the plight of domestic workers, how it came to be and how they have been left behind by labor reforms and other initiatives meant to ensure equal protections for American workers (Center for Constitutional Rights, 2015). Both leaders push for the recognition of the people represent.
Dr. King displays stronger leadership, charisma, power, and passion than Garza. King uses cadence, speech delivery, and gestures to evoke emotion, command attention, and spur his listeners to action. He uses manuscript speaking to ensure his message is delivered in precise words and a mixture of open and closed cadences to draw in his listeners, make statements and state opinions. King also uses gestures to emphasize and reinforce his words. Combining these elements makes for a powerful speech that captures his audience.
On the other hand, Alicia Garza also displays a level of passion and charisma that captures the attention of her audience. However, the speech is less powerful because of the ineffective use of speech delivery and cadence. She also uses open and closed cadence, but there is a lack of a captivating rhythm, as in Dr. King’s speech. Garza mainly uses an open cadence, making her appear flaky and inconclusive. The same thing occurs in the delivery of her speech. She uses extemporaneous and manuscript speaking but does not do well transitioning between them, resulting in a distractive and inconsistent speaking pattern. Her message gets through in the end but does not have the same effect as Martin Luther King’s.
The locations the speeches are held have an impact on speaking and listening. Delivery environments affect the acoustic structure of a speech, which influences the speaker’s mode of delivery and how the listeners process the speech sounds (Visentin et al., 2018). Dr. King’s main speech was held at the Lincoln Memorial, a large open space that allowed him to put power into his words, the echoes reinforcing his manner of speaking his words in the listeners’ minds. Alicia Garza speaks in an enclosed space, the same as Dr. King’s church address. Such locations make the message more personal and intimate, which draws the listeners into the importance of the subject being addressed. The audiences are more tuned in to the speakers’ verbal and non-verbal communication because of the close proximity.
Dr. King’s speeches are more engaged compared to the one Garza addresses. The former audience is highly involved, nodding, applauding and giving other verbal and nonverbal feedback at the right time and with vigor. This is most likely because King addresses issues facing a significant portion of society. Alicia Garza’s audience also displays similar cues but to a lesser degree. The feedback from her listeners is little and far between. However, this could be because her speech mainly addresses the plight of domestic workers, an experience very few people can relate to. Also, Garza addresses a more formal audience than King’s, which is mostly composed of ordinary people.
Visentin, C., Prodi, N., Cappelletti, F., Torresin, S., & Gasparella, A. (2018). Using listening effort assessment in the acoustical design of rooms for speech. Building and Environment, 136, 38-53. Web.
Effective social movement leaders play an important role in helping to achieve specific objectives. They inspire commitment, create and recognize opportunities, mobilize resources and followers, frame specific demands, devise strategies, and influence foreseeable outcomes (Greenberg, 2018). Martin Luther King Jr. was a charismatic and influential leader in American history. Alicia Garza is such a modern example as she is a charismatic social movement leader. Although the two individuals have emerged at different times, comparing their speeches reveals that they can use power, passion, charisma, and leadership to capture their audiences.
Summary of Speeches
In “I Have a Dream,” Martin Luther King Jr. says that black people are still not free because of discrimination and segregation. He motivates his audience to fight for freedom and justice. King advocates for nonviolent resistance, calling Americans of all races to unite against discrimination and segregation (VanderHaagen, 2019). His dream is to have a country where all people will be treated equally without discrimination and judgment based on skin color but by the content of their character. Alicia Garza speaks about the experiences of black people, particularly women, in a continuously discriminative society. She praises the persistence of black women in laying the foundation for modern activism (Finley, 2017). She states that their actions have birthed campaigns against extrajudicial killings by the police, mostly perpetrated against black people.
Comparison of the Speeches and Body Languages
Martin Luther King Jr.’s charisma is evident in his body language and powerful oratory. He demonstrates inspiration and magnetism, explaining the history of the issues affecting the audience. Moreover, he applies legitimate divine power to influence his audience, which he obtains by invoking the scriptures (Aliu, 2019). King uses the Biblical story of Moses, applying the term “let my people go” to the prevailing situation in America.
Unlike Dr. King, Alicia Garza uses her knowledge about the prevailing conditions affecting black people. She is an author and uses her influence as a feminist to capture the audience. Garza tells her audience that she knows their struggles throughout history and how they have shaped activism (Finley, 2017). She appeals to the people’s feelings as she talks about the scenes of police brutality and killings and other horrific scenarios. She also demonstrates passion, saying that they will not achieve the goal of full freedom if they only remain active online via Twitter (Taylor, Garza & Wilkerson, 2021). Garza is passionate about leaving her home and joining the movements on the streets to pass the message of freedom. Her ability to inspire people and unite them under a shared vision of injustice is similar to King, who evoked powerful imagery and feeling in order to get his point across.
Dr. King talked at the Lincoln Memorial, where the space was large to accommodate a large crowd. Although the crowd keeps appraising and shouting, they give him time to speak. In addition, the choice of location provides a source of symbolism. A church is a place of gathering, unity and kindness – making it perfect grounds for talking about the importance of justice. Garza, on the other hand, finds her audience on university grounds, where young minds can find access to important information about the society they live in. This choice helps the speaker highlight the importance of the BLM movement for newer generations. Nonetheless, messaging can be difficult in such a situation, given that the crowd sometimes becomes noisy as the applause. Messaging is easy in the case of Garza because she makes the speech inside a university hall (Finley, 2017). The audience is specific (students and tutors), and they keenly listen.
Nevertheless, both audiences relate to each other in some way. Both audiences are concerned about the prevailing problem of racism and discrimination. Moreover, speeches are made when society faces an uprising due to the same problem. The speeches revolve around a common issue of racism. Despite this, there are major differences, such as the composition of the audience. In Dr. King’s case, the audience is a crowd of city residents with diverse backgrounds. In Garza’s case, the crowd is selected as it is mainly made up of graduating students (Finley, 2017). Garza talks more about the plight of black women, while Dr. King’s speech revolves around the experiences of all black people.
Conclusion
Social movements are successful when there is strong leadership under influential individuals. Such individuals play an important role as they create and recognize opportunities, mobilize resources and followers, inspire commitment, devise strategies, frame specific demands, and influence foreseeable outcomes. In this case, King and Garza provide examples of leaders who can understand the topic and appeal to the people’s emotions, making them realize the need to take action.
References
Aliu, M. (2019). An analysis of the two speeches delivered by Martin Luther King. Anglisticum. Journal of the Association-Institute for English Language and American Studies, 7. Web.
On 28th August 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. held a speech that was attended by over 250,000 civil rights fans. His speech which lasted for 18 minutes was given at the moment when blacks were cruelly discriminated against. The speech “I Have a Dream” is always regarded as being among the greatest and famous speeches in history. This speech was a defining period of the Civil Rights Movement in America. Martin Luther King’s background as a first rank leader of the Negro and a member of the civil rights greatly helped him in this speech. He was American blacks’ symbolic leader and a world-image American Rhetoric (2005).
The purpose of the king’s speech was to motivate the endorsement of change within the Americans, and the state, in relation to Americans’ inappropriate views towards unlike races or tribal groups in America. King stresses on the American blacks being victimized, Talking about his fellow blacks from both expert and personal levels. King’s objective was to put important pressure on the state and its citizen, by identifying the mistakes of their habits and the promises which have never happened through history. He asks for change and gives out solutions, by so doing he intended to influence the state to unite, thereby ending the historical division among the American citizen. The important information in king’s speech is that everyone is equally created although that was not the case in America at the moment, he had a strong feeling that this will change in the future.
There is no doubt that the king’s speech was perfectly researched. In his homework, he seriously read the Bible, The Gettysburg Address, and the declaration of United States of America independence and he indirectly refers to all these in his talk. The style of the speech has been explained as a political treatise, poetry work and improvised and a masterfully delivered talk, coming up with language and imagery from the bible plus rhythm and recurrences.
The bigger part of the king’s achievement as an orator was because of his utilization of rhetoric in his communication. He was able to determine the mood and tone of the listeners, and intermingle with them properly. The utilization of metaphors gave him a chance to outline his point to convey an excellent speech. In most cases, he was calm and composed, when needed he was capable to be loud and integrate anyone’s movement. He stopped for applauses often, this permitted the listeners to display their enthusiasm and create them feel included instead of them having a feeling that they are just sitting listening to somebody speech American Rhetoric (2005).
