It is an honor today looking down at the history, trying to analyze world recognized speech “I have dream” a speech that was given by martin Luther King on August 28, 1963,leading a March on Washington, D.C. He delivered the speech to the large crowd of individuals both live and televised at the steps of the Lincoln memorial. The speech he delivered was one of the most memorable and frequently used in driving various points in the entire world. It was all about racial justice seeking to give freedom to blacks and the rights of black people. Hence, emphasizing on civil rights. His speech has come to be applied worldwide and every now and then, various individuals refer to it to drive some point especially when the issues of inequality are addressed.
First, the king brought about th
...e sensitivity by choosing the general topic “racial right and freedom” looking keenly, it was something that was not triggered by black people only but also to the people in the whole world. Taking the part when the king said, “all of God children sing free at last.” The part clearly depicted that he was not addressing to one race or any given community but to all people who acknowledge him as their father, whether black or white.
Further looking at speech, “I have a dream” the king was in a position of taking the audience’s attention by using their emotions. Part of the speech he clearly described that there is a possibility of enhancing society between the blacks and whites and he emphasized that, they are able to live as one in peace and harmony. The repetition of the
word “I have a dream” deeply drew the touching and thoughtful images to the audiences. Moreover, repetition of “I have a dream” would facilitate the audience in the creation of an imaginary of “the new world.” If at all, the dream of the king would be fulfilled.
Besides the use of the word, “I have a dream “created a moment where the audience’s hearts were bonded together towards seeing the dream coming true.
Continuing with Luther speech he further emphasized on his dream by saying “the American dream explains how intensive the desire of achieving the aim really is. It is spread everywhere.” The metaphor clearly shows that the issue should be addressed and followed everywhere. Adding that, “the American dream is a dream of everybody so that they can all rely on King! “Use of the word dream creates a plan that the whole world including the Americans is working towards the plan of changing. They are dreaming of building a world favoring all people.
He further says, “I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, and rough places will be made plains, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the lord shall be revealed. And all flesh shall see together.” This indicates that even the oppressors one day will be put in the same state as the oppressed. Equality will be experienced where the minority will dine with the dignities. Moreover, the statement brings a conclusion point by unifying all the themes he had highlighted from the main theme freedom. The word “I have a dream” brings a hope
to people, trying to encourage various individual and give them the new hope about the changing world. Indicating that the future generation has a promising life where all people will embrace equality.
Each repetition brought forward in the speech creates a scenario that increases a mood of paying attention to what he was addressing. Example “we can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is a victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We cannot be satisfied….we cannot be satisfied……we cannot be satisfied “as he nears the end of the speech the repetition is acquired and he further repeats “freedom, freedom” example “let freedom ring from stone mountain of Georgia, let freedom ring from lookout mountain of Tennessee.” Further indicating, “Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.” The repetition of freedom emphasizes on how he was longing for freedom all over the world.
The king gets into the repetition of another word “Ain’t I a Woman?” It was meant to bring out the kind of people who were being affected by discrimination. Stating “nobody ever helps me into the carriages….and ain’t I a woman?” she further included “born thirteen children and seen most of all sold off to slavery and ain’t I a woman?” Through repetition of the words, he tried to connect his life experiences to the audiences to bring the issue of women’s right as the group of minority. He further uses the slang in his diction through repetition of the words “ain’t” creating a scenario where the audiences are convinced to believe in the message he is driving home.
All through the speech from the start to the middle and
the end, Martin Luther king incorporated many tactics trying to achieve the goal intended. It can be said the use of repetition brought his emotions out. Therefore, use of such oration enables one to create a powerful and incredible speech. Since time in memorial, speech has been used and they are still used by various individuals at different occasion. Hence, repetition is vital for individuals to communicate effectively. Therefore communicating effectively is a skill that one should strive to attain in every speech.
Works Cited
- King, Martin Luther. I Have a Dream-: Writings and Speeches That Changed the World. Harper Collins, 1992.
King, Martin Luther. "I Have a Dream" Speech." (1963).
