Where do We Go from Here Commentary
After over a decade of the United Sates’ civil rights struggles, Selma and the Voting Rights Act One phase of development in the civil rights revolution finally came to an end. However, as the African Americans continue to demand for better jobs, housing and education equivalent to that of the whites, the next phase in the movement will bear its new challenges. In this extract from Where do We go from Here, Martin Luther King Jnr. urges the Black American society to continue to progress towards equality, and not let racial discrimination bring them to a halt. The theme of hope is strongly present in the speech, expressed through the multiple uses of imagery, rhetorical devices and allusions. Through this, …show more content…
One obvious rhetorical device is repetition, in which King uses to create a dramatic effect and highlight his message. The phrase “Let us be satisfied” is repeated throughout the entire first paragraph to reinforce the idea of being persistent in the civil rights movement until the needs of the African American society are satisfied. King also uses the crescendo effect to his speech in order to a dramatic atmosphere. An example of this is “Let this affirmation…bends towards justice” (lines 42-47), in which King slowly builds the importance of an idea. King states that although there are “clouds of despair” (line 44) hovering over the African American society at this stage, they will eventually “pull down the gigantic mountains of evil” (lines 45-46) and “transform dark yesterdays to bright tomorrows” (lines 46-47). This quote creates an emotional response as King urges the audience to continue to fight for their rights. Another rhetorical device present in the speech is antithesis; “…a high blood pressure of creeds and an anaemia of deeds” (line 2). In this quote, King states that not enough action is achieved to push the movement further. The use of the contrasting words “high blood pressure” and “anaemia” creates emphasis on being persistent as he is urging the Black American community to stop believing and actually start taking part of the movement. King also uses inclusive language in his speech, such …show more content…
One example of this is Biblical allusions, such as “…love mercy and who will walk humbly with his God” (line 12) and “…of one blood God made all men to dwell upon the face of the earth” (lines 15-16). King states that no African Americans shall be satisfied unless the white race will “recognize that God made all men out of one blood”, emphasising on the mistreatment of the Black Americans. The morals associated with King’s frequent reference to Christianity allowed the Christian audience to see the unjust in the American society, and that America needs to be reborn to change its system into a racially just nation. King also uses literary allusion by including James Weldon Johnson’s entire poem in his speech – “Stony the road we trod…of our bright star is cast” (lines 26-41). King incorporated Johnson’s poem into his speech because the message that is conveyed to the audience is similar – no matter how difficult and painful the situation is at the beginning, justice will always be served in the end. Both the speech and the poem motivate the audience to keep their hopes up and continue to be persistent and fight for their rights in the civil rights movement. By including the poem, King also gains support and trust from the audience as he is using the words of a respected freedom
After over a decade of the United Sates’ civil rights struggles, Selma and the Voting Rights Act One phase of development in the civil rights revolution finally came to an end. However, as the African Americans continue to demand for better jobs, housing and education equivalent to that of the whites, the next phase in the movement will bear its new challenges. In this extract from Where do We go from Here, Martin Luther King Jnr. urges the Black American society to continue to progress towards equality, and not let racial discrimination bring them to a halt. The theme of hope is strongly present in the speech, expressed through the multiple uses of imagery, rhetorical devices and allusions. Through this, …show more content…
One obvious rhetorical device is repetition, in which King uses to create a dramatic effect and highlight his message. The phrase “Let us be satisfied” is repeated throughout the entire first paragraph to reinforce the idea of being persistent in the civil rights movement until the needs of the African American society are satisfied. King also uses the crescendo effect to his speech in order to a dramatic atmosphere. An example of this is “Let this affirmation…bends towards justice” (lines 42-47), in which King slowly builds the importance of an idea. King states that although there are “clouds of despair” (line 44) hovering over the African American society at this stage, they will eventually “pull down the gigantic mountains of evil” (lines 45-46) and “transform dark yesterdays to bright tomorrows” (lines 46-47). This quote creates an emotional response as King urges the audience to continue to fight for their rights. Another rhetorical device present in the speech is antithesis; “…a high blood pressure of creeds and an anaemia of deeds” (line 2). In this quote, King states that not enough action is achieved to push the movement further. The use of the contrasting words “high blood pressure” and “anaemia” creates emphasis on being persistent as he is urging the Black American community to stop believing and actually start taking part of the movement. King also uses inclusive language in his speech, such …show more content…
One example of this is Biblical allusions, such as “…love mercy and who will walk humbly with his God” (line 12) and “…of one blood God made all men to dwell upon the face of the earth” (lines 15-16). King states that no African Americans shall be satisfied unless the white race will “recognize that God made all men out of one blood”, emphasising on the mistreatment of the Black Americans. The morals associated with King’s frequent reference to Christianity allowed the Christian audience to see the unjust in the American society, and that America needs to be reborn to change its system into a racially just nation. King also uses literary allusion by including James Weldon Johnson’s entire poem in his speech – “Stony the road we trod…of our bright star is cast” (lines 26-41). King incorporated Johnson’s poem into his speech because the message that is conveyed to the audience is similar – no matter how difficult and painful the situation is at the beginning, justice will always be served in the end. Both the speech and the poem motivate the audience to keep their hopes up and continue to be persistent and fight for their rights in the civil rights movement. By including the poem, King also gains support and trust from the audience as he is using the words of a respected freedom