King directed his encouragement to white and blank individuals joining hands to attain racial peace and agreement. He specifically wanted to educate the blanks that sameness could be achieved through the application of non-violence. He also encourages blanks to never forget their dreams and urged that in God’s eyes, blacks should be equally treated because they are important as any race in America. The speech was effective in that it inspired the majority of black and white addressees who attended in Washington and those who were viewing on T.V. The best aspect of this speech is that everybody was equally created. King passionately needed it to be the future case. Apart from this main idea, subsequent thoughts are involved to back up and stress it.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was a leader of the movement fighting for the African-American rights. He was also an accomplished orator. In 1963, Luther delivered one of his most famous speeches at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C. The I Have a Dream Speech did not gain fame in vain.
It caught the attention of the world not because it was about African-American rights. It went down in history as one of the best speeches ever delivered. It did not only make the world recognize that all mankind is equal but also drew the attention of everyone to its quality of content (Ralph 35). After listening to the speech, I go straight to analyze its effectiveness without dwelling on the main content.
Watching a video of the speech, I made several observations which include the following facts. The setting is historical, and the audience is eager and agitated and composed of both blacks and whites, though the blacks are prevailing in number. The success of the speech of Dr. King can be attributed to the use of various literary techniques. They are used in the speech to capture the attention of the audience.
Repetition is used throughout the speech to put an emphasis on the main idea of the message. The repetition is presented in the form of anaphora. Anaphora is a term used to show that the words are repeated at the beginning of adjacent clauses. The phrase “I have a dream” is repeated eight times. Alliteration is another stylistic device that is used in the speech.
It refers to the repetition of consonant sounds in the words in a sentences; for example, we can trace the use of this technique in the following instances, “In a sense we have come to our nation’s capital to cash a check” and “We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no…”.
The repetition and the emphasis of the letter “c” in the first sentence and letter “n” in the second excites the audience because of the musicality it brings out when it is uttered. Luther also uses allusion in his speech. He cites two bookends to achieve this effect. One of them is an old Negro Spiritual, “free at last! free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last”.
The other alludes are made to the Gettysburg Address made by an American President in the words, “Five score years ago…”. Assonance refers to the repetition of vowel sounds. The next example presents the use of assonance in the words. “We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline”. Alliteration and assonance are also used in classical poetry. The two devices bring musicality to the speech which Luther’s audience enjoys.
Hyperbole is used by Luther to create some sort of exaggeration that stretches the imagination of his audience concerning the following part of the speech, “And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing”.
With the help of the hyperbole mentioned, Luther makes his audience believe that opposing forces can unite to bring freedom to the whole world.
The use of parallelism can be seen in the words “go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. 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”. This brings consistency of thought by use of similar phrases and clauses.
In conclusion, I am persuaded to acknowledge the value that literary techniques bring to the speech (Ralph 34). They are strategically employed by Luther to enhance the delivery and reception of his message not only to America but also to the rest of the world.
Works Cited
Ralph, James. Northern Protest: Martin Luther King, Jr., Chicago and the Civil Rights Movement. Harvard: Harvard University Press, 1993. Print.
Searching for I Have a Dream speech analysis? Look no further! This literary analysis focuses on rhetorical devices and persuasive techniques used by Martin Luther King, Jr.
“I Have a Dream” is the most famous speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It is also considered as the best and greatest speech that was proclaimed in the history of the United States. It gathered more than 200,000 Americans of all races at the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963.
The speech is an excellent example of persuasive rhetoric filled with many expressive means and stylistic devices, such as metaphors, repetitions, allusions, epithets and persuasive constructions. The speech has become a symbol of a new era of freedom and symbol of the American civil rights movement.
I Have a Dream: Summary & the Key Messages
“I Have a Dream” is a representation of the “America Dream” about a free and equal society. As Leff & Kauffeld (1989) mention, “Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech won immediate and sustained praise and has become a moral compass in American political culture” (p. 181).
The speech had a great influence on minds and visions of all Americans and “forever “legitimized” civil rights in the minds of most Amricans” (Leff & Kauffeld 1989, p. 181).
Marin Luther King was among the founders of the American civil rights movement. He led an active political life. He attended the Morehouse College in Atlanta, and then studied theology at Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania and Boston University.
