Rhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther King's Speech

Martin Luther King Jr. uses rhetorical devices “out the wazoo” throughout his letter directed specifically at his fellow clergymen (or fellow ministers and christian leaders), otherwise known as his peers. He seems to stress many different inequities over history, specifically occurrences with the African American community. Narrowing down and focusing in on paragraph's 13-14, we can analyze his specific usage of rhetoric that justifies his argument on the timeliness and reasoning for changing the inequitable laws of segregation. King’s major usage of ethos, and especially pathos, really “hits home” in its goal to disarm the the claims opposing King’s statement, “justice too long delayed is justice denied.” This quote defines King’s goal so well to me because it clearly defines the problem as well as solution which consists of a timely journey into the seemingly unreachable depths of freedom and equality. The problem lying in the delayed justification that the laws of segregation that must be revised so that the brotherhood of the American heart may be reunited once and for all.

Martin Luther King Jr. built his speech around fighting unjust conditions placed on both African Americans and soldiers of the Vietnam war with non-violent protest. King is arguably the best speaker the world has seen, he knows how to get his audience passionate about the problems America faces while also informing them of what causes these problems.

Martin Luther king Jr. uses the word hope in the sense of optimistic attitude and anticipation of positive results. He has used the word several times in his letter because it has the power to help people heal. King has mentioned it mostly in pathos and logos.

Martin Luther King Jr. wrote a letter to his fellow brothers and sisters in hopes of rekindling their faith and giving them a vision of a more prosperous future. He spoke of the way he and his brothers and sisters were treated. The text tries to communicate a form of equality and tranquility by combining religion and ethics to persuade the clergymen to grant them freedom. Martin Luther King uses many metaphors to symbolize the tragic events his people have gone through. Near the end of the text, he finished his piece by being sympathetic towards the clergymen expecting freedom after

In the most paramount time of racism in America, there a voice that enacted a call for change. Martin Luther King was a Baptist minister and social activist who spent countless years, fighting for a civil rights. It was on the date of August 28th, 1963, on the steps of the Lincoln memorial is where King made his leap of faith and spoke out on the injustice of African Americans. His dream for African Americans to be equal, appealed to the emotions of his audience. The desire to live a civil life and not be oppressed was felt by many. Martin Luther King delivered a speech that would immensely make an impact on the country.

During the mid 20th century, citizens all over America were fighting for their rights, especially including women and those of color. This period marked the beginning of a long road of reconciliation and reconstruction, but now citizens have been able to cross the finish line in establishing equal rights for all of the United States citizens. Over time, American’s former issues regarding the civil liberties of citizens have slowly resolved such as the rights of equality for citizens of color, the repercussions of citizens voicing their opinions, and acquiring rights for women.

On April 3rd, 1968 in Memphis,Tennessee at the Mason Temple many protesters came together to hear Martin Luther King Jr’s speech. His purpose was to get his point across, blacks should have their freedom like any other white man or woman. Martin Luther King Jr. went on to say how happy he is to be living in this time period, able to see the period of life unfold. His purpose was to raise awareness that, something is happening in the world,things are going to start changing. Martin Luther King Jr’s use of ethos and pathos is successful in showing that the world is changing in many ways. Most of all he uses logos or logic very well, giving us the info on how, people are starting to rise up in masses and make small cities bigger like New York City, Atlanta, Georgia and many other cities.

After being criticized about his presence in Birmingham by white clergy in a letter published in the Birmingham newspaper, Martin Luther King sets out to not only establish why he is in Birmingham, but also to establish moral, legal and ethical cause to his platform of the peaceful protests that he has been promoted and participated in that lead to his arrest and why he is in jail. Martin Luther King establishes early on his credibility as the president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and that he was in Birmingham due to an invitation as a result of organizational ties as well as a personal reason for being there due to a great injustice that prevails in Birmingham. Mr. King uses the Artistic proofs of Ethos, Logos and Pathos to establish his credibility and persuade or convince his audience in his platform.

