"I Have A Dream" Rhetorical Analysis

         Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. used several examples of figurative language in the writing of his "I Have A Dream"  speech. One of these examples is repetition. Dr.King repeatedly used the phrase "one hundred years later" in the beginning of his speech to emphasize that no change has been made in the years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. He also uses metaphors and similes. An example of an metaphor would be when he stated "Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred." Dr.King is trying to get the people to accomplish their dreams of being free without being violent and having hatred in their hearts. A simile he used is ".. and will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a might stream." The effect of using these rhetorical devices gives off the tone Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is displaying in his speech. Dr. King's tone seemed to be very motivating, serious, and influential. 

       Pathos is another rhetorical device Dr.King used in his speech. This is used to appeal to the emotions. One example of this was when he stated "Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred." Dr.King is trying to get the people to understand that they should not just their wants to have freedom just solely on their emotions. Another example of pathos is when Dr. King said "We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality."  This appeals to emotions because  it is talking about the African American people's satisfaction about police brutality, they will never be happy with it. There are many different examples of pathos being used within this speech to try and relate to the feelings of the people.