...Essay Outline Have you ever knew who influenced society more Martin Luther King Jr. or Rosa Parks? I think Martin Luther King Jr. influenced society more. Some might say that Rosa Parks influenced society more because Rosa decision to stay seated caused a lot of people to stop and think, she also worked against racism for a world where people could be treated equality, she also helped form the Montgomery Improvement Association. King spoke his dream that one day live in a world where they would not be judged by their color of their skin, King decided to become actively involved in fighting for their civil rights, and he was the leader of a non-violent bus boycott. You might not agree with me but Martin Luther King Jr. influenced society more. King spoke his dream. “That one day they would live in a world where they would not be judged by their color of their skin.” I think that Martin luther king spoke his dreams to persuade people...
Words: 476 - Pages: 2
...Rhetorical Analysis of Martin Luther King’s Speech “I Have a Dream” Likita M. Taylor ITT-Tech English 1320: Composition I November 12 2012 Rhetorical Analysis of Martin Luther King’s Speech “I Have a Dream” “I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.” These are the opening words of Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream speech”, which he predicted will be the foundation of the Civil Rights Movement and the turning point in finally ending segregation. Time and time again, his speech is credited as being “one of the most successful and most legendary speeches in United States history.”(Martin, 2010, 10 par 1). He was an astonishing, intelligent speaker who often relied on using strong rhetoric devices to get his message across. Through his articulate use of logos, pathos, and ethos, King was able to persuade his generation that "the Negro is not free.” (Martin 2001 par3). His speech became the rallying cry for civil rights and lives on to this day as a perpetual masterpiece. Before one can really understand the analysis of his speech, it is important to understand King’s arguments. His main point is that blacks are not free or equal according to the rights guaranteed by the Constitution. He argues that African-Americans must claim their full rights and demand liberation from inequality and suppression. King's audience is not only Black Americans, but his message...
Words: 794 - Pages: 4
...An increasing number of educators have begun to discuss how leadership evolves to match this quickly changing world. Usually people believe good leaders should have outstanding charisma and skills in order to lead successfully. This essay, however, will examine the servant style of leaderships which, rather than relying upon command and control, is structured from the bottom-up. That is, servant leaders approach the organizational goals by establishing the organization’s norms to help people who is in need.(Tiaki, 2014). Servant leadership is of 3 core elements: listening, conceptualization and stewardship. This essay will discuss these three elements and demonstrate how they work in action by examining the life and exploits of Martin Luther King. When discussing about the servant leaders, the ability of listening can be emphasized at the very beginning. That is more than just listening. This is where making conscious efforts to hear not only the words that another person is saying but, more importantly, try to understand the complete message being sent. According to Nichols(2009),good listeners try to understand and realize what speakers say to them and no judgment will be delivered. So good listeners not only make speakers perceive that what they are talking about is interesting to the listeners but also to get information, understand and learn at the same time. For examples, If students can pay more attention and patience to listen to what teachers say in the lectures obviously...
Words: 1997 - Pages: 8
...Rhetorical Analysis Paper Martin Luther King Jr.: I Have a Dream According to Aristotle, there are three ways for a speaker to persuade his audience: ethos, logos, and pathos ("American rhetoric: Aristotle's rhetoric - selected moments," n.d.). Aristotle noted that a speech should “engage both the rational and non-rational elements of the listener's soul” (Wardy, 1996, p. 63). The speaker must have credibility with their audience and appear fair, open-minded, honest, and knowledgeable (ethos). He/she must also have logical appeal with strong, valid arguments based on facts and, perhaps, with personal experience and observations (logos). And, finally, the speaker must emotionally appeal to the audience and create a personal connection to draw and hold their attention (pathos). Of the three, Aristotle believed that ideally arguments should be made with reason, or logic, alone (McKay & McKay, 2010). However, it is often a speaker’s emotional appeal that creates the personal connection, as well as captivates and motivates the audience … and few have done that better than the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. If you say the words “I have a dream”, Americans from age 18 to 80 immediately think of Martin Luther King Jr. They may not know the words achieved notoriety from a speech given at an equal rights march on Washington, DC in August 1963. They may not know that 250,000 blacks gathered at the National Mall to demand "jobs and freedom" (Hampson, 2013). Additionally, they...
Words: 1178 - Pages: 5
...Literary Techniques of Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream Speech Literary Techniques of Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream Speech Introduction Martin Luther King, Jr., a prominent civil rights leader, delivered a powerful speech at the historic March on Washington. The speech uses several literary techniques to engage the listener. In the speech, King especially likes to use repetition and metaphor to convey his ideas. These devices are the foundation of King?s unique and effective style. Repetition In I Have a Dream King uses repetition throughout. Repetition is a good tool to use to reinforce an important idea. In Dorothy Seyler?s Read, Reason, Write, she states: ?Some repetition of key words and phrases will occur in well-written and unified essays. Some writers, though, go beyond this technique of unified writing and use repetition to produce an effective cadence, like a drum beating in the background, keeping time with the speaker?s fist pounding the lectern for emphasis.? (58). King?s speech is a perfect representation of this. I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. 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." I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons...
