In his speech I have a dream, Martin Luther King dreams of a world where there is no place for racism or any other inequality among people. In fact, as suggested by the title of his speech, the message he wishes to promote is only a “dream” because of the pertinent racial inequality that exist in the United States. He dreams of a land of equality where people would live harmoniously irrespective of their racial background. The difficulty underlying the quest for freedom is further emphasized through his repetitive use of “I have a dream” in his speech. Dominating discourses about whiteness have already been perpetuated throughout history. Blackness has always seemed to be attached with barbarism and slavery. Such negative stereotypes have paved the way through history and the need for change is reflected in the speech I have a dream. It seems that the white slave owners gained much superiority at the expense of the low status being assigned to slaves.
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'A Personal Analysis of I Have a Dream, a Speech by Martin Luther King Jr'
Moreover, Malcolm X also depicts the fact how African Americans are paying a heavy price for their race. The injustice reserved for slaves echoes in the language he employs to describe the situation in which the slaves had to live. He argues how “Hell” is reserved for African Americans who were faced with prejudices. He is conscious of the history which has witnessed the arrival of slaves in America through the “Mayflower” but he also points out the fact that it is very wrong to continue perpetuating racial stereotypes regarding the Blacks because humanity knows no inequality. People should be seen and treated as equal and should not be judged on basis of their racial background. Malcolm X summarizes the negative stereotypes attached to black slaves as “uncivilized”, “uncouth” and so on using alliteration to emphasize how they have been wrongly judged. He addresses the issue of blackness with care so as not reinforce stereotypes but to raise consciousness about equality.
