I Have A Dream Reaction Paper
Reflection Paper about the speech of Martin Luther King, Jr. “I Have a Dream” delivered 28 August 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D. C. I Have a Dream is extremely emotional, a hopeful vision of the future of race in this country. King recognized that the March, with an attending crowd of over 200,000 as well as a national television audience, would be the perfect opportunity to gain support for the civil rights movement.
He intended to persuade his audience of the justice of the cause, encourage them to not abandon hope, and warn them that in the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of illegal deeds, declaring his belief that nothing positive is accomplished through violence King.
He designed his speech with those goals in mind. King’s understanding of the size and composition of his audience determined the rhetorical choices he made while composing his speech.
It is important to understand that while hoping to influence the attitudes of an entire nation, King was primarily addressing a black audience.
He spoke of generations of injustice, and referring to the recent increase in violence, stressed the importance of remaining non-violent. He warned against an attitude of distrust toward “our white brothers” who “have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom as evidenced by their presence here today. He is obviously speaking directly to black Americans. Because of this focus, King made rhetorical choices he knew would be familiar to a black audience with a shared cultural background.
Proficient in: Dream
“ Amazing writer! I am really satisfied with her work. An excellent price as well. ”
Those choices have proven powerful to people of all races, but they were selected with a black American audience in mind. The reasons for King’s rhetorical choices are frequently attributed to their special impact on black Americans, but it should be worried that the effectiveness of these choices crossed all racial boundaries.
Where Was The I Have A Dream Speech Delivered
King knew an emotional speech would have greater impact upon a large, outdoor crowd. He presented a beautiful and compelling vision of equality that inspired the crowd, expanded his national audience and ensured their attention to future messages. He wanted to reach the masses and did so. To inspire the crowd, to instill his speech with an emotional and spiritual quality, King utilized the delivery style of the black folk pulpit of which he was master. King, a master stylist, used a variety of rhetorical techniques in his speech. I Have a Dream” needed to touch a wide range of people: people from different geographical locations, with different education backgrounds, of different color. King anticipated the importance of the March, knew he had a real opportunity to be heard by millions. He recognized the difficult demographics of the situation. The audience would be enormous and distractions would be inevitable in the wide open outdoor location. He also understood that the patience of black Americans was too sorely tried: black Americans would no longer be pacified with mere promises.
And while understanding their frustration, King passionately wanted to convince the crowd to pursue their cause without violence. Because he understood of all of this, King chose not to focus on detail, not to focus on strategy. He appealed to the crowd’s higher emotions of spirituality and patriotism. God was on their side, their struggle would be rewarded. Currently, “I Have a Dream” is still considered a deep work studied in both literature and speech classes. “I Have a Dream” is a masterpiece which describes, with wisdom and compassion, a people’s long struggle for equality.
Cite this page
I Have A Dream Reaction Paper. (2019, Dec 05). Retrieved from https://paperap.com/paper-on-reflection-paper-about-the-speech-of-martin-luther-king-jr-i-have-a-dream-delivered-28-august-1963-at-the-lincoln-memorial-washington-d-c-891/
"I Have A Dream Reaction Paper." PaperAp.com , 5 Dec 2019, https://paperap.com/paper-on-reflection-paper-about-the-speech-of-martin-luther-king-jr-i-have-a-dream-delivered-28-august-1963-at-the-lincoln-memorial-washington-d-c-891/
PaperAp.com. (2019). I Have A Dream Reaction Paper . [Online]. Available at: https://paperap.com/paper-on-reflection-paper-about-the-speech-of-martin-luther-king-jr-i-have-a-dream-delivered-28-august-1963-at-the-lincoln-memorial-washington-d-c-891/ [Accessed: 23 Dec. 2024]
"I Have A Dream Reaction Paper." PaperAp.com, Dec 05, 2019. Accessed December 23, 2024. https://paperap.com/paper-on-reflection-paper-about-the-speech-of-martin-luther-king-jr-i-have-a-dream-delivered-28-august-1963-at-the-lincoln-memorial-washington-d-c-891/
"I Have A Dream Reaction Paper," PaperAp.com , 05-Dec-2019. [Online]. Available: https://paperap.com/paper-on-reflection-paper-about-the-speech-of-martin-luther-king-jr-i-have-a-dream-delivered-28-august-1963-at-the-lincoln-memorial-washington-d-c-891/. [Accessed: 23-Dec-2024]
PaperAp.com. (2019). I Have A Dream Reaction Paper . [Online]. Available at: https://paperap.com/paper-on-reflection-paper-about-the-speech-of-martin-luther-king-jr-i-have-a-dream-delivered-28-august-1963-at-the-lincoln-memorial-washington-d-c-891/ [Accessed: 23-Dec-2024]
- Have you ever wanted to have super powers? Or Have you ever Pages: 8 (2323 words)
- I Have A Dream Speech Analysis Pages: 2 (350 words)
- Anaphora In "I Have A Dream Speech" Pages: 4 (1092 words)
- Dr. Martin Luther King's “I Have A Dream” Pages: 6 (1602 words)
- Why do you have a dream or a nightmare Pages: 3 (891 words)
- Reaction Paper to "Through Deaf Eyes" Pages: 4 (941 words)
- Article Reaction Paper Example Pages: 2 (344 words)
- Reaction Paper About Social Phenomenon Pages: 2 (454 words)
- Reaction Paper About Climate Change Pages: 1 (202 words)
- Reaction Paper About Divergent Pages: 2 (323 words)
Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.
To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to upgrade your browser .
Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.
- We're Hiring!
- Help Center
Download Free PDF
I have a dream - summery and reaction paper
The speech "I have a dream" was given 28 th of August 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. by Martin Luther King, Jr. In front of an estimation of 250,000 people King conveyed about how every American should have the same civil right. He is talking about that it's never going to be tranquility in the US until the Negros is granted citizenship rights. He refers to the "Declaration of Independence", where they were signing a promissory note to which all men were to be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." He both, request and claim, that people can never be satisfies as long as the Negro are victims of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. Martin ends his performance telling everyone about his dreams. Dreams about how he does not want his four children to be judged out of the color of their skin and his dreams about letting the freedom ring throughout the whole US.
Related papers
Martin Luther King Jr. is a favorable person in America. Some famous speeches produced by him reaching a better life. One of his speech is 'I have dream' which is became the best American speech of the twentieth century. This speech is full of the concept of motivation reaching the American dream. The motivation is literary viewed on how figurative language touching the context of American liberty and burning American emotion to go forward better. Beautiful words produced by Martin Luther King Jr. in this speech which is stylistically motivated American societies.
ANQ: A Quarterly Journal of Short Articles, Notes and Reviews, 2010
Journal of Black Studies, 1988
This article studies Martin Luther King's speech, "I Have a Dream," delivered on August 28, 1963, at the Washington Mall, as a sermon in the black Baptist tradition. Considering "performance as situated in context... as unfolding or arising within that context" (Hymes, 1981: 81), this ...
An essay which deal with two MLK's speechs: the 1963's "I Have a Dream" and the 1967's "Beyond Vietnam". The text's purpose is to show, on the one hand, continuity in MLK social and political vision but, on the other hand and above all, the will to go beyond civil rights to an new alliance against the war and for social justice has shown with the "Poor People's Campaign".
Every third Monday of January of every year all across America (and the world), we remember the birth, life and times of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as well as the impact and/or relevance of his vision, values and legacy on race relations in the United States. Although Martin Luther King Jr. was not the first black American to advocate vigorously for civil rights for African-Americans, his efforts were quite unique and compelling. Through his dream and involvement in the civil rights movement, Dr. King, Jr. gave hope and full meaning to the idea of equality, freedom, and justice. However, civil rights movements in America did not begin with Dr. King, Jr.; it dates back to the signing of the American Declaration of Independence in 1776. The declaration contains a short but very powerful sentence, which states, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal..." Ever since, this sentence has remained the basis for future struggles for the protection of civil rights and civil liberties, and subsequent laws that would prohibit many forms of racial and gender discrimination in the United States.
Elgar Encyclopedia of Services, 2023
Current Psychology, 2010
EVP JOURNAL OF EDUCATION AND THE SOCIALSCIENCES, 2010
Revista de Paz y Conflictos, 2022
Journal of Restorative Dentistry, 2014
Propuesta de protocolo fisioterapéutico para prevención de artrofibrosis de rodilla en pacientes post-operados con fractura del tercio proximal de tibia y peroné. Revisión bibliográfica (Atena Editora), 2023
ChemInform, 2006
tipos de acero sae-aisi
International Journal of Engineering Research and Technology (IJERT), 2013
Jurnal Ilmu Kelautan Kepulauan
Biodiversity and Conservation, 2005
Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing
- We're Hiring!
- Help Center
- Find new research papers in:
- Health Sciences
- Earth Sciences
- Cognitive Science
- Mathematics
- Computer Science
- Academia ©2024
- Free Essays
- Citation Generator
Reflection Paper About the Speech of Martin Luther King, Jr. "I Have a Dream" Delivered 28 August 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
Analysis of john fitzgerald kennedy's speech.
