I HAVE A DREAM SPEECH
Dr. King calls for action among Black Americans to peacefully rise and reassert their constitutional rights. He asserts that there should be neither rest nor tranquillity until Blacks area granted their citizenship rights, but in doing so, Blacks must not drink from the cups of bitterness and injustice. King realizes that violence would give the state machinery reason to crush the struggle and alienate sympathetic Whites, which is why he asks for creative actions that must never degenerate into violence. Similarly, Dr. King calls for action and support among White Americans and the powers that be in the United States, to make good the check that the founding fathers wrote for all Americans i.e. freedom, equity, and justice for all Americans.
Use of Language
Rhythm and Repetition – King employs both of these stylistic devices to give his message an emphasis, while at once giving it emotional intensity. He repetitively uses phrases like “let freedom ring” (p.6), “we cannot be satisfied” and “with his faith”, to create emphasis. For instance, King asserts that he was not “unmindful thatsome of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered”. Then he follows up with “go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to the slums and ghettos, know that somehow this situation can, and will be changed”,
Parallelism – This speech employs successively similar sentence and phrase forms in order to create patterns that in turn create a powerful and memorable message. Sentences have lists that are parallel to each other. They are made from the same sentence forms. For instance, King uses the phrase “I have a dream that one day” in several sentences that he creates a rhythmic pattern. Similarly, parallelism is evident in “with this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day”. This is different for instance, if he had said, “We will be able to work to work together, and struggle as one, and support each other.”
Tone –King’s speech betrays a passionate attitude toward justice, freedom and equal rights for Blacks and other ethnic minorities, as well as a commitment to the cause. His booming voice, which was well-practiced given his situation as Baptist preacher is both emotional and commanding. This is helpful in establishing an equally strong emotional connection with his audience, which means that they will then be receptive to his message. He succeeds in communicating messages of peace and non-violence while at once urging for uncompromising determination.
Power Words – Dr. King’s choice of words achieves his goal of creating a powerful impression on his audience. He draws from the bible, the constitution and common life words that strike an emotional connection with the listener. He uses words like Negro to create an image of slavery and discrimination. He uses words and phrases like sojourner, ghetto, “from a smaller ghetto to a larger one” (p. 3), mountaintop, and “heat of injustice” (p.5). The entire speech is replete with words that have a special significance in the context of the Black people’s experience in the United States and the civil rights movement.
References
King, M. L. (1963). "I Have a Dream." Speech. Lincoln Memorial,. Washington, D. C. .
