The Dream of Freedom

In 1619 the first slaves to be imported to North America were brought to Jamestown of the Virginia colony. In 1865 the 13^th amendment to the United States Constitution abolished slavery. But nearly 100 years later Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in a speech given on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial boldly declared that the Negro still was not free. In the speech that came to be known as his ‘I have a dream’ speech, Dr. King attempts to convince the majority of America, specifically the white people of America, to end segregation and discrimination between blacks and whites. To convey his message many rhetorical tools were used; from alliteration and allusion to symbolism and style, but one of the most effective tools was his use of imagery.

In writing, imagery is the use of language to describe and/or evoke sensory experience. It is the author’s way of letting you feel their words. Throughout his speech Dr. King allows his audience to feel his words. “Seared in the flames of withering injustice”, “This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism.” These sentences both have words in them that describe to the audience a physical feeling. In particular those feelings of extreme heat and burning and the numbing caused by drugs. Near the end of his speech Dr. King repeats the phrase “let freedom ring” and describes all the places where freedom should ring. From the mountain tops of Colorado to the curvaceous peaks of California. The idea of something ringing from high up makes the audience think of church bells. And if freedom, like church bells, are ringing throughout the country it lends to the credibility of the speech.

History has judged the effectiveness of this memorable speech and has shown us that there was a great need for change at the time of the Civil Rights Movement. Through his effective use of Rhetoric Dr. King was able to stir a nation and influence history.