Martin Luther King Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Great Essays
A broadly known speech that makes evident the power of rhetoric is “I Have A Dream” by Martin Luther King Junior, which was delivered at the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963. This civil rights leader proclaimed his views about human equality for all African Americans to have equals opportunities in the United States. His speech is known as one of the largest civil rights demonstrations in history. His symbolism, powerful persuasion, tone and diction helped to create an impact on his public and around the nation.

Mr. King was encouraging Americans to believe in the nation that all mankind are created equal, and promote a stronger nation free of discrimination. In his invigorating speech he used rhetorical language and strategies to persuade his listeners, creating a common ground dynamic to make his audience understand his message or purpose. This analysis will examine his rhetorical speech based on ethos, pathos, and logos to exemplify his rhetorical language or persuasion tactics. Appealing to credibility, emotion and logic are very effective way of communication commonly used to convince a large public,
…show more content…
Martin Luther King’s speech was a major turning point in American history and represented a firm stand for equal rights. He spoke out to confront the issue of race inequality in the nation. This speech was an influential and historical moment in the fight for equal rights of everyone. Dr. King will forever be known for his famous speech. His use of rhetoric throughout the speech demonstrate rhetorical strategies such as ethos, pathos, and logos to create emotional, logical, and credible appeals that helped the African American people to fight for their freedom. Martin Luther King Jr. aimed for justice and while he didn’t fully see the day of equal rights, so he created a legacy in time through his language. Sadly, a sniper took his life in 1968, but his cause for equality transcends time that no matter the race, all people are created

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    In Martin Luther King Jr. ironic “i have a dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial 1963 march on Washington for jobs and freedom and a call to end racism was and is still present today, one of the most influential speeches in history. This speech not only brought all the blacks it also brought the whites to stand side by side with them and make a change in history.”when we allow freedom to ring- when we let it ring from every city 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 in the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at last, Free at last, Great God a-mighty, we are free at last.”(Copyright 1963, Martin Luther King, jr.). Once you get through the end of the dark tunnel the light will…

    • 781 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Even now this speech continues to make generations of people give up their racist beliefs and educate people on equality and fairness. Without King, America would still probably still be segregated. Other than the speech using logical and moving appeal to the audience, King’s effective structure with the usage of all three rhetorical modes and certain rhetorical tropes and schemes has revealed the reason. “I Have a Dream” is as a masterpiece of rhetoric and moves people in the way for social change and equality for all black men, women, and children in…

    • 1534 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    As a great American hero, Dr. King was able to answer the needs of all races, this allowed him to remake the moral and social practice of race in America. King’s wish of wiping out racial oppression was truly remarkable as he truly believed together we could all reach racial harmony. “Even Reagan a disbeliever had signed the bill into law making Dr. King’s birthday a national holiday” (The Papers of Martin Luther King.) The significance of King’s birthday becoming a national holiday meant his work impacted the country in such a…

    • 1629 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Martin Luther King probably had the largest impact on the subject of racial equality. His work can still be seen today. In Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech, “I’ve been to the Mountaintop,” King uses Ethos, Logos, and Pathos to construct a powerful speech to spread the word of equality. King used many strategic ideas to gather the attention on his speech to make it effective. One of his closing phrases stated, “And so I’m happy, tonight.…

    • 764 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Oppression has been a major part of history for as long as Americans can remember. The vicious cycle of oppression and rebellion led many to stand up for how they believe the “less superior” citizens should be treated. Revolters voiced their opinions on the quality of life that all should be able to enjoy and how everyone should be treated equally. Revolutionary voices such as Martin Luther King Jr., Patrick Henry, and the Declaration of Independence will live on in history for their meaningful calls to freedom. Martin Luther King Jr. produced a 17 minute long speech on August 28, 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial in which he called for an end to discrimination and the need for racial equality.…

    • 711 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    He indirectly describes the urgent nature of the fight for equality here. Martin Luther King, Jr. explains to all Americans the necessity of the Civil Rights Movement in the introduction to his book, Why We Can’t Wait. He uses a narrative structure and imagery to show the poverty and absence of opportunity for African Americans. Contrasting black people’s contributions to America with their current treatment, he uses the accepted logical sequence of spoils directly reflecting efforts to emphasize his purpose. Finally, he calls his audience it joins the movement, now being informed of the reasoning behind the…

    • 821 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    A broadly known speech that makes evident the power of rhetoric is “I Have A Dream” by Martin Luther King Junior, which was delivered at the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963. This civil rights leader proclaimed his views about human equality for all African Americans to have equals opportunities in the United States. His speech is known as one of the largest civil rights demonstrations in history. His symbolism, powerful persuasion, tone and diction helped to create an impact on his public and around the nation. Mr. King was encouraging Americans to believe in the nation that all men are created equal; this way a stronger nation free of discrimination could be built among the country.…

    • 746 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    “I Have a Dream” speech is one of the most powerful and memorable speeches in the American history. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his speech “I Have a Dream” to America on August 28, 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial where thousands of people gathered to fight against racism. (American Rhetoric). King talks how people should fight for freedom. He speaks to America to end racial segregation and discrimination against African – American and that everyone should be viewed equally.…

    • 942 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    And this is what King want to say that all men is created to be equal. By relating a classic America President’s speech, he expresses the equivalent worth of both cultures that we should realize Lincoln’s dream. And this outpouring emotion from the speech conveys that this is the time black people started to have equal rights with other nation by signing Emancipation Proclamation. Allusions can help people see unique connections between two ideas. Additionally, he used allusion at the beginning of the speech, not only expects the audience to possess enough knowledge to spot the usage of words, but also let people recall the eloquent speech of Lincoln and refresh the memory of freedom.…

    • 1124 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    While writing the Declaration of Independence, the Founding Fathers knew the importance of human rights for Americans. The ideals of equality for everyone were challenged as discrimination rose. The fight for equal human rights led to the Civil Rights Movement. During this movement, many prominent leaders led the way for change. In the writings, “Racism: The Cancer that is Destroying America” and “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, two emerging human rights activists present their perspective on eradicating racism in America.…

    • 1463 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays