Rhetorical Analysis Of I Have A Dream By Dr. Martin Luther King

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In the famed speech “I Have a Dream” (1963) delivered by Dr. Martin King Jr. at a march on Washington, King emphasizes and discusses the concept of civil rights. He delivers this speech in an undaunted and established tone for all supporters of the civil rights movement. Constant repetition and allusions assist King in stressing the necessity of racial equality.
Initially, Martin Luther King Jr. rhetorically captivates his audience by repeating the same few lines multiple times. The famous quote of “I have a dream” is a perfect example of this. He utilizes the word “dream” to provide an understanding that at this point in time, he can only dream about these fantasies of racial equality and acceptance. The statement is then repeated several times to reiterate just how peaceful this …show more content…

finds support in his position by alluding to several different well known pieces of literature. One allusion created by King is to Abraham Lincoln, when he expresses, “Five score years ago”. Just like King, Lincoln was known for his fight for African Americans to have more rights. Not only is Lincoln important to the civil rights movement, he is a very respected and remembered president. By alluding or referring to him in the speech, King is gaining even more support for his racial equality campaign. King also refers to America’s founding fathers and the Declaration of Independence when he speaks the words, “We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal.” Martin Luther King Jr. strategically selected a quote about equality from a source that everyone in America respects in order to prove that his idea of equality is unoriginal. When America’s founding fathers envisioned America, they envisioned peace and equality; however, it is nowhere near peaceful, because people still support racial discrimination. The allusions to Lincoln and the Declaration of Independence both assist King with the idea that peace correlates to

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