Rhetorical Devices in I Have a Dream Speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Example

MLK’s “I Have a Dream” is a rhetorical masterpiece for many reasons. The speech unloads many devotional, and powerful words that help motivate the audience to believe that there will be and there is the reason for the change. MLK uses the three types of appeals, logos, ethos, and pathos to explanate why people should come together, not just for each other, but for equality for once and for all.

Pathos, which means using emotion and passion to persuade someone, dominates most of MLKs speech, because of such powerful, and mood-setting words used to envy the audience to feel something. MLK connects metaphors and imagery with his words to develop powerful sentences. For example, “Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of justice.” MLK exemplifies an image of going from the dark, which is full of evil, to rising above to the light, which is the path to the right street of justice. Using words like dark, sunlight, desolate, go well and above what most of these African American people felt most days, all are emotional conversations. Another great example is, “Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rocks of brotherhood.” Another great use of imagery and a metaphor, MLK compares the ‘quicksands of racial injustice, meaning the quick fall/downfall of racial injustice to the solid rocks of brotherhood, the solid rocks being the greatness that is held together when equal rather than divided. One final quote which truly examples MLKs great emotion, “again, and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force” MLK explains that deep down we must talk to each other, get to know each other and settle things soul to soul, personally, and not with physically fight, further trying to meet peace.

The second appeal MLK uses is ethos which is the use of credibility and trust. MLK uses many sources of credibility, including that of Aberham Lincoln, The Declaration of Independence, etc. MLK elaborates at the beginning of his speech that of what Lincoln accomplished; “Five scores years ago a great American, and who is symbolic shadow we stand today, Signed the Emanicipation proclamation. This momentous degree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of weathering injustice.” MLK uses a great step that was truely brought forward from Lincoln, and acts on it as a step towards where they stand and hope to make another huge move, yet, he stands still that blacks are still not free, where they can make that step forward, just how they did many years ago. Many peoples trust in previous presidents may help people fight for justice and whats right, like Lincoln. MLK, then again uses evidence from the Declaration of Independence. “ when the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the constitution and the declaration of independence they were signing her promissory note to watch every American west to hear heir. This no it was a promise that all men yes Blackman as well as white men would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life liberty and the pursuit of happiness”   MLK credits the foundation of our Country’s freedom document, which guarantees all men freedom, as yet another source of credibility pushing the narrative to equality and freedom.   One final quote for ethos, “We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Missisppsi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote.”  People from both cities are used as example that this isn’t just a southern thing, yet a whole country problem, which is recounted from even those as far as New York who dont have the courage to vote. MLK tries to gain the attention from people by recounting the thoughts of those that stretch thousands of miles away.

The third and final device that MLK uses is logos. Logos is the appeal to logic, reason and truth to persuade someone. MLK’s speech is nowadays mostly known as how the logical person should and would think about every American. You could stress most of what MLK says is LOGOs, especially in many of his speeches.