Martin Luther King Jr. in his speech at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C. persuaded the audience to join his campaign by talking about his views on jobs and freedom for all. He talked about civil and economic rights and to end racism in the United States. He wanted all to be treated equally and fairly, and in his speech - the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation - he was very confident in what he believed. This speech was given at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C., in a public matter, but was intended for the US Government and all other parties that did not believe that people regardless of color should have the same rights and equal opportunities. Martin Luther King believed as a person that it was his responsibility to create awareness about racism and the lack of equal opportunity for people in the United States. The speech has the motive of creating awareness amongst the American population. The purpose of this speech was to create awareness and to persuade the audience by using the Emancipation Proclamation – which is that every man should have equal rights, regardless of race.
In his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, Martin Luther King preferred pathos, an appeal to emotion, as the primary way to influence his audience. In his speech, he mentions the phrase “tranquilizing drug of gradualism” which is a metaphor, by saying this, he means that this is no time to give up and give in, but rather to keep fighting for what you believe in. He used emotive language to draw an emotional connection to his audience, such as “sunlit path of racial justice”. He implies with this phrase that one day justice will be shown to all those who were negatively affected by racial differences.
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He compares the Emancipation Proclamation with Holy Scriptures and says, “Now is the time to make justice a reality for all God’s children”. This statement makes people think that they have sinned and that they should make amends, this is also one of Martin Luther King’s techniques to persuade his audience. He also compares everyone equally by calling them brother and sister, all God’s children, which again speaks to the audience on an emotional level.
In his speech, Martin Luther King also describes some of the issues that his audience finds themselves in, for example, “Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells…”, this is often additionally an associated example of emotive language King uses to steer his audience. He encourages the audience to respond on an emotional level, rather than to consider the facts.
In his line “Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive”, Martin Luther King gave people a sense of insensibility to their sufferings. People believe that they must work for basic human rights and treatment while they have no revenge for the way they have been treated. Martin Luther King inspired the people through this speech and gave them a sense of hope and a nation that has equal opportunities for all.
The repetition used is something that makes King’s speech extremely powerful and effective, it helps to draw attention from the audience. By repeating his words, Martin Luther King shows his ever-increasing passion. He repeats the words ‘go back’ in his line: “Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back…”. Martin Luther King talks to his audience and their personal situations directly, “Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina…”, he is connecting with his audience by talking to them and not preaching to them. He feels a personal connection with each of his audience, and that is one of the most powerful persuasive techniques, making the audience feel like you are one of them.
“…wallow in the valley of despair…”. Martin Luther King encouraged his audience, who have suffered in their struggles for equal rights, to approach their struggles for social and political justice with hope and perseverance. He uses ‘wallow’ during a deep depression of unhappiness and helplessness to indicate to the audience that this type of thought will dull the mind and suppress the dream that every single one of them longs for, the American dream.
Martin Luther King is a very confident person when it comes to his beliefs and views, he mentions in his speech that even though we still face difficulties, meaning the living situations they had to live in, today and tomorrow, he still has a dream. The dream of a nation where all are treated equally and fairly.
He quotes the Declaration of Independence when he talks about the dream he had that one day this nation will rise and live the true meaning of its creed. He is persuading his audience by repeating these words, “I had a dream”.
Martin Luther King was an inspiration to many, and the ‘I Had a Dream’ speech and all the pathos that was effectively used in it changed the standard of living for millions of people in America. “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope” – Martin Luther King Jr.
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