Words: 2738 - Pages: 11
...Project Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. inspired myself along with many other nationalities all over the world in so many ways. He was a very courageous and intelligent man who fought so hard for the blacks or African-Americans like myself to have equal rights like the whites or Caucasian people. Just as other civil rights leaders such as Rosa Parks, Dr. King felt that it just wasn’t fair that the black people was segregated from the white people. Black people couldn’t use the same water fountains, bathrooms, eat at the same diner with the white people, etc. He felt like we all was equal as one and should be entitled to the same rights. Because of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. hard earned work, his ambition, and motivation this is why I decided to select him to do my essay on. Dr. King faced many obstacles he had to overcome to achieve success throughout his long journey. He was violently attacked along with his property. The police repetively arrested him over 20 times for protesting. The Ku Klux Klan tortured Dr. King and his family. They bombed his home, set his home on fire, and made terroristic threatening phone calls to him. He was even stabbed. The federal government was irritated by his actions. Because of this, Dr. King was subjected to several unwarranted investigations by the FBI and undue harassment by their head J. Edgar Hoover. Hoover felt that Dr. King was a liar and was the leading cause of all of...
Words: 671 - Pages: 3
...Letter From Birmingham Jail Vs. “I Have a Dream Speech” The first way that a “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” and “ I have a Dream” differ are in their intended audience, as one is intended for a group of white clergymen while the other is intended to rally a large group. This difference in audience and how Dr. King chooses to appeal to each of his audiences causes for the choices in language and the purpose of “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” and “I have a Dream” to differ. “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is addressed to white clergymen, and the purpose of the letter is to defend the demonstrations that were taking place. As Dr. King is trying to defend the demonstrations to these white clergymen, his language choice is quite interesting. One brilliant way that he chooses to defend the demonstrations is by appealing to the white men through his choice of Anglo terms. For instance, in the letter, Dr. King writes, “Just as the prophets of the eighth century century B.C. left their villages and carried their “thus saint the Lord” far beyond the boundaries of their home towns…I am compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own home town” (King). This choice of wording makes Dr. King’s argument stronger since as these white men disagree with Dr. King and his form of peaceful protest, the white clergymen will not be able to argue back because he is using religious references that if the white men chose to argue against, it would make them look like hypocrites (Eubank). While...
Words: 1811 - Pages: 8
...Ali Alnasfan Mary Mullalond English 181 December 3, 2015 Literature Analysis: The Relation of the Works of African American Authors with Islam Introduction: The African American literature is full of enthralling stories, poems and riveting facts. The authors and poets have used various themes to express their depression, anger, plea and even hope. In this essay, various themes like racial discrimination, survival, honor and homeland will be discussed. Most of these themes that these authors have used in their work have a direct relation with the religion of Islam. All these themes have been discussed in Islam and the religion has provided answers to these problems. Following works will be discussed in the essay. 1. If we must die (poem) by Claude McKay 2. A Litany for Survival (poem) by Audre Lorde 3. I have a Dream (speech) by Martin Luther King Analysis # 1: If we must Die: Honor and honorable death is one such theme that is the main focus of the poem, “If we must die” by Claude Mackay. Claude McKay wants his people that are under threat from the white people and are being killed. He wants them to die nobly. Islam has given a huge distinction to the one who dies honorably i.e. in the way of Allah. This means if a person is doing something good, or is on his way to doing a going deed and dies, he dies a martyr. The Prophet [SAW] said: "Whoever fights to protect his wealth and is killed, he is a martyr. Whoever fights to protect himself, he is a martyr....
Words: 1255 - Pages: 6
...Dr. Martin Luther King was an African American civil rights leader who was responsible for pushing for equal rights and equal justice. King wrote and presented many great speeches on the plight of the poor and disenfranchised black Americans. His speeches influenced many young and old black and white citizens across the United States to band together to change the segregation laws across the South. His oratory style of speaking blended southern black preaching with the truth and the writings of our founding fathers that led to the changing of millions of Americans minds. To this day Dr. King is considered to be one of history’s greatest and most influential speakers. Dr. King was invited to speak at events unaffiliated with his passion for the Civil Rights Movement, my essay compares and contrast what many consider his greatest speech entitled “I Have A Dream” with “On the Importance of Jazz”. August of 1963, Dr. King gave a speech called “I Have A Dream”, which was very powerful and influential. King claims, “now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children." (King). However, King hopes to keep equality through this nonviolent movement. He orders his fellow Negros to not have...
Words: 1138 - Pages: 5
...Jacob for example; he is eight years old, energetic, loves to read and has dreams of being a ninja or a firefighter...depending on the day. Right now, Jacob feels he is in charge of what his life will hold. He will need to keep that self-confidence when he grows up, because throughout Jacob’s life he will come across people who try to change him, to lead him away from his goals and into their expectations. This boy could grow up to become one of the most inspirational people in the world, or an average person who works the same boring job every day. Jacob will ultimately be the one in charge of his own legacy. There is a famous quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson, “To be yourself in a world where people are constantly trying to change you is the greatest...