In 1955, he became a president of the Montgomery Improvement Association and gained a public recognition for his activities in the campaign. He also is one of the organizers of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1957. In 1963, the members of the conference led mass demonstrations in Alabama. These demonstrations resulted in the passage in the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
During one of the march demonstrations for Jobs and Freedom, King pronounced his famous speech. (Durgut 2008). The main purpose of the speech is expressed in its name “I Have a Dream”. The dream of the author was to live in a free society and make all people equal regardless race and social position.
Passionately and powerfully, he claimed that reformation of the society is a task of the future. His words became a meaningful expression of the political and cultural situation in the country and “shaped” the idea for which every American should struggle.
Thus, his speech was aimed at inspiring Americans to take actions and improve their lives. The key message of the speech is “We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal” (King 1963, n. p.). In order to come to this subject, the author divides the speech into three parts: introduction, first part (American reality) and second part (the prospects of the future).
First of all, he outlines the problem, “One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination” (King 1963, n. p.), then he provides the detailed description of the racial injustice and inequality that face Americans.
He also inspired the listeners to rebel against these injustices claiming that “Now is the time” for changes, “now is the time to make real the promises of democracy” (King 1963, n. p.). Thus, he prepared people for the second part of his speech in which he presented the results of the changes.
King also expresses the dissatisfactions with the policies and laws which discriminated African Americans and their rights. The intended audience was the government representatives.
However, the author was intended to “touch minds” of all people, both black and white from all social layers. Emotionally and with anticipation, he addresses the people of America and, especially Negro people to whom he belongs:
But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred (King 1963, n. p.).
He says “we” in order to show his concern and participation. When emphasizing the word “we” he demonstrates that everybody who understands the problem and seeks changes is involved and the “problem” is not a concern of the particular individuals, but it is a common problem and everybody should make his/her contribution to solve it.
The purpose of the author is to inform and inspire people for struggle and prepare them for changes. He builds his speech so that it was meaningful not only for political activists and Negro people, but to everybody. He says:
…the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny (King 1963, n. p.).
Thus, we can see that the speech is addressed to white people as well. Moreover, King says that “all people are brothers” and there is no racial distinction. Next important trait of the speech is that it was written at the time when the question of racial discrimination was urgent.
Black people faced inequality and violence. “King is known as a charismatic orator. His way of persuading people was to use the power of words instead of physical violence” (Durgut 2008, n. p.).
He knew exactly how to use words, and after he delivered the speech “I Have a Dream”, he gained a great appreciation from people and was called “The Man of the Year” by The Times magazine.
Moreover, a year later, he was awarded by the Nobel Peace Prize for his great contribution to the establishment of justice and peace in the world. These facts demonstrate how people assumed about the author and his activities.
During the time when the speech was proclaimed, television transferred the recent events of the raising struggle for civil rights. There were the episodes of the violence in Birmingham and Alabama. The March on Washington became the first step towards equality and justice.
Regardless the fact that by the time when the speech was proclaimed Abraham Lincoln put an end to slavery and signed the Emancipation Proclamation, discrimination and inequality still had a great power and did not decrease at local and even national levels.
This reality inspired King that something should be done in order to “open people’s eyes” and spread the ideas of equality and justice. In his speech, the author makes allusions to the documents that also addressed the same ideas as his speech.
He refers to the Emancipation Proclamation and the Bill of Rights; the author also cites the words from the Declaration of Independence, and addresses the Bible in order to show that God created all people equal and it was the responsibility of every person to preserve that equality. King met a great response from the audience.
The text of the speech was heard by a broad audience due to television and this allowed the author to reach “the hearts” of many people around America.
These days, the text of the speech is widely available for all who wants to read it. It can be found on the Internet at the American Rhetoric and other sites, as well as in many anthologies and books. The audio and video versions of the speech are also available on the Internet.
The main idea the all people should be treated equal is heard in every line of the text. In order to make the speech emotional and persuasive, King made use many stylistic devices, as well as paid a great attention to the content.
“I have a Dream” is a political speech with the elements of a sermon. According to the Aristotelian classification, it is a deliberative speech. The distinctive feature of this type of speech is the purpose of it. It aims at enabling the audience to make a judgment or a decision during the speech.
