Ironically, Martin Luther King Junior makes August 28, 1963, a historic landmark for equality in America, by stamping it on the Lincoln Memorial. The format of King’s speech, which proclaimed equality and influenced future writers, has lasted for decades. King calls his speech “the most powerful demonstration of freedom” but it’s important to examine how he uses figurative expressions. The use of rhetorical devices such as overstatements and metaphors is important to the success of this speech.
The “I Have a Dream Speech” is a speech that King gives to black Americans. He does this because they are denied the freedom to live, be free, and pursue happiness. King’s constant use of metaphors conveying the problems only faced by black Americans is designed to stimulate black Americans’ emotions. King, for example, constantly states that despite living in poverty, Negros are not free. The audience roared in approval, as they felt the isolation that poverty brings to a “free” country. King wanted to make white people aware of the realities that Negros face. King uses Ethos to convince his listeners of the equality he is advocating. King uses historical illustrations to support the metaphorical references he is making. King, for instance, uses the Declaration of Independence to illustrate how it is a promissory statement of life, happiness, and freedom. King’s argument for equality has been well received because he used an historical fact. King then uses a metaphor of a “cashing-in a-check” to let the audience know that the Declaration of Independence has been overturned.
His audience is more likely to trust his words when he uses historical references. The use of figurative expressions by King, who uses his credibility as a means to persuade readers, has led to the Pathos approach. King uses allusions to God in his writings. The crowd went crazy whenever the word faith was mentioned. King tapped into the most common emotion of parents, the desire to protect their children. King says, “I dream of a day when my four children can live in a place where they are not judged by their color but their character.” The quote is important because it gives the audience a sense of trust and makes them more receptive to his statements. A writer can use his voice to draw attention to an important claim by raising and lowering it. King uses it in his speech to praise on Sunday mornings by raising his tone. King pauses, as if to let the information sink in and await a response. These details help the audience understand how powerful King’s claims are. The audience could feel the sadness spreading over the Lincoln Memorial and wondered what they could change.
King’s metaphors and allusions, including historical references, reflected the African Americans who were striving to make a change. The essay’s structure and effectiveness allowed King to claim that it was the “greatest manifestation of freedom in the history our nation”. They will remember his speech with awe at how he made the audience realize the truth about what America had become. Without this speech, our nation would remain trapped by the “manacles segregation and chains discrimination”. Without the speech, children from all races except whites would not have experienced freedom. Martin Luther King transformed the system in America by convincing his listeners to look at the reality.
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