Martin Luther King, Jr., a Civil Rights Activist of the 1950s, delivered the “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963 to advocate for equal rights for all ethnicities and to convey the message that unity is essential to the strength of society. Martin Luther King, Jr. starts his speech by uniting the audience under a similar belief that, “all men would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the…
EN1320 WEEK 3 LAB
The main point of Dr. Kings speech was that an injustice had been done to the black people. They were promised freedom from the emancipation proclamation, and up to that point they still were not free. They were segregated and treated like second class citizens. Were they supposed to just sit down and let white men at that time humiliate them, beat them, bomb their houses, and strip them of human dignity? NO! Dr. King was preaching to all who listened, that now was the time to metaphorically cash this check, a check that will give them upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. But to do this, not with violence or retaliation, “we must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence “ (bourne, 1998). This would be the way Dr. King would want to see his dream played out, with non-violence. Were all his efforts done in vain?…
Rhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther King's I Have A Dream Speech
On August 28, 1963, in Washington, D.C., Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered the prominent speech “I Have a Dream” at the Lincoln Memorial to over 250,000 civil rights supporters. King’s speech was compelling and potent; it moved everyone. Furthermore, he helped change the world where there is justice. He believed in the equality between whites and blacks and died believing it. In addition, he strongly believes freedom exists for the blacks. He states, “[The white’s] destiny is tied up with [the black’s] destiny.” This quote emphasizes the problem of injustice in this world, and it makes the audience move into action. King’s speech was widely known, due to the effective tone he creates throughout his speech. His use of literary tropes and syntactical schemes help make this formidable tone. King’s speech influences the whites and blacks to listen by using extensive anaphora, metaphor, and diction to create a tone of necessity in his “I Have a Dream” speech.…
An Analysis Of Dr. Martin Luther King's I Have A Dream Speech
In this paper I will analyze the "I Have a Dream" speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As a civil rights leader…
The Power Of Words In Martin Luther King's Dream
Martin Luther King (2015) used some very powerful words in, “I Have a Dream.” His word choice alone tells his listeners how serious this movement was. For instance, he rights that America gave them a bad check, which came back marked inefficient funds (King, M.L.). He was letting the people know that no longer will this be accepted. No person should be okay with a bad check so it’s time for them to stand up and stop accepting them. He compares their situation to quicksand, which is something that could suffocate you if it consumed you whole. He is very assertive and passionate about what he says, and did everything right to get his point across.…
An Analysis Of Martin Luther King Jr.'s I Have A Dream Speech
Isn’t it insane to believe that one person can have a crucial influence on society, changing people’s interpretation on the world? Around the 1970s African Americans were looked upon differently compared to Caucasian people and began segregating them. The African Americans saw how unfair they were treated, but extremely few spoke up. One essential person during that time was Martin Luther King Jr. He stated his opinion that everyone should be treated equally, no matter what the consequences were. He is one of the many reasons why the world is the way it is now.…
Martin Luther King's I Have A Dream Speech
Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech is one of the greatest speeches of all time. He achieves this status because the speech is brilliantly written and flawlessly presented. The speech’s clear purpose is to persuade the audience of the problem that is segregation and to call people to fight for civil rights. King’s language is simple and direct, yet very powerful and well-chosen. The speech itself appears to be easily understood. However simple, it very impactful. He uses analogies throughout the speech, these prove the speech to be more accessible to everyday people. He also treats his audience with a huge amount of respect, acknowledging their troubles, as well as, encouraging them to keep going. His use of the phrase “I have a…
An Analysis Of Martin Luther King's I Have A Dream Speech
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” is a famous quote by the great Martin Luther King Jr. A lot of men have believed in equality for many different things. But very few have acted upon those beliefs like one man did. Martin Luther King was a man with a belief in equality and he was a man who would do whatever it took to reach his goal because he was hardworking and saw what was wrong with the world. You can see how dedicated he was through tons and tons of things he did. such as his “I Have A Dream”speech, his letter from Birmingham jail, and the protests and huge activities he put together.…
Analysis Of Martin Luther King's I Have A Dream Speech
"I Have a Dream" was a speech given by Martin Luther King. King was the last to give his speech for the event. He gave his speech on August 28, 1963 on the Lincoln Memorial. The speech was said in the" March on Jobs and Freedom" to approximately 250,000 people were present. King's main purpose for his speech was to end racial inequality throughout the country. More so to get African Americans as much opportunities as anyone else.…
Rhetorical Analysis Of Mr. King's Speech
The key phrases that I have identified are Negro and America from the beginning sentences. The correlation that I notice with the use of these phrases is that he is expressing to the public that a change needs to occur for America to create unity and equality for the Blacks to be included in society. In the following sentences from his speech, he expresses how no change has happened over the course of time towards the Black population. “But one hundred years later, we must face the tragic fact that the Negro is still not free.” “One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination.” These key phrases express the main objective in his speech and that is the division between the Whites and Blacks in society. Mr. King is emphasizing that Blacks are still not free in society even though slavery has been abolished. He addresses the segregation that still exists which is promoting a form of discrimination among society. The end goal of his speech was to open the eyes of the nation to identify the problem and to act on this issue of discrimination by not engaging into the problem anymore.…
I Have A Dream Speech By Martin Luther King Jr.
In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “ I have a Dream” speech to hundreds of people at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C revealing the ideals of the current world and encouraging his audience to envision his dream of a new America where segregation and discrimination were abolished. To do this King intelligently chose words, phrases, references that appealed to his audiences commonalities such as religion, their common struggle, and their desire to make the nation great.…
Martin Luther King's Speech: I Have A Dream
On August 28, 1963 the march on Washington brought over 250,000 people marching for eliminating segregation in school and public places, and giving people equal job rights for African American people to find a peaceful way to stop racial discrimination. But the most remember able thing that happen was Martin Luther king jr speech “I have a dream” where he express that one day people of all different races, religion and characters can be free from discrimination, when it states “…when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able…
Martin Luther King
Cited: Martin Luther King, J. (2004, December). I Have A Dream. Retrieved September 2011, from http://search.proquest.com.libproxy.edmc.edu/docview/230228033?accountid=34899…
What Are The Rhetorical Devices In I Have A Dream Speech
On August 28, 1963, America was gifted with Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, given from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Throughout his entire speech, the crowd was heavily moved and it was apparent from the way that they clapped in admiration. The speech was a highlight in the movement of freedom and equality based on the turnout, and show of support of the movement during the speech. The intended audience was far surpassed with over three-hundred thousand people from all ethnicities gathered in Washington to hear the historical speech.…
Wrongful Convictions In Canada
an effort to find preventative measures to stop this disturbing glitch within the Canadian criminal…
Related Topics
- African American
- Black people
- Southern United States
- Jim Crow laws
The Research Paper Factory
I Have a Dream Reflection
King’s “I Have a Dream Speech” strikes a chord within me every time I read it. Its powerful message is timeless, and will hopefully prevail over all prejudices: past, present, and future. The passion and emotion King infuses in his words give the speech a gravity far weightier than many writings of a similar subject matter. His use of repetition in particular struck me in its emphasis of his utter conviction in his stance on the status quo and expectant future of colored peoples. His recognition of the great injustice that the United States had prolonged with respect to African Americans, and the approach he uses to combat it is both admirable and inspirational. The fact the he does not resort to violence, but instead promotes a peaceful protest, a fight that is neither vindictive nor hateful, but driven by a desire for all man to embrace each other in unity, is remarkable. So rather, I would say it was not a fight, but a struggle, a struggle to overcome differences and discrimination in order to achieve a better world and a brighter future for all people. It is truly amazing that King does not communicate any negativity within his speech. True to the title “I Have a Dream”, his discourse is optimistic and hopeful. He masterfully shapes the speech, approaching every issue and countering it with promise. He recalls the despairs and sorrows of slavery and the continued oppression his people have faced and continue to suffer beneath, but juxtaposes this with an appeal to his people to overcome this and strive to be better people than their oppressors. He calls his method a “creative” protest, which he does not want to “degenerate into violence”. These words are powerful. His desire for their movement to be a birth of something new, a joyous event of celebration and warmth amongst all is priceless. After seeing so much anger, hatred, militancy, and belligerence in
Similar Documents
Lucid dream research paper.
...before school, I had a dream in which I knew I was asleep, otherwise known as a lucid dream. I could consciously control what I was doing, so that made it all the more real. I could also remember it in vivido detail. When I usually get these dreams, they are happy, but this dream was about to haunt my subconscious world for a few nights. I was alone, standing outside of my house in the rain at night and I was thinking to myself I needed to get inside in order to wake up from my dream. When I reached the front door I placed my knuckles onto the door's small window about to knock. I knew that what I was about to do would get me a little bit closer to waking myself up. The moment I knocked on the door, the banging...
Words: 900 - Pages: 4
John Locke's An Essay Concerning Human Understanding
...I am going to argue the following: The world around us as we know it can only be known to us through sense-data: what we gather through our senses that have been fed by our experiences. “Sense data,” argues John Locke, “ are the alleged mind-dependent objects that we are directly aware of in perception, and that have exactly the properties they appear to have” (Huemer, 2004) For as one person may hold the view of a celestial being's guiding and shaping all of events driven by an immutable ideal, another may view this terrestrial experience of ours as an accident driven by a series of unpredictable events that can only be roughly calculated by what feeble and temporary instruments we have to measure, the tools of math and science. Regardless...
