“I Have a Dream” is the most famous speech of “Martin Luther King Jr.” delivered at Washington DC in August 1963. In this historic address, King addressed the denial of Black Americans’ equal rights in American society. In the nation’s capital, hundreds of civil rights activists gathered for one of the biggest protests ever seen, all in pursuit of equal rights. King meticulously crafts his speech to captivate various groups, strengthening them with powerful imagery, analogies, and repetition to leave a lasting impression. To strike a chord with the listeners, MLK used symbolism, strong language, and metaphor in this address. This essay will examine how MLK used rhetorical strategies to weave the theme of unity into his speech.
It seems that MLK’s use of imagery is the most noticeable rhetorical strategy in his speech. For instance, the metaphor of “the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood” beautifully depicts the coming together of different generations (Tanto, 21). MLK’s decision to use the terms “former slaves” and “former slave owners” suggests that his reference to the individuals was based on more than simply their color. The term “to sit down together at the table of brotherhood” is used by King to indicate that he hopes this mistreatment will eventually end. “Martin Luther King Jr.” dreamed that people of all races would be able to live and eat together as a symbol of brotherhood that would result from their unity.
By saying “I have a dream” over and over again, King highlights distinct ideas. There were eight instances of this remark, and each one highlighted a distinct point in MLK’s argument (Ihsan, 179). Upon first using the words “I have a dream,” King promptly cites the Declaration of Independence. He does this to highlight the reasoning behind his position, which is grounded in a legal document of the United States. By imagining a future when freed slaves and their masters’ offspring may “sit down together at the table of brotherhood,” he emphasizes the metaphorical power of his argument in the following “I Have a Dream.” In a nutshell, this is MLK’s plan and vision for racial harmony (Ihsan, 180). While comparing the “heat of oppression” to “an oasis of freedom and justice,” he not only paints a vivid picture for the audience but also gives hope to the oppressed person listening because of the two consecutive “I have a dream” statements he uses to strengthen the imagery to support his claims. Using his “four little children” as an example, MLK uses an emotional plea in the following “I Have a Dream” to reach out to all parents (Ihsan, 182). The next time King says, “I have a dream,” he specifies that it is a dream about today, emphasizing the seriousness of the matter. When MLK talks of young black people being able to clasp hands with young white people, he once again uses “I Have a Dream” to evoke an emotional reaction. MLK then goes on to say, “I have a dream today” to stress how important his “I Have a Dream” speech is (Ihsan, 187). Returning to his gospel origins, he addresses the Lord and the splendor that He will disclose in his last “I have a dream” repeat. As he presents the aspects of his case for racial reconciliation, the audience is lured in by his impassioned and recurrent phrase, “I have a dream,” which enables them to identify his dream every time he says it.
King makes a compelling case via repetition in other ways as well, even though he states his desire for racial reconciliation eight times. “We must not be guilty of wrongful deeds” and “We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence” are statements by “Martin Luther King Jr.” that aim to bring the country together as a whole, and the repeating of “We must not” makes this point rather clear. With these comments, MLK admonished his listeners that they must not resort to violence in their struggle for civil rights; otherwise, they would all be “guilty of wrongful deeds.” When King says “we must not” over and over again, he sets a precedent for how people should conduct themselves (Ihsan, 185). To make an indelible mark on the locals and beyond, he approached the task with care, consideration, and organization.
To engage the audience and show that he was appealing to their emotions and reason, King makes extensive use of symbolism throughout his speech. Symbolically, King likens segregation to a “bad check” in his speech, implying that America has repeatedly let its citizens down by failing to deliver on its hollow promises (Mohan, 58). When King says that African Americans will not accept the idea that there is insufficient justice to provide equality for all people, he is speaking on their behalf. He maintains the optimistic view that we may “cash this check” and enjoy complete liberty and equality. To emphasize the unity of the Civil Rights Movement, King often calls its members “my people” and employs the first-person plural pronoun “we” to describe them. His statement, “But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt,” exemplifies this. He stresses the need to keep an even keel and not let resentment or animosity derail their progress toward their objectives. As a conceptual helix, King’s notion of oneness unites the topic of togetherness throughout his speech.
King makes extensive use of personification in his discourse. His method involves appealing to people’s emotions to motivate them to take action on issues like poverty, prejudice, and the Declaration of Independence. King stated, “One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination.” King uses the metaphor of manacles and chains to describe discrimination and segregation (Tanto, 19). He says, “One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity.” Poverty is personified by King here as being stranded on an island by itself. His use of poverty figures allowed his audience to see the devastating impact of racism and segregation on African Americans.
MLK’s speech is marked by a noticeable variation in tone as he conveys his emotions, aspirations, and ideas. He utilizes persuasive, self-assured language to describe the future he envisions for himself. “Knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed” is one example of King’s fearless claim. The phrase “let us not wallow in the valley of despair” refers to a place of extreme pessimism (Mohan, 62). Because a despondent society lacks the will to make changes, this section of MLK’s speech is crucial to the cause of racial reconciliation. Reconciliation cannot take place in the absence of visible optimism.
Several rhetorical strategies were effectively used by Martin Luther King, Jr., during his “I Have a Dream” speech to convey the racial reconciliation aspirations, sentiments, and ideas that the speaker had. Regardless of background, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or other personal characteristics, he brings people together in unity. It seemed inevitable that MLK’s speech would go down in history as the most impactful speech ever given.
Works Cited
Ihsan, Mas Darul. “Repetition Values on Martin Luther King Jr. Speech.” JEES (Journal of
English Educators Society) 3.2 (2018): 178-188.
Mohan, Braj. “Understanding King’s Rhetoric: An Analysis of “I Have a Dream”.” Creative
Saplings 1.06 (2022): 56-68.
Tanto, Trisnowati. “Metaphors as a rhetorical figure in Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have a
Dream.” IJHSS .NET: 17-24
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