I Have a Dream: Analysis of the Speech Structure
There are three main parts of the speech: exordium, narration and argumentation and peroratio (introduction, main part and closing) (Black 2008). In every part of the speech, King presents particular information. With regard to the content, structure of the text has a great importance in representation of this content.
Every type of speech should begin with the exordium, “the functions of the exordium are to make the audience attentive, docile and benevolent” (Durgut 2008, n. p.).
Traditionally, the content of the introduction of the speech should present the salutation of the audience, the main idea and some general additional information to attract the listeners’ attention. Martin Luther King managed to include all the points into one sentence, “I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation” (King 1963, n. p.).
Furthermore, the narration presents arguments, evidences and prospects for the future. The main part of Luther’s speech can also be divided into two parts. The first part of the main text provides the audience with the historical background of the “problem”.
The author describes social and political events that had place “Five score years ago” and the results that people could see “one hundred years later” (3 times) (King 1963, n. p.). In the next paragraphs, he calls people for action telling “now is the time” which he uses four times, “Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy.
Now is the time to rise from the dark… Now is the time to lift our nation… Now is the time to make justice a reality…” (King 1963, n. p.). The author also set goals for people who are ready to protect their rights and freedoms, “and as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall march ahead. We cannot turn back” (King 1963, n. p.).
He claims that people “can never be satisfied” as long as they have to be the victims of unjust policies and racial prejudice. In order to supper his argument, the author uses convincing evidences which he observed in the society.
He also makes allusions to historical documents, such as The Emancipation Proclamation, the United States Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. In addition, he refers to the Bible as to a foundation of the “human law and justice”. The second part of the text is the author’s expectations.
He looks into the future with the words “I Have a Dream”, it is the main theme of the paragraph, as well as the speech as a whole. He begins this part with an emotional introduction, “I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment I still have a dream.
It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream” (King 1963, n. p.). He addresses a strong message for Caucasian people about peace and equality, and he expresses his hope that the positive changes will come in the nearest future, “King gave advice how to act and what to change currently, so his vision of the common future for the American society might come true one day” (Durgut 2008, n. p.).
He claims, “let freedom ring from” all over the United States and people will live happy. This idea is voiced in the peroration of the speech, and it provides strong and persuasive ending of the text.
As it has already been mentioned, King was a skillful orator and his speech is an example of high quality rhetoric. His speech presents all types of appeals, such as ethos, pathos and logos. “Pathos refers to how well you can appeal to someone’s emotion” (Black 2008, p. 48).
Ethos, Logos, & Pathos in I Have a Dream
Dr. Martin Luther King’s persuasive “I Have a Dream” speech was fueled by emotional components. He said that “African Americans were living on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity.” (Black 2008 p. 48).
He persuaded to give the black Americans the equal rights, in the passage of his speech he says that “all men – yes, black men as well as Caucasians men – would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” (King 1963, n. p.).
He uses logos when referring to historical documents and the Bible. Providing that all people are equal and friend, Martin Luther King uses ethos.
Language and style of the speech are bright, expressive and persuasive. He makes use various methods to convince the audience. Thus, he widely uses repetitions of key phrases and “theme words”, make allusions to significant historical events and important documents, provides specific examples to make his arguments significant and use broad metaphors to emphasize important moments and highlight the most important concepts and ideas.
So, the most important phrases that serve to attract the audience’s attention, such as “Now is the time…”, “We can never (cannot) be satisfied…”, “I Have a Dream…”, “Let freedom ring (from) …” are repeated in the successful sentences, or at the beginning of the sentences.
The theme words are repeated extensively through the text, they are “freedom” (20 times), “dream” (11), “we” (30), “our” (17), “justice” (8). Among the most “impressive” metaphors used by King are:
“Joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity”;
“The Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity”;
“Rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice”. (King 1963, n. p.).
Conclusion
Thus, we can come to a conclusion that the speech “I Have a Dream” is the most impressive political speeches that had a great influence on the history of the United States, and shaped visions of many Americans.
It is one of the best examples of the rhetorical art and persuasive writing. Thus, as Kenneth Tamarkin & Jeri W. Bayer (2002) say, “Martin Luther’s “I Have a Dream” speech is an eloquent appeal for integration and equality” (p. 399), and the representation of the American dream.