Words: 2374 - Pages: 10
...Daniel Ochefu Baseball, Justice and the American Dream Final Paper Due: 5/1/2015 I ‘Like’ Baseball Before taking this course baseball was one of my least favorite things to do in any way simply because I did not know about the sport and the impact it has on many people’s lives to respect the time that the players spend preparing to perform. I was always critical of the amount of work that was put in physically for baseball compared to other sports like basketball, football, hockey and others. I always thought it was not that much because there are almost no physical collisions in games and that was all I really needed to know after I was told that on average games are three plus hours. From everything I have learnt about baseball in this course, there is a respect that I now have for it that I definitely did not have for it before. Being America’s pastime, baseball has been the one constant in America because of its deep history that it promotes and the pride that the fans exhibit. Even during unfortunate events that shake the whole country, baseball finds a way to bring the country together. The most recent one that stood out to me being how the Boston Red Sox brought together a whole city after the terrible Boston Marathon Bombings of 2013 by winning the World Series and using that to help strengthen a city that had been hurt badly by a terrible event. The World Series celebration is normally extravagant and well televised but this one brought all Americans together...
Words: 1140 - Pages: 5
Activation Synthesis Model Essay
...In my dream I was lying in bed asleep, when the bedroom door opened and a human silhouette stepped into the room. I couldn’t see any features of the figure and it was just standing there so I asked, “who are you?” The figure never responded but I could hear it breathing heavily as it slowly walked across the foot of my bed and began, still slowly, walking up the side of my bed. The whole time I was immobilized but I could still talk and more offensively asked, “who the f*** are you?” but it never answered. Then, even with the silhouette right beside me I still couldn’t make out any of its features. Suddenly I could move so I tried to hit it with the only thing within reach, which unfortunately was a pillow. The pillow didn’t affect the figure...
Words: 690 - Pages: 3
Self Deceit Examples
...Yet this process is interwoven in a complex network of conscious, unconscious, and subconscious processes that cross over from awakened awareness to dreams and instincts so that we are unaware of how Self manipulates our awareness. Self is a parasitical awareness that has developed beyond the biological impulse, a psychological awareness that has come to define our species and become the blueprint for being human. Self’s level of conscious comprehension is directed by three unconscious deceits: Selfishness, Selflessness, and Self-realization. Self interacts with and responds to these Self-deceits through a system of instinctual impulses that in turn produce our surface Self-conscious, reflective awareness (ego). (These Self-deceits can be viewed as ego-related or unconscious motivational impulses that are a fundamental part of the individual’s character or...
Words: 1698 - Pages: 7
The Great Gatsby
...The American Dream is the aspiration to obtain wealth, status and power based on the desire of self-betterment through self-reliance and accomplishment. F Scott Fitzgerald’s, The Great Gatsby, is an effective critique on the corruption that surrounds the American Dream. It is also a commentary on the warped view of Western hedonism and idealized lifestyles. The dream is portrayed strongly through the characters, depicting undignified ways to obtain wealth, the amoral social interactions and the illusion of affection and false fellowship. Thus exposing the unscrupulousness, self-absorption and disillusionment that lie at the wake of the American Dream. Fitzgerald critiques on the ideal of ‘self-made’ men (financially) and how through sheer desperation, men stray from conformity and followed a deviated path in order to reach wealth. The American Dream is the belief that regardless of one’s socio-economic background, an individual could still reach financial triumph through hard work, education and drive-which has been the belief of the American society. According to American sociologist Robert K. Merton, American society has generated common desires and pressures for material possession-which is how success was measured- those who fail to succeed by conformity or valid means, resort to devious acts to do so. Fitzgerald comments on this aspect of his society through the portrayal of Gatsby in the novel; who employed unorthodox ways of obtaining wealth in order to gain his incommunicable...
Words: 1195 - Pages: 5
Distinctively Visual Analysis Essay
...the paintings that I saw was called The Persona of Dreams painted by a man named Eric who was happened to be painting portraits of people to in order make money on the side from his real job as a barber. Also, his painting had many details that left me in deep awe and his visceral purple landscape was layered with radiant moonlight and stars, which honed in the perspective of how he saw the night. From me it was a surreal experience just seeing the painting. Some of the details and meanings that I picked up from Eric’s painting was the blue pond − it portrayed the necessity of life and was mirroring a reflection of the surroundings in the painting, just as water does in our world....
Words: 973 - Pages: 4
...Application of Psychology to Modern Life Self-reflection entails evaluating oneself to analyze the past experiences in their lifetime that might have either a negative or positive influence. Self-reflection helps to come up with techniques of coping with similar situations later in life. Self-reflection also involves picking a personal experience, and evaluating the challenges as per the situation and naming ways in which one was able to overcome the challenges or perhaps failed to address them. This essay involves a self-reflection in one of my most stressful lifetime situation and how I managed to cope up with it. The Stressful Situation Back in high school, my dream was to excel academically so that I could pursue a Business Management degree by getting a scholarship to study at Oxford University. Bearing that in mind, I had to work hard to attain a grade that will enable me to get the scholarship. The reason as to why I always wanted to get the sponsorship is because I was pretty sure that my parents would not afford to pay school fees in any university. I worked extremely hard in my studies, spending sleepless nights, forming discussion groups and sacrificing my social life so that I could have more time to concentrate on my studies. After leaving high school, I was pretty sure that I had done my best to achieve the grade that I always wanted. After the results had been released, I was so shocked to see that I had not attained a grade that would allow me to...
Words: 1541 - Pages: 7
...Student Learning Guide Counselling Methods 1 © South African College of Applied Psychology (Pty) Ltd Developed and produced by the South African College of Applied Psychology Sunclare building, Claremont, Cape Town, 7708, South Africa. 2012. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by means of electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher. Copyrighted materials reproduced herein are used under the provision of the South African Copyright Act 98 of 1978 section 12 (1) (a)(b) (3), for private study only by students. STUDENT LEARNING GUIDE: COUNSELLING METHODS 1 2 Table of contents How this guide works ........................................................................................................................ 10 Module Readings .............................................................................................................................. 11 Prescribed text book ......................................................................................................................... 11 Prescribed and recommended readings ........................................................................................... 11 Session One: An Overview of Theories of Psychotherapy and Counselling ..................................... 14 Reading for the session .....................................................................
Words: 21776 - Pages: 88
...Your dreams are unique. Now the only problem is that you spend most of your time trying to figure out what in the world they actually mean! So today you’re going to figure out what the different symbols mean so you can translate your dreams!I have spent a good amount of time researching about this topic, so I can assure you everything that you will learn today will be in fact true! Main Points: -Dreams -Good Dreams -Bad Dreams -Fun Facts -Sources Unment needs- A problem that isnt or has not been solved. REM- (Rapid Eye Movement) We dream of the present or past, not the future. Dreams are reflections of situations that already happend We dream of Umment needs or chronic problems that werent solved yet and are one big source of bad dreams. Also, they are one of the main causes of recurring dreams. We dream in symbols and everyone has his/her own set of symbols. Keys things to focuse on in your dream: Handshake- Symbolizes a new beginning or the end to a situation. If you are shaking hands with a celebrity in a dream, then it suggests that you are well liked by others Zebra- Symbolizes Perfect balance, unity and harmony! Ice Cream- Symbolizes good luck and satisfaction with your life! Alternatively, it could mean that you need to cool off Pegasus- Symbolizes swiftness, agility, and braveness Teeth- Symbolizes Anxieties over your appearance How others percive you Frustrated with yourself because your voice isnt being heard Lack...
Words: 447 - Pages: 2
The Study Method Process
...EPISODE 6 OBSERVATION: From my observation teachers in Masaya Elementary School have their different ways in asking question. Some teachers began her lesson by asking question to develop the learners’ critical thinking and for them to have an idea that they will be discussing. My resource teacher used motivation in starting her lesson for the learners to have an idea and for them to motivate to learn. Her motivation is actually followed by motive question that may help the learners to cope up the interest of the learners. While she ended the lesson by asking question for generalization to test if the learner does understand the lesson. The teacher asses the learning of the learners through the process of evaluating pupils understanding. Or by giving activity that may use in knowing the leaners understand. My resource teacher checked the learning of the learners by asking question to generalize the topic. ANALYSIS: The discussion must begin the lesson by giving motive question which is about the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior and to develop the critical thinking of the learners. The lesson end with summarizing and by asking question. There is a part of lesson developmentthat is FIELD STUDY I Observation Analysis Reflection FIELD STUDY 2 Observation Analysis Reflection TEACHING PHILOSOPHY Education is essential to change for education creates both...
