Analysis of Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream Speech (Essay Sample)

“I Have a Dream” was a speech given at the Lincoln Memorial by Martin Luther King Jr. on August 28, 1963. When Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1929, he was immediately pushed into a world full of discrimination and segregation. Later on in his life, he got a job as baptist minister and became a social activist who fought against the racial discrimination he and many other people had to face throughout most of their lives. His speech and the message it conveyed heavily influenced the changes that a lot of people continue seeing to this day. 

During this period in time, segregation was a major problem that heavily impacted how African Americans lived. Many discriminatory laws were put into place that isolated African Americans from the rest of society. Many children were forced to attend different schools based on the color of their skin, which made it seem like some people were more superior than others. This made it hard for people to feel accepted and safe in their homes. Since racism was a big issue, Martin Luther King Jr. felt obligated to fight for equality and freedom. His efforts eventually succeeded and helped stop a lot of racial injustice. This speech is still widely known and talked about because of the changes it helped create. 

Shortly after the Civil War, reconstruction took place and the “Jim Crow” laws were introduced. These laws basically prohibited black and white people from coexisting in the same places and facilities. These laws were unfair and pushed people, like Martin Luther King Jr., to fight for a change. The Civil Rights movement was a major event caused by the unfair ways black people were being treated. The movement was trying to push equal opportunity for people of all colors. Many civil rights activists, including Martin Luther King jr., participated in many protests in an attempt to bring awareness to the injustice caused by discrimination. The March on Washington, which was where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his speech, ultimately forced the government to pass the Civil Rights Act. 

Throughout the entire speech, Martin Luther King Jr. uses many literary devices in order to get his point across as effectively as possible. One literary device that he heavily uses is repetition. One of the most famous phrases he uses is “I have a dream,” which he uses about 8 times in the entire speech. Another literary device Martin Luther King Jr. utilizes is imagery. Towards the end of the speech, he tries to help us envision how far freedom will reach by describing wear the “ringing” will be heard from. He says that the ringing will be heard, “from the Stone Mountain of Georgia,” all the way to, “the curvaceous slopes of California!” Finally, he also uses an allusion near the beginning of his speech that references the Gettysburg Address. In the Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln starts his speech by saying, “Fourscore and seven years ago…” Martin Luther King jr. alludes to this by saying, “Five score years ago…” All of these literary devices help emphasize how strongly Martin Luther King Jr. believes in equality for people of all colors. They help deliver his message in a way that will make people  feel as passionately as he feels about unfair discrimination.

In conclusion, this is how and why Martin Luther King Jr. gave his speech about wanting equality.  Black people were facing hard times back then, and Martin Luther King jr. also had to face these challenges. In order to make his speech as memorable as it was, he used many literary devices to enhance his message about racial injustice. He caused so many changes by fighting and speaking in front of thousands of people, and he helped bring light to the unfair ways people black people were being treated. Martin Luther King jr.’s speech played an important part in bringing equality to all people.