I Have A Dream - Speech Analysis

Dr. Martin Luther King gave this speech to a large audience that had assembled in Washington to hold a peaceful demonstration in support of the civil rights movement. The primary goal of this speech was to prevail upon the country to make justice for all as stipulated within the constitution. He sought to make it known that injustice and inequality affected the entire nation. Different factors made this speech convincing

One is body language. Martin was calm when delivering the speech. Moreover, he was grounded as a sign of confidence. Though it 's hard to see his feet in the course of the speech, the stable posture was evident. The voice also tells it all. In most instances, a commanding voice is required to inspire millions. Martin had a booming voice. Also, his cadence and preacher-like antics brought passion. He used employed dominant language to connect with the audience. The intensity of this speech is based on bold statements. It is also founded on rhythmic repetition. Every repetition is consolidated by the growing passion of Martin. For instance, the phrase, I have a dream' is repeated throughout the speech. There is a particular sequence used in this speech and entails attention, need, contentment, visualization, and action.

The address is broken into three major sections including the introduction, body, and conclusion. The presentation attracts the attention of the listener, bringing the audience to speed with the challenges facing the nation at the time. The body of this speech focuses on some issues including the need for justice and the satisfaction that everyone would derive from this. Visualization of the future is also presented in the body. The concluding section shows the actions that are required to achieve justice for all.

To attract the attention of the audience, metaphors are also used. One thing is clear. Most speeches are boring including those touching on the main topics impacting people's lives. It is easy to get lost in sophisticated facts. However, when evocative language is employed, powerful images are created. Martin does not only tackle gradualism. On the contrary, he cautions the masses concerning gradualism. In the same vein, Luther King Jr. paints a clear picture of the plight of Black Americans residing on a lonely island of poverty amidst a large ocean of material prosperity. He talks about his faith through which Americans will be able to get a ray of hope.

The speech presented by Martin had a significant impact on the country in the sense that it hit most of the people not just in their hearts but minds. It was mainly attributed to the formula that he had employed. Moreover, most of the audience had understood some or all the things that Martin had been doing in the run-up to the speech. He had presented numerous speeches in the past. Also, Luther King Jr. had been to civil protests. As a result, he had the credibility that endeared him to the audience to the extent that they trusted all that he said.

There are different ways to achieve efficient use of persuasion. In this regard, it must be emphasized that the speaker's character influences the manner in which others will see him or her, and the message. It is referred to as ethos which loosely translates to credibility. Most listeners appear to believe those that they respect. One of the core challenges of persuasion is to present an impression to the audience that one is worth being listened to. It means turning oneself into an authority on the topic of the message. It also implies turning oneself into someone who deserves respect and is highly likable. The art of getting the masses to do something they would not do under normal circumstances is not easy. Martin had to prevail upon the nation to believe whether they ought to or ought not to listen to him and transform the manner in which society had become accustomed to. It is termed claim of policy. Solutions are enhanced by claims of policy by changing an existing system which is not adequate in addressing a bad situation.

In conclusion, this speech is presented in a sequential manner that takes the audience through the challenges of the nation and the solutions that must be adopted. Martin believed that the country had to come to the realization everyone was equal and the fact that justice must be accorded to all. Articulating such a claim demanded to present a combination of applications. Martin incorporated all of them in his speech to make the people think about whether what they were doing was wrong. The factual claim was adopted noting that the situation comes in his introduction, a claim confirming that the situation is bad, and a cause and effect claim apportioning the blame on inequality and injustice which, if addressed, will be beneficial to the country.