Mlk I Have A Dream Speech

There’s a wonderful quote by Martin Luther King, which is, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” This quote came from traumatic time where African Americans weren’t seen as humans, they weren’t heard, and they fought their hearts out in a battle where their opponent's choice of weapons were to emotionally and physically abuse and harass them. It is for this reason that the “I Have A Dream” speech by Dr. Martin Luther King is the most compelling piece of text; he explains thoroughly about how America represents freedom and their citizens are protected by laws and rights, but African Americans are denied of this opportunity even though they don’t deserve to be, using
figurative language to communicate to the audience the difficult life of an African American, to try to convince/persuade his audience in joining the fight for freedom and rights with him and doing it peacefully. According to King, he states that the Constitution and Declaration of Independence is proof that citizens-- of any skin color are entitled to freedom, rights, and to be treated equally, instead of being divided into groups and discriminated against because they’re African Americans.
This is displayed through 3 main ideas King points out: documents were signed to ensure equality-- same amount of rights and freedom, but citizens disagreed and ignored the laws, African Americans didn’t accept defeat so they fought their battles without violence until they were granted of what they deserve, and with their hope and faith their dream of being united together will hopefully someday become accomplished. The focus on how important documents were signed to free African Americans from captivity and slavery was supposed to become the history of how African Americans were handed freedom and right privileges became the fight to take back stolen opportunities; consequently, becoming the first main idea in Martin Luther King’s
speech.
The first significant idea is that Americans created and signed documents stating that African Americans are free, have rights, and are equal (no less others), yet years later, citizens of the U.S still treat and act as if African Americans are below them-- giving them no respect, no chances at happiness, and disobeying the laws and documents, in which King used allusion and connotation to convey this message. Moreover, “It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned.” (King,1) African Americans are being separated from white people because of the color of their skin; white people cannot accept that this is wrong and against the documents and laws they follow. Also, “… signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice.” (King,1) Using connotation, King used key words like “light” to represent how African Americans felt happiness when they were freed from slavery and captivity and “flames” to describe the suffering and pain they had to go through before having a chance to live a life with freedom and rights. Next, ‘“This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the “unalienable Rights” of “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”’ (King,1) King used allusion and refers to the Constitution and Declaration of Independence, with the understanding that citizens follow both documents; it states everybody is allowed freedom, rights, and deserves to live a joyful life, yet African Americans are denied of these opportunities. This main idea was a part of the development of the central idea by outlining the beginning of how African Americans were finally given a break and hope for living a life with freedom and rights; instead, society decided to break their promise, (taking steps back) and making African Americans’ lives difficult for them to live. Hence, African Americans were treated unfairly even after documents were signed to give them equal rights and freedom like every other citizen living in America.
The second essential idea is that African Americans have lost access to their rights, have not been granted freedom, and they’ve been mentally and physically abused; subsequently, they won’t put up with this anymore by fighting peacefully until justice is served to them and King transfers this idea through imageries and metaphors. Furthermore, “We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence.” (King,2) African Americans were promised the same treatment and equality as every other (white) citizen living in America; all (white) citizens have shown is violence, segregation, discrimination, and inequality to African Americans, causing African Americans to voice their opinion on how this is wrong and they will stand for up for their beliefs-- fighting-- not like them, but with words and (nonviolent) actions. Correspondingly, ‘“We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating: "For Whites Only."’ (King,2) He used descriptive words (imagery) to paint a picture of African Americans constantly experiencing being banned from places because white people are the only ones allowed to enter, leaving them limited to areas to where they can go and feeling the loss of self-worthiness. Equally, “... quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality.” (King,2) King compares storms to the amount of violence police use on African Americans because African Americans express their opinions on how they want changes, so policemen rely on creating unnecessary violent fights against African Americans (to try scare them away and make them give up on their fight,) instead of talking the problem out. This essential idea develops the central idea by African Americans showing (white) people that they won't give up on this battle as easily as they think; they’re the ones using violence, creating sides, but all they were asking in the first place to give them some equality in society, not war. Thus, they promised to fight without using violence (and they plan to keep this promise) and will try anything until they’re granted enough of three items: equality, rights, and freedom as a U.S citizen.
The last important idea is hopefully someday, an African American’s dream of having freedom, rights, and being treated equally will happen in the future; ending segregation and discrimination against them, which King includes repetition and diction to carry out his message. To start, “And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.” (King,3) Everyday is a battle for African Americans-- some days they get closer to justice and the other days they have setbacks, but the dream, hope, and faith of having liberty, rights, and equality should be enough fuel their strength to win their fight. In addition, ‘“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."’ (King,3) “I have a dream” is repeated (repetition) in his speech many times to prove to people that African Americans are disappointed and unhappy; they want changes made to benefit them; meanwhile, that idea does not appeal to white people. Likewise, “And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!” (King,4) King was a known devout Christian man, so he used this advantage of his knowledge of his religion and other religions, applied it to his speech (diction), thinking that people can relate and agree to his imaginative plan for the future, helping the fight for freedom. This main idea develops the central idea by explaining to people that African Americans are a long way from justice, but they have hope and faith that one day all citizens of America will see each other as equal people instead of dividing people because of their diversity. Therefore, African Americans are robbed of their freedom, rights, and equality, but they have a powerful dream-- a dream of ending a few things: segregation, discrimination, and stopping people from denying their access to freedom, rights, and equality, (which might come true if they never give up on their fight).
The evidence paints a vivid picture; the “I Have Dream” speech was a detailed summarization for the fight of African American freedom and equality in the 1960s.
This message was distributed throughout his speech by addressing 3 key points: citizens disobeying meaningful documents allowing and accepting African Americans into their society (in America) with the acknowledgement that they are equal, have rights, and freedom, the treatment white people have given them is inexcusable and unbearable, so they will fight peacefully to change that, and the dream of being united as one community will hopefully turn into reality somehow; however, they have a long way before they get there. The “I Have A Dream” speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, for this reason, is the most compelling piece of text; he preaches to his audience-- trying to persuade them to join the nonviolent fight with him to help African Americans gain freedom and rights, proving that everybody is equal and they don’t deserve less than what the documents or laws stated. Martin Luther King once said, “We may have come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.” He hopes that someday an African American’s dream of living in a society where diversity unites white people and African Americans together-- treating each other equally can turn into something
great.