Words: 973 - Pages: 4
...I was very much interested in the Civil Rights movement, but my mother never allowed me to speak my mind about such a sensitive topic. She always thought I was just a little kid who didn’t know what she was talking about." But a young, intelligent person understood the very aspect of the Civil Rights Movement and the motives behind it. As people graduated from American High School, they attention veered towards the Civil Rights Movement and they feel it. Some communities are a predominantly black community in an inner cit. Many people in these communities do not seem as interested or affected by the historical movement. But everyone knew to follow the rules of not conversing nor interacting with whites. One person describes one hot July day, there was a rally held in Downtown Miami along with many other cities. The really lasted all day but messages were being spread. “I felt a sense of glory because it was the first time I felt a true connection with every other person in the country who was trying to make a difference in this country. “Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love,” A message from Martin Luther King, JR. that showed his passion to promote unity and non-violence during the Civil Rights Movement. During the times of the Civil Rights Movement, many African Americans were angry and had hatred towards white people because of the oppression they endured for years. As a result...
Words: 1856 - Pages: 8
...Written Assignment 4: Essay on Barack Obama’s speech at the Groundbreaking Ceremony of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial (2006) Even when a life ends, a soul can manage to live on with the people who it has left behind. This can appear through memorable deeds that a life can have managed to make before it passes. The above is what Barack Obama’s speech at the Groundbreaking Ceremony of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial from 2006 is about. Through the use of many of the same rhetorical instruments that Martin Luther King used before him, Obama establishes not only what Martin Luther King meant to America but also what he means to Obama on a personal level. In the following, I will make a rhetorical analysis and interpretation of the speech. The speech can be described as being an occasion speech which means that Obama’s aim is for him to entertain his audience at the memorial, by interpreting his vision of Martin Luther King Jr. The speaker is Barack Obama who is an African-American senator and soon-to-be presidential candidate in the United States. The audience for his speech is the participating to the national memorial, but primarily the speech is meant for the African-American inhabitants. He entertains his audience by reminding them of the great things that King has accomplished for the African-Americans in the United States of America: “I will tell them that because he did these things, they live today with the freedom God intended...
Words: 961 - Pages: 4
...important than style. In the case of “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and “I Have a Dream”, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s prominent style creates a platform for the development of the context of his opinions. A stylistic device King uses in both essays in order to convey his message is the allusion. In “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, King references the Boston tea party, destruction that was then deemed gallant by the American public. King references this occurrence from the past to clarify that when he was arrested he was in fact doing the ethical thing, but it just happened to be illegal. Doing the moral thing, in Kings opinion, and doing the legal thing do not constantly have to correlate. This allusion also showcases that civil disobedience is not...
Words: 747 - Pages: 3
...Kingsborough Community College Chebarrie Haynes English 12 Sec. 71 Dec 8, 2015 Language and Its Power "Thanks to words, we have been able to rise above the brutes; but thanks to words we have often sunk to the level of the demons" (Huxley, pg). This quote means that depending on how they are used, words have the power to set people apart from one another. For example, Martin Luther King Jr. with his famous 'I Have a Dream' speech. However Huxley is also saying that words have the power to allow people to the level of the 'oppressors'.This is seen in Gloria Naylor's essay "The Meaning of a Word". I am also a believer of this doctrine. “Words start wars and end them"(Roy Williams, Web). A little over 50 years ago Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and delivered one of the memorable and influential speeches in history. During this time period, there were many civil rights movements occuring throughout the entire nation. The majority of African Americans in the U.S.A. especially in the south were faced with racial discrimination and Jim Crow Laws which allowed the legal segregation of black and white people even though "All men are created equal" (Thomas Jefferson, Web). These 'Laws' meant that colored people could...
Words: 1051 - Pages: 5
...influence the African American community. Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X two men having experienced different things in their lives held different beliefs and morals and influenced people based upon those things. Martin Luther King Jr., came from a Baptist home with a fairly easy childhood, he was educated when he was younger and attended Morehouse College, an all black college, where he had several role models that shaped his beliefs. Malcolm X, on the other hand, experienced a hard childhood and used drugs and committed other crimes in his early adult years. While in prison he found a father figure in Elijah Muhammad and joined the Nation of Islam. There are many differences between Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X in the way they acted and influenced the African American community. This paper will look to describe their differing views and analyze their actions and their lives. In most cases a person’s childhood has a lasting affect on the rest of a person’s life. In comparing Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X this seems to be the case. Martin Luther King Jr., was born January 19, 1929 and was raised by a strong supportive family. He had a somewhat privileged life and “never experienced the feeling of not having the basic necessities of life.”[1] His father “was a community leader in Atlanta and pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church” and his mother “was a school teacher and an accomplished pianist.”[2] Although King was well off economically he was also...
Words: 3427 - Pages: 14
