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Speech From Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Analysis

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On August 28, 1963 American Baptist and civil rights movement activist Martin Luther King Jr gave a speech at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. Not for the beautiful viewing but for the remembrance of the President who tried to end segregation. Dr. King spoke in front of hundreds of thousands of colored and white people from across the nation, informing them about the change against segregation. As a writer Dr. King knows how to grab his followers attention. Dr. King used allusions, pathos, parallel structure, alliteration, juxtaposition, and imagery to not only show the future when segregation ends but to grab people attention and open their ears to faith and change.

Dr. King uses allusions to show credibility of past and how people …show more content…
Dr.King stated: "I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight;" (89-91). The uses of juxtaposition showed what the future could look like if segregation were to end. Without the use of juxtaposition Martin Luther King wouldn’t have been able to show people the future of America. Martin Luther King made people feel the pain of segregation by using imagery. Martin Luther King shouted: "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"(4-5). The use of imagery helps people imagine the pain that colored people have to go through daily. It also mimics the heat of the day Martin Luther King gave the speech making people feel the pain.

Martin Luther King Jr is one of the most inspirational leaders of the civil rights movement. His speeches have and continue to give people hope as well as a bright future. The use of the devices allusions, juxtaposition, and parallel structure, imagery, alteration , and pathos to give hope, meaning and an outlook to the speech. Martin Luther King stated: "I am happy to join you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation" (1-2). The saying did hold true

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