I Have a Dream Analysis: FAQ
What Am I Have a Dream Speech about? One of the most iconic speeches in US history aims to put an end to racism in America. The key message of I Have a Dream by Martin Luther King, Jr. Is the importance of equal civil and economic rights for all US citizens.
What Was the Purpose of the I Have a Dream Speech? In I Have a Dream, Martin Luther King, Jr. addressed the issues of racism and segregation in the US. He encouraged using non-violent protests as a weapon to fight inequality.
When Was the I Have a Dream Speech? The speech was delivered on August 28, 1963, during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Martin Luther King presented his speech from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., to over 250,000 civil rights supporters.
Reference List
Black, Barry C. (2008). From the hood to the hill: A story of overcoming. New York: Thomas Nelson Inc.
Durgut, Ismail. (2008). “I Have a Dream”: an example of classical rhetoric in a post-modern speech. London: GRIN Verlag.
Leff, Michael C., & Kauffeld, Fred J. (1989). Texts in context: critical dialogues on significant episodes in American political rhetoric. Davis: Routledge.
Tamarkin, Kenneth, & Bayer, Jeri W. (2002). McGraw-Hill’s GED Social Studies. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional.
One of the finest explanations of American’s dream is the powerful speech of Martin Luther King, Jr. He delivered the speech at the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963, in Washington D.C. The speech is mainly centered on racial equality and stoppage of discrimination.
At that time, racial segregation ruled in almost all places: be it schools, neighborhoods and even in social places. With violence and riots so often, it was a disturbing moment for America although the U.S government was doing nothing to change the situation. Through the speech, Dr. King was educating inspiring and informing both the civil supporters and the unborn generation in the world to reach out to their dreams and giving his audience hope for a better future.
Discussion
Up to the time when he was delivering the speech, African Americans were still under slavery from the white people as indicated in the below excerpt.
One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination…….One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land (Luther, 1963, para. 2).
The speech depicts the idea that someone can actually be anything that he dreams of becoming. Dr. King suggested that America is a land full of opportunities and that Americans should maximize on them. Before transforming the world, he saw the need to begin in America. Dr. King began the speech with a rhetoric phrase, ’Now is the time’, a tool that he used throughout speech. In the sixth paragraph of his speech, he used the phrase six times.
He was echoing to his audience to get hold of the moment. More so he used the phrase, ‘I have a dream eight times. By so doing he was echoing future hope for the people that will make them forget about all the slavery sufferings and injustices that they had faced while under slavery.
This is a sign of hope for the future too. He brought in the idea of slavery to suggest that it is still operational in today’s world. By using the word ‘slave-owners’, Dr. King was referring to the white, however to calm any tension between the black and the white people, he re-unites them by saying, “… will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood” (Luther, 1963, para.12).
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.” I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave-owners ………, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice…. I have a dream today (Luther, 1963, para.12).
The dream in the above context symbolizes the aspirations that Dr. King had of America setting the stage for the rest of the world. He also says that ‘this nation will rise up’ meaning that he had fathomed a revolution time when the Americans will be accepted as right persons in the States (Luther, 1963, para.12).
Martin Luther King’s Speech: Essay Conclusion
There was an established racial discrimination that is why he sent such a strong message to the white. More importantly is the fact that his words were advocating for peace hence providing the vision that anyone would buy it. There above discussion hence shows that Martin Luther King, Jr was really, an effective public speaker.
Speech is an essential way to persuade and deliver information to the audience. It helps a speaker to share his/her thoughts and ideas about a current situation or any other matter. It was born in ancient Greece (Saxonhouse, 2005). However, the complexity and importance dramatically evoked, as it is the primary way of communication between the leader and the audience.
It could be said that all of the leaders were successful speakers since they were able to provide the audience with thrilling examples and arguments (Carnegie, 2011). One of them is Martin Luther King. The presentation pays close attention to him the most famous speech “I have a dream.” He inspired people to improve the current conditions and change the reality to the better world. The analysis of the speech helps to understand various tools and techniques, which he implemented to find the way to reach the audience.
Introduction of the Speech
It is important to include an introduction to every speech, as it provides general ideas about the topic and gives a listener an understanding of the speaker’s intentions. The speech of Martin Luther King could be divided into several parts.
