Rhetorical Analysis Of I Have A Dream Speech

896 Words2 Pages

Everybody has a dream, but not every one of them will come true. One of the most famous quotes in modern time, and also one of the most influential speeches ever given on the earth was given on a podium the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C on August 28th 1963. The great speech was given by Martin Luther King Jr. who dedicated his time on earth to prove that all people are equal. Martin Luther used different parts of the English language to enhance the meaning of his speech and bring out the details. The many different references to historic documents and the metaphors used in his speech seemed to have brought out the emotions that King was trying to arouse in his listeners. This helped him influence his listeners towards wanting equality for all and changing what was happening in the present so they didn't repeat things in the past.
On August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered one of the most famous speeches of all time to an audience of more than 200,000 civil rights supporters on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. In his, “I Have a Dream” speech, King displayed his encouragement of white and black people working together to achieve racial peace and harmony. He especially wanted to teach the young blacks that equality could be gained through the use of non-violence. The main reason King used nonviolence was to create a situation so different from the usual, that it will open the door to consideration of desegregation and equal opportunity. King also wanted African Americans to never forget their dreams and preached that in the eyes of God, blacks should be treated as equals because they are as good as any other race.
Martin Luther King was a very strong public speaker and had to put across his beliefs in an imagina...

... middle of paper ...

...tice.”
Martin Luther King is a well-known, inspiring man, to all cultures of the world. King was and still is one of the most influential heroes. King's views and beliefs, which were similar to the non-violent ideas of Gandhi, helped African Americans through the 50's and 60's obtain the rights and liberties that was their birth right. King faced many obstacles on his quest like jail and even assassination attempts. Despite these obstacles, he became a successful leader during the Civil Rights Movement, and even after his death, by guiding African Americans in a non-violent and positive direction for the fight to secure rights and equality. These reasons make Martin Luther King worthy enough of the title "hero” and his speech “I Have a Dream” has been highly effective throughout history and is still considered as one of the greatest speech in United States history.

Open Document