Jinah Harrell

Mrs. Babcock
AP English 11
10/31/13
I Have a Dream Analysis Final Copy
Within Martin Luther King, Jr.s speech I Have a Dream, delivered a century after
The Gettysburg Address, he earnestly shifts from the dark oppression of injustices in society to
the bright, joyous prospect of the future in order to encourage the civil rights activists to continue
fighting until justice prevails and racial equality is ensured, so Negro race can be Free at last
(P37).
As King effectively makes the people present acknowledge the discrimination of the
Negro race, he further anticipates that America will soon reach a bright future and persuades the
audience to help with the establishment of racial equality. King provides the use of an ardent
antithesis, not judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character (21) to
demonstrate the difference between how people can be judged and magnifying the racial
injustice enabling the audiences passion to contribute in the fight for tolerance. By comparing
his childrens experience in the prejudicial world to a white mans child, King is easily able to
demonstrate the biases being presented in America. He does this to make sure the people present
fully understand the unfairly treatment being elicited and to try to fix it in order to finally be free.
While King uses impassioned antithesis to explain the great anticipation he has for the bright
future he also applies heartfelt religious imagery to make sure the audience fights for racial
equality. King explains to the people that God loves everyone no matter what the color of their
skin is and that one day equality will be established and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed
and all the flesh shall see it together (25). By playing on their religious side by explaining the
imagery of God eventually revealing his self to equalize everything and everyone he suggests
that He too supports this cause. King establishes the fact that the people must work harder
toward freedom and as man of God, when King comments on how one day God will make
everything equal someday, he conveys that that day can be today. Although King talks about
religious imagery he also uses a joyous anaphora to Let Freedom ring (36) right before he
finally delivers his last paragraph. This helps influence the people to fight for equality so the
future can be bright by repeating the phrase let freedom ring (36) allows his point to stand out
more which strengthens his purpose and his speech. The repetition of these words also creates
excitement among the crowd and generates positivity because that reminds them of the Liberty
Bell when he talks about freedom ringing. With the anticipation building up in the crowd by
talking about a prosperous future, King sparks a realization amongst them that becoming equal is
an actual possibility and gets everyone enthusiastic about it, making the people present fight that
much harder for impartiality.