A Comparison of King's Themes and Techniques with Woodgate's

594 Words2 Pages

A Comparison of King's Themes and Techniques with Woodgate's

Woodgate chose the topic of conflict between today's youths as it is a

issue about which he feels passionate and which the audience and later

readers could relate to and understand.

'We need to fight this oppression, which has now become an everyday

occurrence in our society.' Woodgate's techniques are very similar to

King's, however, I feel that King's unwavering certainty and ambition

in his dynamic and influential vocabulary is more effective in

motivating the audience and later readers, 'As we walk, we must make

the pledge that we shall march ahead. We cannot turn back!'

Both Woodgate and King have a plentiful supply of imagery in their

speeches to grasp attention and create interest. Woodgate describes

the hostility and jeering as 'vicious, rabid hyenas' and similarly,

King depicts racial injustices as "quicksands" in "the valley of

despair."

King's "Promised Land" speech contrasts dramatically with his 'I have

a dream' speech and Woodgate's "We shall overcome" speech. He appears

to be telling almost a life story - it seems to be sombre and

apprehensive, "I may not get there with you" and "But it doesn't

matter with me now." 'Did he know he was going to get killed?" These

were the enquiring words of M.E. Dyson who wrote a biography of King.

In the last paragraph of "The Promised Land", King's sentences are

short and abrupt, contrasting from the eloquent, flowing prose of the

rest of the speech, "And I've looked over. I've seen the promised

land." This provides emphasis and contrast. This is one of Woodgate's

more prominent techniques, for example, "This issu...

... middle of paper ...

...hasise a point which

the speech-maker feels strongly about, by referring to personal, local

place names.

Humour is a strong characteristic in Woodgate's speech, used to warm

the recipients, encouraging them to share an affinity with him. We can

see this when he pointedly refers to Romford as a den of iniquity and

uses the term "mummy's boys" to describe one of the youth categories.

Alliteration is also a common occurrence in all of the speeches.

Woodgate talks about, 'murky mud-flats' 'drunken dope-addicts' 'hyenas

of hostility' and King mentions 'symbolic shadow' 'dark and desolate'

'marvellous new militancy.'

Woodgate proposes possible solutions and preventions and ways of

averting conflict and violence whereas King in his 'I have a dream'

speech does not suggest answers. He merely imagines a better future.

Open Document