Rhetorical Analysis Of Mlk's I Have A Dream Speech

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On 28 August 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. made the most iconic speech of the African-American Civil Rights Movement. Dubbed as the “I Have A Dream” speech, it is remarkable because of the impact of the rhetorical devices, specifically parallelism and repetition, in MLK Jr.’s speech. Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech is known as the “I Have A Dream” speech for a reason. Throughout the eleventh and twelfth paragraphs, MLK keeps on repeating the same phrase at the beginning of the sentences. From declaring at the beginning “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up” and ending with “I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted”, it is clear that MLK did this on purpose. Out of all the parts of the speech, the words “I …show more content…
utilizes parallelism to communicate his ideas. An example of this is when MLK said: “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”. Through parallelism, MLK emphasizes his key point that if racial segregation disappears, the world would be a more peaceful place. Once more, MLK’s speech gives a lasting impression of his beliefs as a result of this writing technique. In addition, parallelism created a passionate voice for MLK. The words “With this faith” constantly being repeated builds a strong, determined tone in the speech. This affects the audience dramatically since they will become more emotional towards his speech; thus, MLK Jr.’s speech is more inspiring with parallelism included. In conclusion, the use of parallelism and repetition in MLK’s speech plays an important role in the powerful message that the speech gives and the affects These rhetorical devices are key to the delivery of Martin Luther King Jr.’s message and its lasting impression. Without the writing techniques, MLK Jr.’s speech would not be known as the iconic “I Have A Dream” speech that was a major part of the African-American Civil Rights
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