Words: 527 - Pages: 3
Dreams of My Father
...108 C.Shane Dreams of My Father Before (pre reading) When I saw this book on our list of reads for our class I was excited about Dreams of My Father because I was interested in learning more about our president. Barack Obama will forever be known as our first African American president that I had the privilege of being around to be a part of. Looking at the cover my first thought was about the kids in the photos, I believed they were himself and his sister with his grandparents. The cover also lets me know that no matter who you are, what the color of your skin is, anyone will relate in some way because of the little words that read “this book will tell you something about yourself whether you are black or white”. Background Knowledge 1. “Barry? Barry is this you?” “Yes…Who’s this?” “Yes, Barry… this is your Aunt Jane. In Nairobi. Can you hear me?” “Aunt Jane. Listen, Barry your father is dead. He was killed in a car accident”. The worst phone call I ever received came 3 years ago when I was standing in line at 6 flags to ride a roller coaster and my uncle called me, I answered the phone to him crying telling me that my father has died. Pg. 5 2nd paragraph. 2. Pg. 6&7 “we call my grandmother Tutu, toot for short, it means “grandparent” in Hawaiian”. At home my daughter and step daughter call their grandmother “Mama” instead of Abuela or grandma. 3. Pg.129 “Barack. I always wanted to tell you how much I love you”. This was the first dream Barack had a dream where he really...
Words: 1079 - Pages: 5
Travelling Madness
...the era of communism in Cuba. Self-aware of the dangers that confronted them, some wished to fly away to the moon; others desired to set sail and vanish; and others actually thought they could drill a hole from Havana to Miami (Delbanco and Cheuse) From the foregoing, while self-awareness is a critical aspect of personal development and self-exploration, it does not always bear positive fruits – sometimes it acts as a source of frustration, conflict and stress. In spite of her age, Menendez has proven herself to be a prolific fiction writer; a fact attested to by her works of fiction such as In Cuba I Was a German Shepherd, Loving Che, and Adios, Happy Homeland. Borrowing from her Cuban heritage, Menendez employs a repertoire of literary tools to underscore the then emerging concept of social awareness among the deprived Cuban populace. Traveling Madness is basically about dreams and the perils inherent in both pursuing and not pursuing one’s...
Words: 1792 - Pages: 8
The American Dream Analysed Through 3 Related Texts
...The American Dream is a set of morals and ideals brought to American by the Puritans from England. These ideals have constantly been critiqued though poetry, film, and literature over time. Through the poems A Lone Striker by Robert Frost and Advertisement For The Waldorf Astoria by Langston Hughes and the film American Beauty by Sam Mendez, three main themes are prevalent. These being work, wealth, and nature/beauty. These themes all relate to each other and play a role in the discussion and reflection of the American Dream through the 3 texts. The importance of hard work is the foundation of the American Dream. The poem A Lone Striker shows us the need for employment in order to live, but how there is the contrasting feeling of longing to be somewhere else. This longing to leave the working life and retreat, is a reflection on the original ideas of the American Dream. “He knew another place, a wood, and in it, tall as trees, were cliffs; and if he stood on one of these, twould be among the tops of trees”. This phrase instantly gives us the imagery of the woods and nature in the surroundings. It is a contemplation of what the man in the poem could really be doing with his time, instead of waiting for his job. This phrase uses rhyme between the words “these” and “trees” and uses a reminiscent tone to convey a longing for the woods. In the same way, American Beauty, in the scene where Lester is at work, sitting at his desk taking a call. The tone of his voice while speaking...
Words: 1297 - Pages: 6
College of Business Administration Us 10097
...refine your academic skills. The instructors are prepared to assist in choosing (or confirming) a major; to discuss business career options; and to address the general requirements, policies and services of Kent State University and the College of Business Administration. This class is linked with Exploring Business and Human Communication. Some topics covered in Exploring Business will be explored further in this course. A requirement of Human Communication is the delivery of three speeches (a persuasive speech, an informative speech and a group speech.) This class will give you the opportunity to practice (and learn how to improve) your oral communication skills. Student Learning Outcomes: After completing this course you will have the skills, information, knowledge and tools: * to persist at Kent State * to be academically successful * to develop an academic plan * to be able to communicate at an acceptable level Class Policies: You are required to...
Words: 3281 - Pages: 14
Popular Essays
- Speech Writing
- Delivery Techniques
- PowerPoint & Visuals
- Speaker Habits
- Speaker Resources
- Speech Critiques
- Book Reviews
- Browse Articles
- ALL Articles
- Learn About Us
- About Six Minutes
- Meet Our Authors
- Write for Us
- Advertise With Us
Speech Analysis: I Have a Dream – Martin Luther King Jr.
“I Have a Dream” by Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the most memorable speeches of all time.
It is worthy of lengthy study as we can all learn speechwriting skills from King’s historic masterpiece.
This article is the latest in a series of video speech critiques which help you analyze and learn from excellent speeches.
Speech Video: Martin Luther King Jr. delivers “I Have a Dream”
I encourage you to:
- Watch the video;
- Read the analysis in this speech critique;
- Study the speech text in the complete transcript; and
- Share your thoughts on this presentation.
Speech Critique – I Have a Dream – Martin Luther King Jr.
Much of the greatness of this speech is tied to its historical context, a topic which goes beyond the scope of this article.
Instead, I’ll focus on five key lessons in speechwriting that we can extract from Martin Luther King’s most famous speech.
- Emphasize phrases by repeating at the beginning of sentences
- Repeat key “theme” words throughout your speech
- Utilize appropriate quotations or allusions
- Use specific examples to “ground” your arguments
- Use metaphors to highlight contrasting concepts
Lesson #1: Emphasize Phrases by Repeating at the Beginning of Sentences
Anaphora (repeating words at the beginning of neighbouring clauses) is a commonly used rhetorical device. Repeating the words twice sets the pattern, and further repetitions emphasize the pattern and increase the rhetorical effect.
“ I have a dream ” is repeated in eight successive sentences, and is one of the most often cited examples of anaphora in modern rhetoric. But this is just one of eight occurrences of anaphora in this speech. By order of introduction, here are the key phrases:
- “One hundred years later…” [paragraph 3]
- “Now is the time…” [paragraph 6]
- “We must…” [paragraph 8]
- “We can never (cannot) be satisfied…” [paragraph 13]
- “Go back to…” [paragraph 14]
- “I Have a Dream…” [paragraphs 16 through 24]
- “With this faith, …” [paragraph 26]
- “Let freedom ring (from) …” [paragraphs 27 through 41]
Read those repeated phrases in sequence. Even in the absence of the remainder of the speech, these key phrases tell much of King’s story . Emphasis through repetition makes these phrases more memorable, and, by extension, make King’s story more memorable.
Lesson #2: Repeat Key “Theme” Words Throughout Your Speech
Repetition in forms like anaphora is quite obvious , but there are more subtle ways to use repetition as well. One way is to repeat key “theme” words throughout the body of your speech.
If you count the frequency of words used in King’s “I Have a Dream”, very interesting patterns emerge. The most commonly used noun is freedom , which is used twenty times in the speech. This makes sense, since freedom is one of the primary themes of the speech.
Other key themes? Consider these commonly repeated words:
- freedom (20 times)
- we (30 times), our (17 times), you (8 times)
- nation (10 times), america (5 times), american (4 times)
- justice (8 times) and injustice (3 times)
- dream (11 times)
“I Have a Dream” can be summarized in the view below, which associates the size of the word with its frequency.
Lesson #3: Utilize Appropriate Quotations or Allusions
Evoking historic and literary references is a powerful speechwriting technique which can be executed explicitly (a direct quotation) or implicitly (allusion).
You can improve the credibility of your arguments by referring to the (appropriate) words of credible speakers/writers in your speech. Consider the allusions used by Martin Luther King Jr.:
- “Five score years ago…” [paragraph 2] refers to Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg Address speech which began “ Four score and seven years ago… ” This allusion is particularly poignant given that King was speaking in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
- “ Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness ” [and the rest of paragraph 4] is a reference to the United States Declaration of Independence.
- “ It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity. ” [paragraph 2] alludes to Psalms 30:5 “ For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning. “
- “ Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. ” [paragraph 8] evokes Jeremiah 2:13 “ for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and dug out cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that can hold no water. “
- More biblical allusions from King’s “I Have a Dream” speech can be found here .
Lesson #4: Use specific examples to “ground” your arguments
Your speech is greatly improved when you provide specific examples which illustrate your logical (and perhaps theoretical) arguments.
One way that Martin Luther King Jr. accomplishes this is to make numerous geographic references throughout the speech:
- Mississippi, New York [paragraph 13]
- Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana [14]
- Georgia [18]
- Mississippi [19]
- Alabama [22]
- New Hampshire [32], New York [33], Pennsylvania [34], Colorado [35], California [36], Georgia [37], Tennessee [38], Mississippi [39]
Note that Mississippi is mentioned on four separate occasions. This is not accidental; mentioning Mississippi would evoke some of the strongest emotions and images for his audience.
Additionally, King uses relatively generic geographic references to make his message more inclusive:
- “slums and ghettos of our northern cities” [paragraph 14]
- “the South” [25]
- “From every mountainside” [40]
- “from every village and every hamlet” [41]
Lesson #5: Use Metaphors to Highlight Contrasting Concepts
Metaphors allow you to associate your speech concepts with concrete images and emotions.
To highlight the contrast between two abstract concepts, consider associating them with contrasting concrete metaphors. For example, to contrast segregation with racial justice, King evokes the contrasting metaphors of dark and desolate valley (of segregation) and sunlit path (of racial justice.)
- “joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity” [paragraph 2]
- “the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity” [3]
- “rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice” [6]
- “This sweltering summer of the Negro’s legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality.” [7]
- “sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.” [19]
How can you employ contrasting metaphors in your next speech?
Speech Transcript: I Have a Dream – Martin Luther King Jr.