The first part shows that he is thankful to stand in front of the audience. Moreover, he uses the pronoun “We” to show the unity of the nation in the United States of America (King, 2015, para.1). It could be said that after that, he continues with the main topic. He focuses on Emancipation Proclamation and its influence on slavery situation in the country.
The next step of Martin Luther King is to deliver his main point to the audience. He claims that despite ‘the freedom’ African Americans are still discriminated, and their rights are not respected in the modern society. In order to emphasize the significance of the problem, he uses parallel sentence structure such as “One hundred years later” (King, 2015, para. 3). He strongly suggests that nothing has changed in one hundred years.
Attention-getting method
It is vital for a speaker to attract the attention of the audience from his/her first words. As it was mentioned previously, Martin Luther King thanks the audience and then continues with the description of the problem.
Starting with the persuasive description of the problem is crucial, as it delivers the main thoughts and ideas of the speaker to the audience (Morreale, 2010). It is critical to keep the audience focused on the issue. In this case, parallelism is used. There are three sentences, which start with “One hundred years later” (King, 2015, para.3). It is clear that Martin Luther King implies nothing changed in a century. This method is rather stable, as it allows people to understand that the problem still exists, and the situation has to change. Additionally, he also uses the word “Negro” multiple times (King, 2015, para. 3). Listeners could establish a connection between two repetitive words and understand the fundamental aspects of the problem, as racial problems still exist in America.
Transitions
Transition words and phrases are used to connect logically sentences with each other (Transitional words and phrases, 2014). One of the examples is “And so we’ve come here today to dramatize a shameful condition” (King, 2015, para. 3). ‘And so’ is a sequential transition, which is used to describe the conclusion. It could be said that Martin Luther King use this phrase multiple times to highlight the conclusion, “And so, we’ve come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice” (King, 2015, para.5).
‘But’ is another transition, which shows contrast (Transitional words and phrases, 2014). “But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt”, Martin Luther King says (King, 2015, para.5). This sentence allows the listeners to understand a current problem.
List of Transitions
“But”, it is an adversative transition (King, 2015, para.3).
“And so” is an effect (King, 2015, para.5).
“Still” is a concession (King, 2015, para. 3).
“Also” is an addition (King, 2015, para. 6).
Moreover, as it was mentioned earlier, repletion of the certain phrases can be referred as transitions. Although, it has to be said that not only emphasize the importance of the issue but also show the connections between the sentences.
Various conclusion techniques
There are different techniques, which could be used for the conclusion, such as a rhetorical question, quotation, humor, and request for action (Conclusion techniques, 2015). As for Martin Luther King speech, it could be said that he finishes it with the citation: “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!” (King, 2015, para. 31). This quotation helps to understand a primary intention of the speech. This quote helps the speaker show his emotions and has a particular effect on the audience.
Moreover, as a speech is persuasive, it could be concluded that Martin Luther King requests a possible action from the audience. The passion and emotionality expressed in the quote might be the key drivers for the successful change of the situation.
Effectiveness of the speech
Speaking of the effectiveness, it could be said that the speech was successful. On the picture displayed on the slide, it could be seen that the crowd surrounds the leader (What Dr. King can teach us about acting, 2015). From the emotions displayed on the people’s faces, it could be noticed that the speech had an individual impact and gave people hope for a better future.
As for the use of various techniques, the speech is rich in examples and quotes. These techniques help the listeners to understand and support ideas of Martin Luther King.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it could be said that in order to be effective speech has to use various sentence structures and techniques. Moreover, using sentence parallelism is also one of the efficient methods, as it helps the speaker emphasize a significance of the issue. Additionally, usage of the word ‘we’ shows equality of all members of society and brings the leader closer to the public. All of these techniques were implemented in Martin Luther King’s speech. These facts allowed him to deliver a persuasive message and change the history of the United States of America.
References
Carnegie, D. (2011). Stand and deliver: How to become a masterful communicator and public speaker. New York, NY: Simon & Shuster.
