Rhetorical Analysis of Dr. Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream Speech

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On August 28th, 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a speech to more than 200,000 people during the March on Washington. King's speech was one of the most influential during the era of the Civil Rights Movement and is to this day recognized as a masterpiece due to its effect on the audience as well as for its eloquence and language. Many components went into this passionate speech that portrayed King's hopes for racial equality and a brighter future made the speech as moving as it was. It is doubtful that any person can guess that this speech was written without forethought regarding what goals King wished to accomplish in this speech. Martin Luther King Jr.'s eloquent language was perfectly suited to his audience, both his immediate and secondary audience, and his carefully chosen diction helped to shape arguable one of the most touching works ever spoken. On the day of his speech, King spoke to thousands of people from many backgrounds. Many black as well as white people had the good fortune to hear him speak and he referred to them all as "my friends." This one simple component of King's speech made the speech accessible to everyone as it was a welcoming gesture that was meant to show that both the audience and King were positioned on the same level and although they came from varying levels of education and economic statuses, King's immediate listeners all shared a common dream, racial equality. This factor most likely made the audience feel that they were equally as important as the great leader in the fight for racial equality. Referring to the listeners, it is also important to note the fact that supporters of changes in civil rights were not the only audience that King was reaching too. King undoubtedly had... ... middle of paper ... ...ple and thus by portraying the image that God supported racial equality and it's supporters, it sent out the image that God did not support racial segregation or it's followers. Undoubtedly Martin knew that this one idea could possibly make some rethink the stances they previously held regarding racial equality. The speech given by Martin Luther King, Jr. to the African Americans and to the white Americans in the August of 1963 was undoubtedly a motivator for many. It is no wonder why a vast majority of people living in the United States can recite words from the speech of a now deceased man. Because his language and diction spoke to all believers in freedom as well as to freedom's adversaries, his message was universal and had a meaning to all who heard it. This continues today. Freedom and equality are something to be attained, for all of us.

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