Note: The formatting has been added by me, not by MLK, to highlight words or phrases which are analyzed above.
[1] I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.
[2] Five score years ago , a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.
[3] But one hundred years later , the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later , the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later , the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later , the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we’ve come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.
[4] In a sense we’ve come to our nation’s capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the “unalienable Rights” of “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked “insufficient funds.”
[5] But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we’ve come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.
[6] We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.
[7] It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro’s legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.
[8] But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.
[9] The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.
[10] We cannot walk alone.
[11] And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.
[12] We cannot turn back.
[13] There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, “When will you be satisfied?” We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the negro’s basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating: “For Whites Only.” We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until “justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
[14] I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest — quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.
[15] Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.
[16] And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream . It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
[17] I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”
[18] I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
[19] I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
[20] I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
[21] I have a dream today!
[22] I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of “interposition” and “nullification” — one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
[23] I have a dream today!
[24] I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; “and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.”
[25] This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.
[26] With this faith , we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith , we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith , we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
[27] And this will be the day — this will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with new meaning:
[28] My country ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. [29] Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim’s pride, [30] From every mountainside, let freedom ring !
[31] And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.
[32] And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.
[33] Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.
[34] Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.
[35] Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.
[36] Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.
[37] But not only that. Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.
[38] Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.
[39] Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.
[40] From every mountainside, let freedom ring .
[41] And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:
[42] Free at last! Free at last!
[43] Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!
Please share this...
This article is one of a series of speech critiques of inspiring speakers featured on Six Minutes . Subscribe to Six Minutes for free to receive future speech critiques.
Add a Comment Cancel reply
E-Mail (hidden)
Subscribe - It's Free!
Similar articles you may like....
- Speech Analysis: Franklin Roosevelt Pearl Harbor Address
- Speech Analysis: Winston Churchill’s “Iron Curtain”
- Speech Analysis: Gettysburg Address – Abraham Lincoln
- 5 Speechwriting Lessons from Obama’s Inaugural Speech
- Book Review – Lend Me Your Ears: Great Speeches in History (William Safire)
- I Have a Dream: 50th Anniversary
Find More Articles Tagged:
95 comments.
I realize that there are several good reasons that Mr. King had to stay rooted at the lectern with the microphones, yet even if he had a nice stage area with freedom to walk around and still be heard by his audience, I have a hard time imagining his speech being more powerful. It all comes down to the voice, and still more importantly, the content, rhetorical devices and structure.
When a new speaker in my club stays rooted at the podium, and the evaluator encourages him/her to move around as the number 1 critique, I sometimes would disagree. Sure most speeches are more lighthearted than “I have a dream”, and more movement is often called for, yet remaining rooted at the lectern can often give a very good impression of being calm, stable, and anchored. Especially if one is speaking as some form of authority as Mr. King obviously was, these are good qualities.
I just wonder if there has been an unfortunate shift in the way speeches are now perceived (in Toastmasters and everywhere else) that we’ve sometimes lost sight of the fact that at the end of the day, content and substance are the MOST important, and the most memorable elements of a speech. Not whether the speaker moved around or not, not what he or she was wearing, not what he or she did with his hands (and for the record Martin Luther King Jr. did have good usage of his hands in the speech). Those are all just gravy. These classics are a nice reminder of the fact though, so thanks for including it.
One of the greatest speeches of all time and a fantastic anaysis also. Many thanks indeed for the hard work that goes in to producing such valluable insights. Rgds Vince
This was an excellent article. Thank you for posting it here for us, for it really opened my understanding to some things I’d not really seen with the eye of an aspiring, hopeful, future speech writer and speaker, nor even (to my shame), a decent listener!
To explain, I am a new Toastmaster, or Toastmaster Wannabe, I should say, and I need all the tips and help I can get. Public speaking “paralyzes” me. So thanks not only for this particular lesson, but a great big thanks for the entire web site! I have already bookmarked it.
His contribution into equality of races in America that we witness now is tremendous.
And it’s not just my opinion. That’s what famous peers said on Martin Luther King: http://www.tributespaid.com/quotes-on/martin-luther-king
That was a really good video from one of the most hard working men of all time. Without him, I’m sure slavery would be still going on. And it’s sad how right when the freedom started, he was killed, and not able to see his dream. But I’m sure he’s watching from heaven in peace.
this analysis was very helpful and had lots of good note!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Excellent critique on the content of one of the best speeches of all time.
Maybe in a previous post you critiqued the Delivery of Dr. King’s famous speech. If not, it is something you might consider writing about.
He is a master at using all the Verbal Elements of Delivery: Pronunciation and Enunciation, projection, inflectional, cadence, and the pause.
Thanks! Fred
i found this speech very wonderfull and effective because of its words and expressions whiche were very persuasive also the manner whiche marten lother king had delivered the speesh was very amasing because it stems from heart
I have a dream comes up a lot and he wants to get the point through peoples mind and so he uses a lot of sentences because he doesn’t want to live like this or have his family and other families all across the world live the way he had to. what he is saying is I don’t want to put up with this anymore, and we people do not want to be judged by our colour, hair, or the way we look but by the way our personality is.
Metaphor: let the freedom ring. thank you
This was a great analysis. It showed not only what a great speaker Dr. King was but also the depth of his spiritual awareness. I believe that Dr. King was a great man. He along with other brave men and women, transformed American society from a fake democracy into one in which all people can participate and achieve. The miraculous aspect of his great work is that he transformed an openly racist culture into one of tolerance almost overnight and led a spiritual transformation of our nation. I once met Dr. King when I was a teenager. He led a protest/picket campaign against a supermarket chain, in a community where I lived that refused to hire black teenagers as “Bag boys” in its stores. I was one of those teenagers. I met him after a speech he presented at a local movie theater prior to the protest campaign. I got to talk to him one on one. I relive and retell this meeting and conversation in my book, “Talking Penny.” I’ll never forget the words he said to me.
This article is amazing, it really helped me understand King´s speech in a deeper way. Furthermore it is very good structred and short but easy to follow and to understand. Thank you for your help with that article!
Thanks for sharing this resource! I look forward to sharing it with my students.
THIS WAS GREAT HELP. Thank you so much.
i love you right now. biggest help ever on my rhetorical analysis essay for my writing class. biggest life saver. i owe you.
Thanks for your analysis of this powerful speech. I have my HS public speaking students analyze this speech, and you’ve added to what I can help them see.
Great article and website find. I’m subscribed now… How did I miss this before now?? Will promote this too.. Great blog!
It’s not about the words is it? It’s about the delivery/passion? How you deliver it – It’s not about the words?
hello andrew am s fascinated by this analysis infact am gonna peruse through like ten more times. besides am a speaking champion in uganda but still need more of these, am gonna contest for guild presidency this year march 2011 tchao!
Why does he repeat the word justice?
This page was EXTREMELY heplful! Thank you!
Questions: -Some examples of repetition in King’s speech were “we cannot be satisfied” and “now is the time.” This adds to the appeal of the speech because it makes it stronger and more powerful. These terms that King repeats are key words that have to do with ending racism. People remember these words and it wraps the entire speech into a couple of repetitive words. Other examples of repetition in this speech are “we must,” “go back,” and, “I have a dream.” That one repetition example was so important that it became the title of the speech. Something that I noticed about repetition is that it starts at the beginning of the sentence then continue with something different to stress the repeated term.
Wow! This Article really helped me understand this speech at a whole new level. Way to go Andrew!! Thanks so much for your help.
I once never thought that one day the speech will be suitable in my academic study, but it is so important, thank you!
I think martin’ repetition of “I have a dream” ‘s phrase is significant;by stressing on it he wants to assure the audience about his unbreakable optimism viewed as prophesy
Excellent critique. Would like to read similar critiques of his other speeches
The more memorable and more dynamic 2nd 10-minute part of the speech-which starts with the “I Have a Dream” theme-was impropmptu. It was not part of the written speech draft that Dr. King prepared and read on the podium. Essentially, Dr. King was constructing the 2nd part as he spoke.Dr. King achieved this rare feat because of the abundant collection of speech material he has assembled thru the years from prodigious reading and actual speeches delivered in other locations.
Continued…
Invariably, Dr. King was the most dynamic when he is unshackled from the written draft. While the 1st (prepared and written) part of the speech was good, the 2nd impromptu part was much better-more like electrifying.
Dr. King’s rare genius results from his rare ability to seamlessly merge his own eloquence with the eloquence of others (direct quotes, allusions or paraphrases)> The whole eventually appears as if written by him in one coherent whole.
There are those who propound that the more memorable 2nd part was inspired at a higher level. Some use the words “divinely inspired.” Whatever its genuine nature,it is amazing than a speaker could craft an impromptu portion that would be considered a oratorical masterpiece.
How did Dr. King come to deliver the 2nd 10-minute improptu part that starts with the “I Have A Dream” segment? A gospel singer, Mahalia Jackson, sitted at his right, blurted out: “Tell them about the dream, Dr. King.” Dr. King must have heard it, as he began to articulate his “dream.” The rest is history.
it is a very nice speech
great work andrew,i am taking a course in public speaking and i absolutely love your work. i look forward to be like you one day – an excellent public speaker..