In April 1963, Negro demonstrations took place in Birmingham under the leadership of Martin Luther King. Eight clerics from different religions issued an open letter to King asking him to stop the demonstrations. In their message, they advocated obedience to court decisions on racial issues, criticized visitors for organizing demonstrations, and praised the “calm actions” of the police and authorities during them. Luther refused to end the peaceful demonstrations and was sent to prison, where he wrote his answer to the clergymen. His speech Letter from Birmingham Jail had an immense impact on the Civil Rights movement and the issue of racial discrimination in America.
Main body
In his speech, King used a variety of rhetorical techniques to convince not only the clergymen but the rest of the American people too. He expertly appeals to ethos with credibility, pathos for emotions, and logos as reasoning. With these tools, King succeeded in conveying his idea of injustice towards the Black people to Americans, thus gaining the necessary support for the Civil Rights movement. Different forms of rhetorical appeal helped him to provide strong argumentation with both factual and subjective information, which only served to increase the credibility of his speech. In this part of his speech, he applies parallelism: “When you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will; when you have seen hate-filled policemen kill your black brothers and sisters?” (2). There, he continues to use “when you” to highlight the myriad ways the Blacks are mistreated by society.
This expert use of such symbolic tool as parallelism truly gets the audience, as it emphasizes the endless struggle the Blacks have to face. Moreover, the repetition provides a feeling as if it is something common for them, a routine they have no choice but to endure. Then, there are brilliant metaphors in King’s writing, such as “the vast majority of your twenty million Negro brothers smothering in an airtight cage of poverty in the midst of an affluent society” (2). With this metaphor, King beautifully creates a mental image for his audience – a picture of oppression that never ends. The Blacks have to watch helplessly as the White people get all the freedoms and privileges simply because they have the “right” skin color, while the Blacks have no hope of getting any. In addition, his metaphor of an airtight cage works as a representation of the dehumanization of the Blacks as animals without any rights to claim.
It is easy to see King’s argumentation as more credible and strong than the claims of the clergymen because he has more than enough personal experience of the oppression the Blacks suffer from. His flawless use of metaphors and parallelism allows the reader or the audience to empathize with King and support him in his fight against racial injustice. Moreover, an appeal to pathos also helps King to capture the attention of his audience through an emotional connection to everything the Black people went through throughout the history of the country. King explores and explains his own experiences of injustice, violence, and oppression with clarity and raw emotion. Thus, his audience gets the opportunity to see the issue for what it is, understand it, and, by understanding it, adhere to King’s views rather than the clergymen’s.
Discrimination and segregation are the processes that impact everyone’s lives, not only the Blacks. King explains this to his audience with these words: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” (1). It might seem that race is the center point of the injustice, but in reality, it affects everyone, especially in the late XX century. No nation can truly develop and prosper if part of it is oppressed. Dr. King examines the impact of segregation and racism on society as a union, thus making his audience able to see the barriers that stand in the way of the future. Pathos is the ultimate tool that King uses to make the people understand his point of view, which allows them, in turn, to sympathize with those who experience this injustice on a daily basis.
Such appeal to emotions and basic humanity made it possible for King to achieve strong support for the Civil Rights movement, as well as his own actions. For clergymen and the entire American nation to believe and support his arguments, King had to have the strongest factual and logical basis. That is where logos comes into the picture, with King’s words: “There have been more unsolved bombings of Negro homes and churches in Birmingham than in any other city in this nation” (1). With the harsh truth about the violence spreading steadily in Birmingham, King establishes a strong logical base for his arguments, which, in turn, greatly improves the credibility of his speech.
Conclusion
During the 1960s, Martin Luther King was one of the key speakers and the most influential figure of the Civil Rights movement. With his many speeches, he effectively conveyed to the American nation the issue of racial injustice toward Black people. He advocated for peaceful protests that were crucial to the movement and explained the necessary actions needed to be taken in order to establish equality in the United States. The rhetorical tools allowed him to bring his ideas into the light with a strong base of argumentation, logic, and emotional appeal. Expert, comprehensive use of ethos, pathos, and logos provided his speeches with all the rhetorical strength and emphasis he needed to make his audience understand his views – and, more importantly, agree with them. Without his Letter from Birmingham Jail, there would be considerably less influence behind the Civil Rights movement it needed to make any substantial changes.
Work Cited
King, Martin Luther, Jr. Letter from the Birmingham Jail. Harper San Francisco, 1994.