Analysis of What Makes Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream Speech Appealing and Influencial

The time was during the 20th century when racism, segregation, and many more things were making African Americans socially, and economically weaker than whites who usually had many advantages over them. Such things were the schools they went to which were superior when compared to the other schools African Americans could receive. The African Americans needed something to help them get through their time of need, they needed someone to make a change for them that person was Martin Luther King Jr. who seemed to fit that bill. With his tone of speech, his choice of words, and pathos, he would certainly leave an impact on the world.

In their time of need Martin Luther King Jr. knew that what people needed was hope and someone who would actually follow with their plans, and with him being a reverend it all only naturally fit in. His tone of speech was one that captivated his audience was optimism which was greatly ushered in by his, I Have a Dream, speech which was very influential. Just by starting his speech with how happy he is to see them all their can make them feel united in the cause and point he is trying to spread to them all. His tone shifts when he then begins to state their reality, how they are being treated unfairly by the society they must live in, once thrown into a mood of being cheated by society he then returns to a tone of hope. While in this manner he will talk for them all as if they hold the same firm beliefs he does for their freedoms and the injustice they suffer through together. While trying to appeal to them he will use emotional scenarios which are able to help his writing in giving the intended message of how they will be free.

Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. didn’t just use simple tones to give hope and sway the course of history, he also used very wise word choice to give strength to the impact of his words. For instance as he is involved in a serious subject he speaks uses very formal words while still being able to appeal to his audience with some word techniques. He can be seen in his speech using repetition with the most famous of it being, “I Have a Dream”, in which after and before stating it he will say how the world will be once segregation is gone with examples such as how colored and white children will be able to hold hands with one another as though like brother and sister. He will also state how they are being robbed of their freedoms and they shouldn’t just go on without their dignity to make them all want to join his cause.

Not only did he use tone and word choice to make his speech more appealing and influential he also used pathos which is when he appealed to the audience in ways such as emotional ones, or let them see things from his view which he used lots of in his speech. In the beginning of his speech he starts to use pathos bringing up that 100 years ago during their time they freed slaves but even then 100 years later they were never truly free making them feel that they still need to fix society. He then brings up there will be no tranquility until they get their rights making them all feel determined to stand up for their rights together. He then brings up to them how one day freedom will ring out through all of America giving them the hope they need for their future.

In conclusion there is no doubt that Martin Luther King Jr’s speech left a great impact for us all today with all he had stated in it. His speech certainly is credible as an argument in today's world and back then with his use of tone that helped the audience feel the emotions he tried to express to them with his arguments. We also see his word choice play a good factor in his speech as while in a serious subject he will use many metaphors along with other things to help show clearly to his listeners what he wants them to see. His use of pathos also shows how he wanted them to feel during the speech from making them feel a sense of dignity needing to be restored to giving them the determination they need. With all of these tools and more it is easy to see why people would listen to him with his speech certainly leaving a concrete impact on society forever.