This article was very interesting and very helpful in a paper I had to write for school. Thank you for posting this.
Martin luther king jr. uses repetition to get his point across. to stop the segregation between white and african americans. one way he uses repetition is when he says “let freedom ring” four times in a row to give african americans all the rights that a white man has. the most common use of repetition is when he says “i have a dream” to show what he thinks is right, and what should change wich can grab peoples attenion
Thank you for sharing this insightful, detailed, and illuminating analysis. I will be recommending your site to my speech students.
Thank you for this excellent analysis, Andrew. I saw it in the Ragan newsletter and referenced it in my blog. I especially like your focus on repetition in speaking, a subject I harp on quite a bit.
I find this man inspirational and am choosing to wirte about him for an english literature piece. This has really started me off and has really helped. Dr. Luther King was an amazing man and he changed the way that we look at the world. He changed the world and is arguably the worlds most significant person.
this work is absolutely amazing!
I found this feature very helpful with my current linguistics topic of study.
“I have a dream” that you would be my teacher, I understand the speech after looking at your website keep up the good work.
Thank you for sharing this amazing masterpiece. It is well clarified and well presented and organised. I agree that it is one of the high standard and posh speech. Thanks again
that was a very good speach and that martin luther king was still mostly famoum. martin was an insperation and that we should all have a dream that the nation will rise up to meet the standeds of america
thats a very good speach and my grandad would be proud of this website and of the creator
Why did King say “Five score years ago” when he could of said “One hundred years ago” and then later, why did he say “One hundred years later” instead of “Five score years ago”? I’m analyzing his language in this speech and I came across this, so it made me wonder… anyone care to answer?
Here five scores means 20 years ago..
I studied Rev. King’s I Have a Dream speech in a writing class; it is a speech, a piece of writing, that always moves me. The anaphora is so pronounced, so captivating, the listener cannot help but be swept away. I am always in tears by the time I reach the end, and I have read this speech many times. I hope every student is given the opportunity to study these words, to understand them, and to appreciate the sacrifices made since then.
This is an excellent analysis of Dr. King’s speech! I have learned a lot, and will use it as a reference for future speeches I make.
I enjoyed this analysis. I would love to this speech highlighted with different colors like the critique on Churchill’s “iron curtain.”
I thought all five lessons were important, and easy to understand. They broke each part of his speech down in a way I wouldn’t have thought to. However, I particularly liked and took an interest in lesson 1 and 2. The repetition was strategic and purposeful rather than like in high school we were always told to use synonyms and expand our vocabulary. It was making a point, and it is true, when I think of this speech “I have a dream” is the very first thing that comes to mind, and this was a strategy and exactly what he wanted when he wrote this! Excellent!
I have read MLK’S speech several times. It is always fresh and timeless.It is the master of all speeches. The above analysis helped me to appreciate the speech than ever before.
The visual representation and summary of the frequency of word usage in the speech is a great idea. It appears to be similar to concept maps, and would be useful for both writing and analyzing speeches. It could serve as an initial framework to clear up ideas and ensure that a speech is centered around the intended themes. The quotations used, especially those from the Bible, add extra power to the speech. At that time, more Americans were familiar with the contents of the Bible and would be motivated to action at the quotations and allurement to scriptural passages. Religion is a subject that is always taken very seriously and is something people are highly passionate about, so a well-used quotation or reference can do more to persuade people many techniques.
A very good analysis of this famous speech that not only gave good advice on speech writing in general, but also helped me understand the speech on a deeper level.
I thought this analysis was absolutely amazing. I found it very insightful and gave me a look into the details of the speech. I’ve learned about MLK and the “I have a Dream” speech but I’ve never learned this much about it. This gave me a different perspective of what it actually took him to write the speech. I particularly took interest in the theme of freedom, learning what Anaphora is and the impact on the pauses, pronunciation, projection, and of course, the repetition. This was a great analysis and I think many people can learn more about the speech with this critique.
The breakdown of the speech brought things to my attention that I had otherwise over looked. It is clear that much time and consideration was put into the construction of the speech. The metaphors used, added a power to the speech that showed the commitment and passion Dr. King felt. It is also clear that he knew what he was doing. The time he took to connect things together in the speech was evident. While reviewing the video, it seemed that he kept a strong and steady pace from the beginning until almost the end; then toward the end of the speech, when he really wanted to show emphasis, his voice and physical motions showed changed to show his feelings. Something else I viewed as powerful was Dr. King’s use of examples that the audience could relate to. The use of events that had taken place pulled in more audience support, and again showed his commitment and passion.
The best speech of all time. So motivating and important. I like this new look at it too. Helps me see it in a whole new light.
I think the analysis was amazing. I’ve learned about the “I Have a Dream” speech in just about every year of school, but I have never looked this deep into it. I have listened to the speech before, but would have never understood or picked up on anything like I did after reading this. The metaphors used the allusions, and very strong arguments all came together to make a perfect speech. No wonder this is nationally known, he is a genius. His strategy to go around points that were needed to be made was phenomenal. Apart from the speech, the analysis broke it down beyond perfect to show everyone what exactly was going through Dr. King’s head. Everyone can benefit from listening to this well constructed speech and speech analysis.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream Speech,” is one of the most memorable speeches of all time. This speech was one of the main reasons for the breaking of the color barrier. Dr. King is very passionate and emotional throughout his speech, which is seen through his vocal variety, the way he emphasizes certain words, and how overall powerful he is while giving this speech. Through the use of repeating specific phrases, “Now is the time, I have a dream, Let freedom ring,” his use of allusions, and the way he uses his metaphors, really make this speech so personal. By repeating the phrases, people throughout America see how passionate he is, and he gets his point across. His use of allusions when quoting Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, and quoting multiple biblical verses, really adds a personalized effect to Dr. King’s audience. He is stating that one of America’s former presidents, who gave the Gettysburg Address, signed the Emancipation Proclamation, and when quoting the bible verses, saying that God created man equal. Finally with his use of metaphors, Dr. King uses the phrases of dark and desolate valleys to mean segregation. Its the little things that Dr. King did to make this speech so powerful and ultimately, destroy the color barrier for the United States.
I really enjoyed this analysis of MLK’s speech. It’s really interesting that he repeats things so many times. You always hear how you should come back to a point to get that certain point across, but I never thought about going back to the same point or saying the same thing numerous times. Reading all of the statements he repeated was a huge eye opener. I also never really thought about how he brought all of this other history into his speech like the geography of the states he decribed or the statements from other important documents. This was overall a very good analysis and I actually enjoyed reading about it.
This is an outstanding speech made at a very crucial time. I feel that one of the major points is that many speakers of this time were very focused on retaliatory a acts, and specific incidences for relations to people. Though there are a few geographical references in Dr. Martin Luther Kings speech, what set it apart to me is that he took a collection of many local problems, categorized them into regions, then into speaking about the state of the nation as a whole. By doing this he gives everyone a feeling of unity and purpose, followed by relating this now entire group of people to other major historical events that people can relate to. By referring to Lincoln, this was something that people had heard personal stories and first hand accounts about their own ancestors fighting for justice. Then relating the same group to the trials of the people and perseverance of biblical characters, which are very well known, helps give credibility, a sense of relation, and a foundation to build up and succeed just as others who faced towering obstacles had overcome them. By referencing these groups and making repetitive notations from their trials to those of the current situation makes this a great speech. It not only motivated the intended audience but became, in itself, the next story that future generations could refer to in times of trial.
I thought this analysis was great. In high school we barely talked about the “I Have A Dream Speech” and it was great to finally learn about it and go into detail about the organization of the speech. I never would have noticed some of his strategies without reading this analysis. I think anyone who is attempting to write a powerful speech would benefit from watching Dr. King’s speech and reading this analysis.
I always believed that in order to speech to count it has to change the way of the people and the way that ourselves think today. Martin Luther King’s speech did just that and it was a speech that made history and really saved our society and our nation from what could have been a terrible future up until today for America.He used the term “we” the most which for a speech like this is very important because he’s addressing what he wants all America to be like. Overall, one of the greatest speeches ever to take place in history.
The “I Have a Dream” speech has always been iconic, since the day it was first given and even now. The vividness of Martin Luther King JR.’s descriptions and the strong words he chooses to express his wishes communicate on a deep level with listeners and inspire the wish for change, just as they did then. All of this combined with strong his strong voices and unique delivery style leaves listeners aching to make a change, even years after his voice rang out across the reflecting pool at the Lincoln memorial.
The “I have a Dream Speech” has been a well known speech among people for several years. I have listened to the speech before but I never picked up on certain verbal accents and change in volume throughout the speech. In the speech he kept a very good pace,but would change his volume when he was trying to get his point across. I also paid attention to the words that he choose to use because he was very good at conveying his message and I felt that his word choices were a positive factor. I also noticed that he said “we” a lot which I also liked because he was not just referring to himself, but his entire audience. This speech is a great speech and is a great tool for someone who wants to conduct a speech.
I thought that the critique was very interesing. Everyone knows that the “I Have A Dream” speech is a very memorabe one indeed. We always listened to it at school, but we never really looked into the speech with great detail so the critique really taught me a lot. I learned from this critique that Dr. Msrtin Luther King Jr. used a lot of metaphors througout his speech, and I think that’s one of the reasons the speech was so strong, and his repetition at the beginning of his sentences really caught the attention of everone listening that day, and when people listen to it today.
