How Does Martin Luther King Use Ethos In I Have A Dream Speech
Kaylin Baird
English 101
Professor Zhang
10/19/12
Freedom isn’t Free In 1963, when Martin Luther King gave his most famous speech equity of man was not a known thing in the United States. But with King’s eye opening speech it became a known issue that the country would work towards fixing. Kings “I Have a Dream” speech is one of the most memorable speeches of all time and possibly one of the most successful speeches; it made America into what it is today. This speech cost Martin Luther King his life, but also mastered the art of persuasion successfully. By Martin Luther King using the rhetorical appeals Pathos and Ethos in his “I Have a Dream” speech, he persuaded the audience that discrimination is wrong.
On August 26, 1963 on the …show more content…
Pathos is the appeal to ones emotions; it uses powerful words to make the audience feel compassionate towards the situation. King uses several emotional stories and phrases in his speech. He tells about his dreams, "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” Many people in the audience have children, therefore they can relate to this statement. By him referring to them as “little” children he uses a powerful word that gives the statement more emotional appeal. The audience pictures young, helpless children when they think of “little children” therefore it pulls at their heart by giving them that image. Another example of Pathos would be where he shocked the audience. “It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality.” By making this statement he shocks the audience with his boldness. He’s basically threatening the white people to give blacks the freedom they deserve. By his powerful use of words such as, “fatal” and “urgency”, he proves his point that the colored people will not stop until they get what they deserve, their
English 101
Professor Zhang
10/19/12
Freedom isn’t Free In 1963, when Martin Luther King gave his most famous speech equity of man was not a known thing in the United States. But with King’s eye opening speech it became a known issue that the country would work towards fixing. Kings “I Have a Dream” speech is one of the most memorable speeches of all time and possibly one of the most successful speeches; it made America into what it is today. This speech cost Martin Luther King his life, but also mastered the art of persuasion successfully. By Martin Luther King using the rhetorical appeals Pathos and Ethos in his “I Have a Dream” speech, he persuaded the audience that discrimination is wrong.
On August 26, 1963 on the …show more content…
Pathos is the appeal to ones emotions; it uses powerful words to make the audience feel compassionate towards the situation. King uses several emotional stories and phrases in his speech. He tells about his dreams, "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” Many people in the audience have children, therefore they can relate to this statement. By him referring to them as “little” children he uses a powerful word that gives the statement more emotional appeal. The audience pictures young, helpless children when they think of “little children” therefore it pulls at their heart by giving them that image. Another example of Pathos would be where he shocked the audience. “It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality.” By making this statement he shocks the audience with his boldness. He’s basically threatening the white people to give blacks the freedom they deserve. By his powerful use of words such as, “fatal” and “urgency”, he proves his point that the colored people will not stop until they get what they deserve, their