We have all heard Martin Luther King’s famous speech, I have a Dream. His main goal was to convince everyone across the country to comprehend racial equality and to reinforce a solution for those individuals already engaged in the Civil Rights movement. You could say his speech was part of what made the movement successful. By him taking a stand, much attention was put into the problems that were going on. He was and still is viewed as an important leader who was an activist in the Civil Rights Movement. Here we will basically dissect parts of his speech and define the points he was making and trying to make. Throughout the paper, you will see how Dr. King uses Ethos, Pathos, and Logos to show his audience and make them feel what went on.

As we have been discussing, rhetorical analysis asks us to look not only at what a text says, or the meaning of the text, but also at how that meaning is created in the text. For this assignment, I want to challenge you to not just analyze the “ethos, pathos, and logos” of a text, but to delve deeply into how the text moves us to identify with its message, and to think, feel, or act in a specific way.

"What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence or lawlessness, but love and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice towards those who still suffer within our country, whether they be white or whether they be black."1

In addition to King’s uses of allusions, the speech contains many contrasting metaphors and similes that influence his audience very effectively. He begins by pointing out that even though Negros are freed from slavery, they are still slaves “crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination.” King then goes on about how “America has given the negro people a bad check” whereas the check in this instance symbolizes their right to equality because the mistreatment of the Negroes and racial discrimination is evident and the check “has come back marked ‘insufficient funds’” meaning they have yet to feel what they too, are guaranteed. With that understanding of human nature, Martin Luther King, Jr. compares gradualism to a tranquilizing drug, implying that people have a tendency to relax when things are “cooling off.” But he urges for his people not to relax and to take charge “to make justice in reality for all of God’s children.”

Throughout Martin Luther King’s speech “I have a dream”, He really showed everyone exactly who he was, just wanted a compassionate man who wanted everyone to get an equal chance in this world. Mr. King had numerous marches, but none more recognizable than the one in Washington on August 28, 1963 and a minimum of 250,000 people attended this rally. King brought up many key viewpoints throughout his speech that most likely made people comprehend the various problems in current society. Martin Luther spoke articulately, persuasively, and from the heart during all his speeches with made his them all the more influential.

He warns blacks of the consequences of inaction by metaphorically comparing gradualism to, “[a] tranquilizing drug.” By saying this, King criticizes all who rely on time to eventually stop black discrimination and deems inaction as useless, therefore effectively scaring African-Americans and prompting them into action. Once again, Kings brings up the antithesis of darkness and lightness, this time portraying the Negroes’ journey towards racial equality. In referring to the segregation which kept African-Americans prisoner as a “valley,” King recognizes the bleakness of racial injustice. By later antithetically contrasting, “[the] valley of segregation” with, “the sunlit path of racial justice,” King replaces blacks’ hopelessness with hopefulness as he leads them to the realization that justice and equality truly exist at the end of their broken path of discrimination. King incorporates another antithesis in contrasting, “the quicksands of racial injustice” with, “the solid rock of brotherhood” to show the unsteadiness of a prejudiced nation and the strength of a united one which appeals to a politician's best interests of making America more stable. King then falls back on the dark and light antithesis when he juxtaposes, “whirlwinds of revolt” with, “the bright day of justice.” “Whirlwinds” suggests that the

Martin Luther King, Jr. was not only a Baptist minister but a social activist who led the Civil Rights Movement in the United States from the mid-1950s to bring freedom to African-Americans. He attempted to have peaceful conversations with Americans in the opposite sides for the Civil Right movement at that time. He insisted that everyone have the right to be treated equally regardless of human skin colors in that everyone is the same being in God’s eyes. From my perspective, with proper and clear ethos, pathos, and logos in his address for the long history of equal rights, he appealed to audience’s emotions and raised their awareness of racial discrimination for all races, especially African Americans.