Classic English Literature
On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous speech “I Have A Dream” at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. The speech is a call to end racism and discrimination. The speech is the epitome of the civil rights movement in America. Through his speech, King shared his dream of living in a world where there is true freedom and equality. He dreams that someday America will be a nation where people will not be judged according to the color of their skin but through their character. The speech is a persuasive and inspirational speech which uses the appeal to the intellect and emotions of its listeners. The sentences used by King are full of drama and gallantry. King uses anaphora, that is, the repetition of the phrase, “I have a dream” to emphasize his point. Other phrases which he repeated are “We can never be satisfied”, “With this faith” and “Let freedom ring.” The speech is a call to action. It leaves the audience something to ponder about after listening to the speech. It is impossible not to be touched by this speech.
The Declaration of Independence is one of the most important documents in American History. It was written by Thomas Jefferson and was approved on July 4, 1776. It is a document detailing the reasons why the American colonies needed to be free from the rule of Great Britain. It enumerates the various atrocities and human rights violations of the King of Great Britain against the Americans. Jefferson states that the Americans have repeatedly appealed to the sense of justice of the British government but they were ignored. In view of these circumstances, the colonies have decided to break away from Great Britain to regain their right to be free and independent. The Declaration of Independence is divided into different sections namely, the Preamble, the Indictment of King George III, the Denunciation of the British people, and the Conclusion. This document uses the appeal to ethos, pathos and logos. The list of the grievances against the King of Great Britain in the beginning of the document, sets the mood of the audience. It persuades and makes the listeners believe that there is a need to stand up against the ruling government. Jefferson utilizes anaphora in the document by repeating the phrase “He has” and the word “for”. It gives emphasis to the tyrannical rule of the King of Great Britain. The conclusion is the climax of the document because it is here where the move to overthrow the government and the fight for freedom is highlighted. Overall, the Declaration of Independence is a very convincing document which has indeed attained its objective to awaken the American people.
