Rhetorical Analysis of I Have a Dream

Rhetorical Analysis of I Have a Dream

By mid 20^th Century, racism was a major obstacle to the prosperity of the United States. Most prominent of all was racist ideologies between the blacks and the white population. People from the black community were subjects of brutality and merciless victimization under a society with a corrupt legal system, even though they should have been free. As such, it was the African American’s turn to alter skewed system by civil rights activism. Martin Luther King Jr. was a leader of Southern Christian Leadership Conference and participated in multiple civil rights protests and boycotts. His I Have a Dream Speech delivered on Lincoln Memorial steps to tens of thousands of American citizens wielded a massive impact because it illustrated the racist issues of early 1950s thus provoking the audience to be sympathetic and hopeful for the future.

            One of the most important reasons why I Have a Dream was successful was the tense social mood at the venue that reflected the conditions in the country. It gave people of color a vision for the future. It was successful in striking directly into the hearts of the minorities across the United States besides making the whites ashamed for their unorthodox and barbaric actions. Within 17 minutes, Martin Luther Jr. informed and influenced many generations of individuals on fairness and racial equality (King 3). Many scholars unanimously agree that Luther’s short speech is a rhetoric masterpiece. An in-depth analysis of the speech indicates King's careful and artistic speech structure that appeals to different audiences. He supports it with rhetorical modes such as logos, pathos, and ethos. Besides, he reinforces his speech with rhetorical schemes and tropes to carve his name in the books of history.

Structurally, Martin Luther excels in his speech by depicting the plight of African Americans, exposing the truth about the civil rights movements, and instilling hope in the foreseeable future. Actually, he intends that his speech structure should appeal three distinct audience types likely in attendance or listen to his speech. These people were the average people of color that were victims of discrimination and segregation, the average white population that bears typical thoughts of 1960s, and racist supremacists and black militants that based their argument on the evil nature of blacks and the violence caused by rights movements.

The first portion of I have a Dream describes the horrible condition and plight of an average African American. He says that manacles of discrimination and chains of segregation cripple black man’s life. Luther expounds that while America is a vast material prosperity ocean, African Americans are still living on a lonely island plagued by poverty. Such a phrase was an eye-opener to the whites on sufferings endured by black people. He conceives a mindset that turns the White Americans against their inconsiderate and inhumane actions (King 7).  On the other hand, his words struck deep into the hearts of non-whites. Furthermore, king laid emphasis on his sentiments by listing instances of challenges that the minorities face on a daily basis thus stirring the audience’s sadness as it becomes clearer for the white majority that they are indeed responsible for all woes. Martin Luther King Jr. refers to the constitution and how the greater US breaks the promise made to people of color in the Bill of Rights as they refuse them their constitutional entitlements. He intentionally diverts the attention of the audience to the plight of African American and how it is the fault of white Americans.

Luther King understood that the Civil Rights Movement faced a problem of an aggressive use of force and violence as a means of achieving their ultimate goal. He was aware of a dwindling support as a result of persistent chaos within the movement. Therefore, he tactically drowned the negative views by urging the blacks to conduct their protest peacefully with dignity and on a high plane of discipline. As a civil rights leader, King states that the protestors must not allow their just actions to disintegrate into physical violence and that the militancy within the black community should not alter the activist’s main cause into distrusting all white Americans. Through this statement, it is Martin Luther’s intention to categorically clarify that the majority of civil rights movement do not support black militants because its main aim is to attain their objective non-violently.  It adds to the discomfort of the whites as they understand that the black community is not composed of savages but honorable dignified people that persistently endure sufferings and victimizations. The whites realize that they are the true savages, but it does not end here (King 13).

After depicting several examples of African American pain and the brutality of white people, Martin Luther knows that it is imperative for his audience to receive a message of hope. Therefore, as his speech nears the end, he focuses on the future when all brutality will be quashed and freedom for all will be part and parcel of law and order. He also says that people of all races will be brothers and sisters joining hands to fulfill the American dream and living together as a cohesive nation. It cannot be denied that Martin Luther King Jr. intelligently utilizes well-planned ad carefully choreographed structure to manipulate his audience and the nation at large into believing his thoughts on the African American plight. 

Martin Luther uses pathos to arouse emotions of his audience thus making the whites consider blacks as equals. He strives to make the audience sympathize with the conditions of black people and to consider racism an abomination in a modern society. In addition, King used logos and ethos to aid the structure of his I have a Dream speech (Longaker et al. 28). Such modes alter the audience’s mindset into thinking that the white Americans lie and break the constitutionally mandated promises to the black community. By stating that America was founded on Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, he equates that all Americans are entitled to freedom justice and rights irrespective of color or ethnic background.

In conclusion, King’s I Have a Dream speech has earned its place in history as one of the most famous in America’s history. At the time of its delivery, segregation and racism gripped the US, thus threatening its foundations. Black people endured lives full of suffering, marginalization and victimization, but Luther’s speech changed the prospects for the better. It inspired people of color to hold on to their dreams despite the horrible societal conditions (King 9). On the other hand, it made the white community realize the extent of damage inflicted by their actions against the blacks.

Works Cited

King, Martin L. I Have a Dream. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books, 2012: 1-14. Print.

Longaker, Mark G, and Jeffrey Walker. Rhetorical Analysis: A Brief Guide for Writers. Boston: Longman, 2011. 1-66. Print.