English 101 I Have a Dream Rhetorical Analysis
Jason Vazquez
Sally Olivas
English 101
24 October 2014
In Depth with the King “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal” is the beginning of the Preamble to the U.S Constitution which was quoted by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his “I Have a Dream” speech. Martin Luther King Jr. shadowed over two hundred and fifty thousand spectators to deliver his infamous speech to people of all ages, genders, and races at the heart of the nation on August 28th, 1963. Tired and exhausted from repetitive sit-ins and protests, King was finally granted the opportunity to speak on the injustice and racial issues of his people to the entire nation. Throughout the duration of his speech, Dr. Martin Luther King connected with his audience by using a variety of literacy devices such as: ethos, pathos, and logos. With this being said, I will go in depth of how Martin Luther King used these literacy devices to persuade America to change their injustice and racist ways for a better equality and freedom for all. To begin with, ethos is a rhetorical concept that uses reputation, experience, credibility, and values of an author to support claims being made. To begin his speech, Martin Luther King emphasizes “The Great American” as a strong reference. “Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation.” Martin Luther King was referring to the creator of the Emancipation Proclamation and sixteenth president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. Furthermore, with the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, President Lincoln abolished slavery in the United States in 1863. Also, Martin Luther King referred to the founding fathers of America naming them the “architects of our republic.” “When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of independence, they were signing a promissory note that promised all men would be guaranteed the
Sally Olivas
English 101
24 October 2014
In Depth with the King “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal” is the beginning of the Preamble to the U.S Constitution which was quoted by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his “I Have a Dream” speech. Martin Luther King Jr. shadowed over two hundred and fifty thousand spectators to deliver his infamous speech to people of all ages, genders, and races at the heart of the nation on August 28th, 1963. Tired and exhausted from repetitive sit-ins and protests, King was finally granted the opportunity to speak on the injustice and racial issues of his people to the entire nation. Throughout the duration of his speech, Dr. Martin Luther King connected with his audience by using a variety of literacy devices such as: ethos, pathos, and logos. With this being said, I will go in depth of how Martin Luther King used these literacy devices to persuade America to change their injustice and racist ways for a better equality and freedom for all. To begin with, ethos is a rhetorical concept that uses reputation, experience, credibility, and values of an author to support claims being made. To begin his speech, Martin Luther King emphasizes “The Great American” as a strong reference. “Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation.” Martin Luther King was referring to the creator of the Emancipation Proclamation and sixteenth president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. Furthermore, with the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, President Lincoln abolished slavery in the United States in 1863. Also, Martin Luther King referred to the founding fathers of America naming them the “architects of our republic.” “When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of independence, they were signing a promissory note that promised all men would be guaranteed the