Andrew– an amazing analysis!!
A very good analysis to help students understand the requirements for speech writing. Students did benefit from it. thank you
This is a great article. Breaks everything down on how great this speech was and how and why it was so great. Martin Luther King used repetition in the perfect way to get his message through. The beginning of the speech had consecutive repetition which actually grabbed the audience attention. This article was extremely helpful in understanding why this speech was so great.
Thanks a lot for this well-structured analysis of the speech. It is a speech that has touched me ever since I first encountered it as a teenager. Now being an English teacher (at a German high school) I finally get to teach young adults (like I once was) about it and your analysis is of great help to me!
This website with the critiques to the Martin Luther King speech was very useful i really enjoyed and liked it!
What a fabulous article you wrote! I will be letting my children read it.
Many many thanks for making this available to the general public.I intend to use this with my students, if I may, and shall report on their reaction.
I have read this speech over twenty times and this analysis has given me a different perspective. This analysis was inspirational and I felt as if I were reading it for the first time. was
The line “We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality” is still so relevant in 2016.
I feel like this was a great speech. This man was a great man and did great things. I like when he started to talk about how every one should be free, it is true every one should have freedom no matter where your from or who you are. When he said i am free in the last word of his speech i thought that was very powerful, because that was a statement he wanted to be free so he was. I’m glad he was part of are history and that he did what he thought was right, because he has help the world out.
I agree with Andrew Dlugan, on what he believes to be the key factors or most important parts of the “I Have A Dream” speech. He gives different lessons on all parts of the speech, in which he breaks down the different aspects of them. Lesson #2 states the important themes, phrases and words Dr. King used throughout the speech. Andrew believes that this was very important part of the speech because it’s where Dr. King emphasized what he was saying by repeating them over and over indicating the importance of it.
I think that the most important thing in this speech is when he repeats the key “theme” words. That way the people know who/what you’re talking about and whom you’re talking about. Especially with a speech like this spoken among thousands of people.
What makes this speech a great speech is that there is a lot of dedication towards equality.
This speech is great because he wants freedom and justice for all, not just for African American people.
Lesson number four was a very unique importance reflecting the “I have a dream…” speech. I believe your perspective and the way you feel in this case is very important. Especially since MLK gave specific and clarity throughout his speech. Lesson number four is all about providing examples that could give you an logical illustration of what is being said and that is specifically what makes a great speech.
This is a great speech, I liked how he used repetitiveness. It really makes a point on what he’s trying to get through.
This article is a great analysis to the speech. Martin Luther King’s speech is powerful and strongly impacting to whoever has heard or listened to it. In line 41 to me was very powerful that shows that when it would happen we would all be equal that we always were but it would finally be accepted by more. Martin Luther King is an amazing speaker and his voice was powerful and used his voice to speak what he wanted to prove.
This was a wonderful analysis to this speech. Martin Luther king’s was very powerful especially how he spoke it with ,importance and a powerful impact. My favorite line was line (7) Nineteen sixty three is not an end but a beginning. My personal preference on what it means is it is the beginning to start all over with everyone being able to be treated the same and not be judged by the color of their skin. This was a wonderful speech.
What makes “I have a dream” speech great is the fact that Martin Luther King Jr. used his voice to fight against racial segregation and discrimination. “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” is my favorite quote from the speech. I believe this quote is so powerful because in this world, there are a lot of judgement on people’s appearances and having Martin Luther King Jr. lecture people on that, I believed it opened a lot of minds.
Mahalo for sharing this lesson … It’s perfect for breaking down King’s message and increasing awareness of figures of speech for students to learn to use in their own writing.
An excellent analysis. I have a question, Why did Martin Luther King use Alabama, Georgia, and Missisipi in his speech? Please enlighten me.
To show emphasis in the deep South,
Iam so impressed. I like the step by step approach with examples.I wish to to learn as an M.ed English student. Also,I wish to start public speaking club with students I teach and my church.I will like you to support me.
Thank you for this article.
There is a good reason why speeches like this are often presented as good examples; something to feel inspired from. It is so full of wonderful elements, like the repeated phrases for instances, which make a huge impact on the overall speech. Public speaking courses can benefit a lot from showing such an example.
” Now is the time…” is actually a form of parallel structure, not repetition.
Actually it is anaphora, and what comes after “Now is the time …” is the parallel structure. I hope it helped you.
Thank you for your inspiring analysis of this historic speech!
This was such a great eye opener to the various mistakes I have been making in most of the speeches I have been giving! Kudos!!!
Thank you so much for this very helpful analysis of language of Luther’s speech. I was preparaing my lesson and ı found this! I ve found lots of useful info for my students. Thank you so much 🙂
The speech analysis of Martin Luther King Jr’s famous ” I Have A Dream Speech”inspired me to teach a fabulous lesson to high school speech-language therapy students of multi-ethnic backgrounds.
Recent Tweets
RT @craigstacey1: GREAT place to watch Dr. King’s speech & apply his lessons to make an impact http://t.co/Rnb9tTRzkY @6minutes #DreamDay — @TuckExecEd Aug 28th, 2013
What a great analysis: I Have a Dream – Martin Luther King Jr. http://t.co/8eY24TNwoe via @6minutes — @marietaillard Aug 28th, 2013
Grade 12s: check out the insightful analysis of the famous “I Have a Dream” speech. It will help your Sales Pitch. http://t.co/Ad2atgo0Jd — @sean_donaghey Oct 18th, 2013
#Speech critics: Why study other speakers? Here a speech analysis about “I have a dream” – Martin Luther King http://t.co/9SP47tJSYd #learn — TheRedCarpetAcademy (@TheRCAcademy) May 6th, 2015
A rhetorical analysis of “I Have a Dream” speech https://t.co/BCVt8m3RgX — @Ms_Krueger_HHS Jan 18th, 2016
Spend some time today with the Martin Luther King, Jr. “I Have a Dream” speech: https://t.co/j1koUpMS7C https://t.co/E05Kl0rMLd — @ValpoLife Jan 18th, 2016
Speech Analysis: I Have a Dream – Martin Luther King Jr. https://t.co/6e37ukhLHs by @6minutes @DrCoffae #eng225 #functionalredundancy — @JoyCamachoMSM Sep 15th, 2016
Speech Analysis: I Have a Dream – Martin Luther King Jr. https://t.co/PEkZMxQdD7 by @6minutes — @JackwoodwardJ Jul 2nd, 2017
Here’s an insightful analysis that I share with my university #ESL classes. It’s definitely worth reading.… https://t.co/bCKCv04513 — Eric H. Roth (@compellingtalks) Jan 20th, 2019
Speech Analysis: I Have a Dream – Martin Luther King Jr. by Andrew Dlugan read it here… https://t.co/hPTqWX1kQM — Sandra Zimmer (@sandrazimmer) Jan 21st, 2019
27 Blog Links
Speech Analysis: I Have a Dream - Martin Luther King Jr. MLK « Gilbert Toastmasters — Jan 19th, 2009
Analysis of MLK’s I Have a Dream Speech - Speaking Freely — Jan 19th, 2009
Jkwadraat weblog » Blog Archive » Leren van Martin Luther King - I have a dream! Speech Analysis — Jan 20th, 2009
Analyzing a Speech: “I have a dream.” « Talk for Change Toastmasters — Jan 24th, 2010
Starting 2011 with a brand new meeting — Jan 17th, 2011
MLK Jr & the the power of speech « KCOBY — Jan 17th, 2011
Speeches that Changed the World — Jan 28th, 2011
McKinnon Language Solutions » Blog Archive » Speech Analysis – I have a Dream – Dr Martin Luther King — Jan 29th, 2011
March 8th + 10th « Ms Kleen's English course's weblog — Mar 8th, 2011
danielstillman.com - What I learned about Sketchnotes — Apr 8th, 2011
Production Assignment 17 « Sanfordb1's Blog — Jan 8th, 2012
Speech as Case Study: Martin Luther King, Jr. « RCM 401: Oral Rhetoric — Jan 16th, 2012
Break it down | simpson speaks — Feb 7th, 2012
“I Have a Dream” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968) « DARISOANJ — Feb 7th, 2012
Presentation Lessons from Kevin Hart « Alex Rister — Feb 8th, 2012
Corpus Study [Antconc] « Language and Personality of Facebook Users — Apr 30th, 2012
Concordance Exercise « Language and Personality: A Case Study of 5 Respondents based on 'The Big 5 Personality Domain' — May 9th, 2012
Concordance Exercise | SKBP 1023_Lisa Noorazmi — May 11th, 2012
Concordance exercise « Language and Personality: Based on 'The Big 5 Personality Domain' — May 23rd, 2012
Corcodance Exercise « Language and Personality: A Case Study of 5 Respondents based on 'The Big 5 Personality Domain' — May 27th, 2012
AntConc – Concordance | 'Aisyah Zaili A137793 — May 29th, 2012
Martin Luther King’s inspirational speech- I Have A Dream « Language and Personality of Facebook Users — May 29th, 2012
“I HAVE A DREAM” |GROUP WORK|CONCORDANCE|ANTCONC « Language and Personality of Facebook Users — May 30th, 2012
ENGLISH RESOURCES - MLK SPEECH – RHETORIC — Oct 30th, 2012
Martin Luther King Jr I Have A Dream Speech | Public Speaking Singapore — Feb 24th, 2013
Links of the Week: 2013.10 | Creating Communication — Apr 28th, 2013
English for Social Interaction - “Being economical with the truth” — May 16th, 2013
Six Minutes Copyright © 2007-2022 All Rights Reserved.
