I Have A Dream Rhetorical Analysis

Rhetorical Analysis of “I Have a Dream” African-American civil-rights activist, Martin Luther King Jr., once addressed the harsh reality of unjust black treatment in his speech, “I Have a Dream.” King’s purpose is to empower the minority group, African-Americans, into fighting for equal treatment. He adopts a powerfully influential tone in order to motivate those of his race into taking peaceful action towards a righteous change. To start off his speech, King displays his character and confidence in a short introduction. He exemplifies his pride to fight for freedom by calling his speech “the greatest demonstration for freedom” (King). The patriotism implied with his courageous diction allows the reader to understand the strong passion for the subject. The confidence expressed hooks the audience to want to listen. Events throughout King’s life have allowed him to become a reputable character. Along with the segregated schools he attended, “King was arrested, his home was bombed… [and] at the same time he emerged as a Negro leader of the first rank” (Haberman). The willingness to endure such horrific situations show the dedication King has …show more content…
The words “urgency,” “justice,” and “awakening” all contribute to the patriotic tone (King). These words emphasize the importance of taking action and King wants the Negro community to fight for the freedom of all people. The patriotic tone makes the audience feel like it is their duty to take this action for the good of society; therefore, King begins to lean the people towards taking action and fighting for what they truly deserve. King asserts the presence of a “sunlit path of racial justice,” which is the overall goal of King’s preaching. Such a metaphor is used to shed hope on the speech. Furthermore, the goal is a crucial part of the speech to express to his intended audience that freedom is possible, which will come along with