I Have a Dream

Rhetorical Analysis

Minister, speaker, and renowned civil rights leader, Martin Luther King, in his speech, “I Have a Dream”, promotes the Civil Rights and equality for all people. Luther’s purpose is to encourage hope and equality, in a nation of inequality. He adopts a motivational tone in order to cause a lasting impact on all Americans.

        Luther begins his speech by quoting: “Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the emancipation proclamation.” Dr. King's use of what people thought and knew about Abraham Lincoln influenced his audience. By using the authority of Lincoln in his speech, he establishes trust and common ground with the audience. This adds to his credibility or ethos as a speaker to convey his message to Americans.

        Luther continues his speech by emphasizing that one hundred years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, black Americans are still not free, and he inspires people to rectify this injustice. The metaphorical “manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination” echo the claim that “the Negro is still not free.” He offered a grim remainder of slavery and makes the audience relate to what these slaves had been through. He uses pathos to evoke an emotional response form the audience by appealing to their emotions, fears, and desires.

        His schemes also provide emphasis to his message of equality. He provides contrasts through the scheme when he stresses the importance of a child’s character. “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” This emphasizes the reality of the situation, people are judged by their skin and not their character, which only reinforces the need of the public for change against the discrimination of the time period.