Rhetorical Appeal

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Throughout the speech made by Martin Luther King Jr. in his “I Have A Dream” speech, he uses several rhetorical appeals and argumentative techniques to enhance the message in his speech. These skills helped King deliver his speech to its fullest potential, and made it one of the most monumental speeches in all of history. Examples of rhetorical appeals include the use of logos (logic), ethos (ethics), and pathos (pity) to connect to the listeners and future readers of the speech. The logos appeal includes the use of facts, statistics, and hard evidence to support the text. For example, the quote “It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. “ is a well-stated fact. He acknowledges the way African American citizens are still mistreated since the passing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Another example from the speech would be “This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality.” King is explaining how nothing will change unless there is a shift in regards to African American’s freedom. He uses more detail and background information in his speech to supporting his claim. …show more content…
Generally, as far as infliction goes, the speaker would emphasize his claim when demonstrating ethos. An example from King’s speech would be “Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair.” He emphasized how he feels, and includes those who share his views on this issue by saying “we”. He quickens his pace for emphasis yet softens how he speaks to appeal to the listener
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