MLK Jr. Analysis Paper
Not often does a revolutionary such as Martin Luther King Jr. come along, and whenever one such person does, the earth trembles as their shockwaves of change are felt. King's pressure of reform for equality during the civil rights movements of the 1960's was felt as a predominant force in those times. Until his untimely assassination in 1968, King's main tool in conveying his powerful messages to the masses was through his speeches. His diction and rhetoric was stirring and carried much weight when it was used in conjunction with his many biblical references and language. In his perhaps most famous speech, I Have a Dream, King's opening lines that echo and emulate their originator, President Lincoln, a revolutionary icon and legend in his own time, are the same opening words of conceivably America's other most recognized lecture; the Gettysburg Address. King's mannerisms regarding his public speaking are well-placed literary devices and a rhetoric consisting of recurring and accentuated themes. In the I Have a Dream speech, King uses a style of repetition, immersion and demolishing of racial barriers, and an imperative tone. The tone of his speech carries a sense of urgency and imperativeness that can
"I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal." I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four 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. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor's lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together." This well-known phrase, used in conjunction with other revolutionary era phrases throughout the piece create a feeling of patriotism that works together with the rest of King's philosophy of equality. As is also seen throughout the piece, biblical references and language, such as numerous references to God and the Lord, play a role in the impact of the speech. King's overall desire, second of course to the primary concern of the problems being addressed in the speech, was that the points brought up to the audience were to stick with them long after the speech was over. It was this type of effective speech delivery that compelled the followers of Martin Luther King Jr. to remain faithful, and spread the message until the goal was reached, albeit posthumously. King was and will continue to be an epitome of rhetoric throughout his many addresses to the public. His mastery of public speaking was a direct result of his ability to implement various literary techniques such as repetition and tone. However, he also connects with the audience through procedures like incorporating religion and breaking down racial barriers to incorporate people of all ethnicities and backgrounds. His methods were well thought out, such as in his multi echelon speech delivery. The subliminal messages and meanings were paralleled by their more obvious counterparts. King also used locale as a device; for example the delivery of the spe
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1970
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)
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