Read our permissions policy , privacy policy , or disclosure policy .
Comments? Questions? Contact us .
Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” Speech Critique Essay
On 28th August 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. held a speech that was attended by over 250,000 civil rights fans. His speech which lasted for 18 minutes was given at the moment when blacks were cruelly discriminated against. The speech “I Have a Dream” is always regarded as being among the greatest and famous speeches in history. This speech was a defining period of the Civil Rights Movement in America. Martin Luther King’s background as a first rank leader of the Negro and a member of the civil rights greatly helped him in this speech. He was American blacks’ symbolic leader and a world-image American Rhetoric (2005).
The purpose of the king’s speech was to motivate the endorsement of change within the Americans, and the state, in relation to Americans’ inappropriate views towards unlike races or tribal groups in America. King stresses on the American blacks being victimized, Talking about his fellow blacks from both expert and personal levels. King’s objective was to put important pressure on the state and its citizen, by identifying the mistakes of their habits and the promises which have never happened through history. He asks for change and gives out solutions, by so doing he intended to influence the state to unite, thereby ending the historical division among the American citizen. The important information in king’s speech is that everyone is equally created although that was not the case in America at the moment, he had a strong feeling that this will change in the future.
There is no doubt that the king’s speech was perfectly researched. In his homework, he seriously read the Bible, The Gettysburg Address, and the declaration of United States of America independence and he indirectly refers to all these in his talk. The style of the speech has been explained as a political treatise, poetry work and improvised and a masterfully delivered talk, coming up with language and imagery from the bible plus rhythm and recurrences.
The bigger part of the king’s achievement as an orator was because of his utilization of rhetoric in his communication. He was able to determine the mood and tone of the listeners, and intermingle with them properly. The utilization of metaphors gave him a chance to outline his point to convey an excellent speech. In most cases, he was calm and composed, when needed he was capable to be loud and integrate anyone’s movement. He stopped for applauses often, this permitted the listeners to display their enthusiasm and create them feel included instead of them having a feeling that they are just sitting listening to somebody speech American Rhetoric (2005).
King directed his encouragement to white and blank individuals joining hands to attain racial peace and agreement. He specifically wanted to educate the blanks that sameness could be achieved through the application of non-violence. He also encourages blanks to never forget their dreams and urged that in God’s eyes, blacks should be equally treated because they are important as any race in America. The speech was effective in that it inspired the majority of black and white addressees who attended in Washington and those who were viewing on T.V. The best aspect of this speech is that everybody was equally created. King passionately needed it to be the future case. Apart from this main idea, subsequent thoughts are involved to back up and stress it.
American Rhetoric (2005). Top ten Speeches: I have a Dream by Martin Luther King Jr . delivered 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C.
- Social Security Fund and Related Issues
- The Importance of the Rhetorical Triangle
- The Gettysburg Address: Lincoln’s Vision for a Unified America
- Prohibiting the Utilization of the Tobacco
- Speech of President Abraham Lincoln on Gettysburg Field
- Rhetoric Analysis: ”Targeted Killing and Drone Warfare” by Anderson
- Rhetoric and Stereotypes of Social Groups
- Rhetoric in “Women in the Nineteenth Century” by Margaret Fuller
- Plastic Surgery: Beauty as Unhealthy Idea
- "The Frogs", "The Rover", and "Waiting for Godot": Humorous Motifs
- Chicago (A-D)
- Chicago (N-B)
IvyPanda. (2022, January 1). Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” Speech Critique. https://ivypanda.com/essays/martin-luther-king-jrs-i-have-a-dream-speech-critique/
"Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” Speech Critique." IvyPanda , 1 Jan. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/martin-luther-king-jrs-i-have-a-dream-speech-critique/.
IvyPanda . (2022) 'Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” Speech Critique'. 1 January.
IvyPanda . 2022. "Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” Speech Critique." January 1, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/martin-luther-king-jrs-i-have-a-dream-speech-critique/.
1. IvyPanda . "Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” Speech Critique." January 1, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/martin-luther-king-jrs-i-have-a-dream-speech-critique/.
Bibliography
IvyPanda . "Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” Speech Critique." January 1, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/martin-luther-king-jrs-i-have-a-dream-speech-critique/.
- To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
- As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
- As a template for you assignment
Speech That Matters
What makes good speech move us and motivate us? Consider how deliberate diction and writing makes for effective eloquence and influence. We will explore the fundamental art of rhetoric throughout the ages as it has effectively communicated sentiments of personal belief and political persuasion. By reading various speeches and essays and watching video clips, we will trace the powerful eloquence of oratory and written words as portrayed to the masses.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
I have a dream speech reaction.
One of the main themes that Martin Luther King uses throughout this speech is the contrast between hot and cold. He references situations of extreme heat and cool relief. The heat is “sweltering,” and seemingly suffocative while “cooling off” is considered a “luxury.” Dr. King knows that the “sweltering summer of the Negro’s legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality.” This imagery is effective because everyone has experienced swelter and because the day of the speech was probably sweltering and stuffy because it was in Washington, D.C. in late August. King’s references to extreme heat would not have been nearly as effective if the audience were in a cold climate. He poses the contrast of “an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality” as a huge relief and success. Also, after summer, autumn comes surely and inevitably. This furthers his metaphor by implying that freedom and equality will inevitably come if the “creative protest” continues. Using the same reference to hot and cool settings, King states that he “[has] a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustices, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.” Once again, heat and swelter is used in a negative situation, while the oasis represents a freedom, justice, and a cooling release from the oppression.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home
Contributors
- Kira Thompson
- Kenzan Tanabe
- Andrew Metcalf
- Ms. Jefferson
Previous Posts
- MLK Reaction
- Andrew's Retirement Speech
- Farewell-Kira
- Retirement Speech - Lele
- Kit's Retirement Speech
- Kenzan's Retirement Speech
- Hollywood - Andrew
- The United States, Land of Opportunity ...
- Equality for All
- Stephanie - Money is happiness?
This is a paragraph of text that could go in the sidebar.
IMAGES
COMMENTS
Dec 5, 2019 · Anaphora In "I Have A Dream Speech" Pages: 4 (1092 words) Dr. Martin Luther King's “I Have A Dream” Pages: 6 (1602 words) Why do you have a dream or a nightmare Pages: 3 (891 words) Reaction Paper to "Through Deaf Eyes" Pages: 4 (941 words) Article Reaction Paper Example Pages: 2 (344 words) Reaction Paper About Social Phenomenon Pages: 2 ...
An essay which deal with two MLK's speechs: the 1963's "I Have a Dream" and the 1967's "Beyond Vietnam". The text's purpose is to show, on the one hand, continuity in MLK social and political vision but, on the other hand and above all, the will to go beyond civil rights to an new alliance against the war and for social justice has shown with the "Poor People's Campaign".
Anirudh Lath (Rudy), u1149016 1 I Have A Dream – Martin Luther King, Jr. Summary & Reaction Paper University of Utah – EAS 1050 Anirudh Lath I Have A Dream is a speech by an American civil rights activist, Martin Luther King, Jr. which took place in Washington, during a march for jobs and freedom on August 28, 1963.
View Reaction Paper - I Have a Dream.docx from EAS 1050 at University of Utah. Anirudh Lath (Rudy), u1149016 1 I Have A Dream - Martin Luther King, Jr. Summary & Reaction Paper University of Utah - AI Chat with PDF
Reflection Paper about the speech of Martin Luther King, Jr. "I Have a Dream" delivered 28 August 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C. I Have a Dream is extremely emotional, a hopeful vision of the future of race in this country.
King’s “I Have a Dream Speech” strikes a chord within me every time I read it. Its powerful message is timeless, and will hopefully prevail over all prejudices: past, present, and future. The passion and emotion King infuses in his words give the speech a gravity far weightier than many writings of a similar subject matter.
Jul 26, 2024 · REACTION PAPER I Have A Dream by Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech is a watershed moment in the history of the Civil Rights Movement. Delivered on August 28, 1963, during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, it captures African Americans' difficulties and ambitions at the time.
Jan 19, 2009 · I have a dream comes up a lot and he wants to get the point through peoples mind and so he uses a lot of sentences because he doesn’t want to live like this or have his family and other families all across the world live the way he had to. what he is saying is I don’t want to put up with this anymore, and we people do not want to be judged by our colour, hair, or the way we look but by the ...
Jan 1, 2022 · The speech “I Have a Dream” is always regarded as being among the greatest and famous speeches in history. This speech was a defining period of the Civil Rights Movement in America. Martin Luther King’s background as a first rank leader of the Negro and a member of the civil rights greatly helped him in this speech.
Mar 1, 2007 · By reading various speeches and essays and watching video clips, we will trace the powerful eloquence of oratory and written words as portrayed to the masses. Thursday, March 01, 2007 I Have a Dream Speech Reaction