I've Been to the Mountain Top Analysis Essay

Martin Luther King Jr. was an American social activist and a minister of the Baptist church. He was also one of the best-renowned orators. One of the most significant roles that Martin Luther played was his involvement in the American Civil Rights Movement that until the time that he was assassinated in 1968. In his activism, King sought that the African Americans could be treated equally and fought for their human rights as well. He also sought equality for the people who were economically disadvantaged and those who had been subjected to any sought of injustice through nonviolent protests. As a result of his influence, King was the influence behind some events, for example, the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the march on Washington that happened in 1963, which assisted in bringing critical legislation like the Voting rights act and the Civil Rights Act. This essay analyses one of the greatest speeches made by Martin Luther King Jr. titled "I have been to the Mountain Top." I examine the historical significance that this speech carries, its delivery technique, how the address was organized and finally the rhetorical proofs that are evident in the address.

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In the 1960s, efforts for fighting for racial equality gained momentum. During the time, it was clear that racism was one of the major issues that resulted in uproars through crimes perpetrated as a result of hate, and violent protests. Thus on the 3rd April 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his remarks in Memphis Tennessee. The Speech "I have been to the Mountaintop," (History.com, 2009) given by Martin Luther King Jr. can be described as a speech that is exceptionally moving. The statement emphasized racial equality for all human beings, regardless of their skin color. In his remarks, King conveyed his highly powered message on nonviolence through the use of metaphors as well as other analogies that the members of the audience could relate. Apart from leading the African Americans being gradually accepted in a society that could at the time b considered as an all white, the speech also help those who were at one time discriminated to obtain new freedom.

Upon commencing his talk, it can be observed that Dr. King directly dives into addressing the issues that he had planned. He gives a clear explanation of the America that he would like, by the use of metaphors. For example, " I would take my mental flight by Egypt, and I would watch God's children in their magnificent trek from the dungeons of Egypt through, or rather cross the Red Sea, through the wilderness on toward the promised land. And despite its magnificence, I wouldn't stop there." (Eidenmuller, 2008) By so saying, Luther conveys his great hope for the country to change its prejudicial ways. He also believes that if everyone in the local communities takes their part, then it could be easy obtaining equality for all people in the society whether white or black. It can be observed that King uses a lot of poetic techniques in his speech. He repetitively uses the phrase "If I had Sneezed" which conveys his speech delivery style, while also metaphorizing death, thus efficiently relating himself as well as his memories to those of other people.

By using his personal experiences, Dr. King gets into a close and personal level with his listeners. He talks of his vision of what an ideal America was, "I can remember when Negroes were just going around as Ralph has said, so often, scratching where they didn't itch, and laughing when they were not tickled. But that day is all over." He also refers to other prominent speech like the inaugural speech of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, "We have nothing to fear but fear itself." By so doing he demonstrates his knowledge of the American political history and provides himself with a source that is strong and reliable (Seidman, and McLelland, 1992). The speech can be said to be useful since Dr. King expertly grabbed the attention of the audience as he used common scenarios that people could identify with and metaphors that helped in delivering his message.

Ethos appeals to the credibility of the audience. There are statements in King's speech that demonstrated ethos. For example, when he said, "Somewhere I read of the freedom of assembly. Somewhere I read of the freedom of speech." the audience was moved since he was referring to the constitution, which has been the most important paper in the history of America. Dr. King also uses logos to the benefit of the logical appeal of the audience. He says," For everybody to see that there are 1500 of God's children here suffering, sometimes going hungry, going through dark night wondering how things are going to work out," rational thoughts are appealed by the quote. Thus, for the people whose interest is in logic, they could be more interested in the words of the quote. Lastly, pathos is evident in King's speech. Dr. King effectively appeals to the emotions of the audience. He remarks "If you allow me to live just a few years in the second half of the twentieth century, I will be happy." The effectiveness of the statement is that King would like to live long enough to witness changes in America. However, ironically, Dr. King was assassinated on the day that followed after delivering his speech.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was surely among the best active orators that the world has known. His efficient methods of speech delivery made his message well understood and even changed the people's minds. Also, his eloquent use of logos, ethos, and pathos led many to treat others better. Thus Dr. King continues to inspire many people and remains in their memories.

Works cited

Eidenmuller, Michael E. "American Rhetoric: Martin Luther King, Jr. - I've Been To The Mountaintop (April 3 1968)". Americanrhetoric.Com, 2008, http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkivebeentothemountaintop.htm. Accessed 18 Apr 2018.

History.com. "Martin Luther King, Jr.". HISTORY.Com, 2009, https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/martin-luther-king-jr. Accessed 18 Apr 2018.

Seidman, Jeff, and Marshall McLelland. "Narrative In Martin Luther King'si've Been To The Mountaintop". Southern Communication Journal, vol 58, no. 1, 1992, pp. 22-32. Informa UK Limited, doi:10.1080/10417949209372884.