Rhetorical Analysis Of I Have A Dream

“I Have a Dream…” one of the greatest and most recognized dreams in history; not only was it one of the greatest dreams in history, but was also one of the greatest speeches in history. This whole thing was in great works of figurative & metaphorical language. The whole theme of “I have a dream” is just a metaphor for him having an actual vision, obviously not a full dream he had, but might have stemmed from a dream and became his theme. When a writer uses strong metaphorical language it allows them to associate their concepts involved in their speech with solid concrete images or ideas, thoughts, and emotions. This speech uses this whole theme and phrase “I have a dream” to show the injustices of America and the discrimination and
very poor treatment of the color people after they had been told that they have “rights.” Dr. King uses very powerful words and figurative speech in this speech and a great rhetorical speaker. It was also said that Dr. King used a very strong poetic form when writing this speech and did so very carefully and thoroughly. Throughout this speech Dr. King uses many metaphors and all can have many meanings and different interpretations.
Dr.
King does not use many similes, but he uses a lot of metaphors. The use of many metaphor compared to usage of similes are showing a higher form of skill and intelligence. The usages of his metaphors also are requiring greater ability on the part of the audience to perceive the hidden messages, the insight into persons, things or ideas that are implied. Dr. King’s metaphor usage serve us to animate and civilize what is inanimate and they do give us more space for our imagination and make his speech more magnificent, imposing and impressive and is what makes him known as one of the greatest speakers and rhetoric’s to listen
to.

Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream. The whole theme of “I have a dream” as mentioned earlier was a metaphor. The dream that he had was not really a full dream he had, it was more like a vision. Dr. King was not actually sleeping to have this “dream” he was looking in to what he would like to see, something that is not, but he can form the very image of what could be, in his mind. A big metaphor for his vision and the way he would like to see society behave in the near future, at the moment of the speech. Within this huge metaphor of “I have a dream” he has very many metaphors that are bigger and include other things to paint that image in your mind.

A very notable feature in this speech is the usage of excessive metaphor. Dr. King goes right into the metaphor usage in the first two paragraphs. In the beginning paragraph Dr. King mentions the Negro people as having the Emancipation Proclamation as being a great beacon light of hope to them. In the same sentence he goes to say that the Negro slaves had been, “seared in the flames of withering injustice.” The ending sentence of the first paragraph, “It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity,” is very nicely played out in rhetoric and metaphorical
speech.

The second paragraph of this speech again gets in to metaphorical speech deeply again also. They are “crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination” and they live “on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity”. Those two phrases create a very nice image in the minds of listeners to connect them and get them more involved in the speech. Those phrases also help get them to relate and understand more on the way Dr. King feels his people have been mistreated. So within these first two paragraphs of Dr. King’s speech there are already many metaphors to bring powerful images to the minds of his audience and leave a great impression on them.

In the third paragraph Dr. King goes on with this full metaphor of the Negro people coming to the nation’s capital to “cash a check.” Dr. King also after the first sentence mentions the signing of the Constitution and the Emancipation Proclamation as being referred to as Americas forefathers and great leaders as “Signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir to.”
Throughout the essay Dr. King, in a way, re-used the same metaphor to keep the listeners focused and still keep them fully in touch with what he is saying, what he really means, and what he really wants to be done and heard from this.

1) I have a dream a) Metaphor for his vision & way he would like to see society in the future 2) Freedom b) Freedom & Rights c) “Let Freedom Ring” 3) “We have come to our nation’s capital to cash a check” d) Metaphor for the check that they cashed and have not received funds for 4) Constitution being a promissory note they are failing on