The social constructs which we live by and the social trends which we follow are always changing. Kennedy’s speech aims to change the social fabric of society, as he reveals the complexities of the human psyche through …show more content…
the effective use of an inner journey. This is represented through the utilisation of a simile in “we are confronted primarily with a moral issue … as old as the scriptures,” which is able to challenge the religious beliefs of the predominantly Christian society, as their values of equality and altruism are contradicted through their mistreatment of African Americans. Therefore the deliberate use of an inner journey is able to cleverly highlight the complexities within our world, instilling a sense of uncertainty over the audience’s views of society.
Kennedy’s speech also re-affirms the fight for equal rights, as his masterful use of language places emphasis on the need for physical action.
The tactical utilisation of a historical allusion in “One hundred years of delay have passed since President Lincoln freed the slaves…yet their heirs…aren’t full free,” is able convey the passage of the Nation as it has moved towards egalitarianism, as well as depicting the need for the nation to continue on its physical journey. This is able to encourage society to change the way they physically interact with people of different skin tones. But, at the same time the clever implementation of a physical journey is able to depict the time consuming process in the struggle to change the unshakable views of the Anglo-American population. Thus revealing the complexities of the world as responders’ realise the difficulty needed to change the social expectations and trends within the
populace.
It is therefore evident that different interpretations of a journey are able to convey invaluable insights, resulting in the revelation of the complexities, within the world. This is shown through Kennedy’s skilful implementation of a physical passage which conveys the difficulty in changing the views of the populace. While the clever use of an inner journey allows a re-assessment of our morals and values. Ultimately resulting in self-discovery and the realisation that the world we live in is harsh and complex.