I feel we’ve all read or heard the iconic “I Have a Dream” speech several times throughout our lives. His choice to repeat the line “I have a dream” and other evocative phrases gives any audience a fire in their stomach. He consistently uses metaphors to further express his powerful ideas or otherwise emphasize his points. He challenged the government and suggests they failed their African American citizens. He inspired a movement so large it thrust America into a new age.

I found it compelling that he would so boldly go against the authorities. His choice to rebel against what he had been told throughout his youth has always been a heavy hitting sentiment to me. From the times of his adolescence to his last breath, Martin Luther King, Jr. made it his mission in life to be the change he wanted to see in America.

Another compelling moment was his bravery to use any language he needed to get his argument across. He held nothing back from his speech. His audacity and decorum in the use of, what at the time would have been, offensive language in a positive manner made his argument strong and heavy hitting.

My only question to ask the author would be his opinion on the state of America today. How would he feel and what would he have to say about the country we live in now?

I believe his purpose was to unite African American people under an idea that would compel others to make a stand. He wanted to light a fire under the seats of every single African American citizen living in the United States. He didn’t want to simply rile up a crowd, he wanted to give them a sense of purpose and pride in who they were.

While reading “I Have a Dream” by Martin Luther King Jr, it felt as if he’s mad, and fighting for justice and for his and Americas rights. His speech was very straight forward, he spoke in an elegant way, with a lot of power. He also spoke about a lot of racism. It stated “instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has giving the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked “inefficient funds.” This check that they received did not work. Checks were something missing in there community, and it was time for them to fight for there rights.

I wonder what made Martin give this speech in the first place. What influenced him? Did he think twice before giving this speech? Did he think what will happen after?

While reading the  “ I have a dream speech “by Martin Luther King Jr, I noticed  how he emphasize phrases by repeating at the beginning of a sentence . For example: “ I have a dream” is repeated in eight successive sentence . I also noticed he repeated key theme word such as freedom, nation , we , justice , dream throughout his speech to emphasize on the purpose of the speech.  He also used specific examples to illustrate his argument such as geographical reference in his speech. He used many metaphors as well to allow the the audience to create more concrete emotions and images.For example : the negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity”.

The sentence i found the most compelling when he says, “ rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice”  It stuck to me because of the way the metaphor was used in this sentence to deliver a very powerful message.

I wonder how his perspective in racial justice is going to be  in todays society, we are still in a society with racial segregation and injustice.

The purpose here was  to end racial injustice and inequality and create a vision of complete democratic society where everyone is equal.

Moahmmed Mia
English 1101
Sarah Ostiz
02/14/2014
I have a dream Response
While reading the “I have a dream” speech by Martin Luther King Jr. I noticed that he is furious about his people facing injustice and discrimination 100 years after Emancipation proclamation which freed the slaves. He wants to bring about change which will grant African American equal rights and end segregation, in order to end segregation he suggest that all African American must unite for one cause. Even though African American been Abused and discriminated for 100s of years he doesn’t promote violence, he believes violence won’t change anything and makes things worse. He wants his people to bring about change through will power and peaceful protests. I noticed that even though Whites discriminated against his people for so long but he doesn’t despise them In fact he went as far as calling them his “brothers”.
I found it compelling that he doesn’t want African American to fight for equality though violence, he states that “We must not be guilty of wrongful deeds, Let us not seek to satisfy out thirst for freedom by drinking from the cups of bitterness”. I find this compelling because even after all he witnessed he was able to stay above it and suggest his people attain freedom the right way.
I wonder if Martin Luther king jr. believed in everything he preached, and also I wonder if knew at the time what a revolutionary speech he was giving during the speech.
I think purpose of this speech was hope. He wanted the people who been oppressed for so long to be reenergized to become one to bring about change, he wanted to make his people believe that it’s possible.

I have read Martin Luther King “ I have a dream”. While reading the speech, I felt his fury and his desperation for justice. He not only spoke with great power and in a poetic way but also connected with the audience. I felt that he was not only speaking to his people as black man to black man but also to all Americans. In his speech he gives examples of the continued racism that his people still face one hundred years later after the emancipation proclamation, which freed them from slavery, was signed. Martin Luther king new it was time to demand a change and although it was going to take a while he gave us the steps that needed to be taken to achieve equality.

I found it compelling when he referred to their situation as a bad check. He said, “America has giving the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked “inefficient funds” and that they have come to cash that check. When the declaration of independence was signed, all Americans were promised liberty and a brighter future. Instead the African American was giving an insignificant amount of that heir. It was time for them to rise and fight for those rights.

I also found compelling when he said, “ Of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. He made it clear that there was no stepping back, that sooner or later all Americans had to walk together and unite as brothers to respect and form the real America.

I wonder what was going through Martin Luther King mind while giving the speech. Did he know that this speech was going to become a legend? And that it was actually going to make a significant change in the life’s of all African Americans.

I think that the purpose of this speech was to demand equality and end racism once and for all. He wanted to point out that their life’s would be so much better and peaceful if freedom were to be available to all. Although they might not live to see the complete change they holed the bright future in their hands, the future of their children and their children children’s.

I Have a Dream speech by Martin Luther King Jr is such an empowering speech not only for equality but for all dreamers. A dream is only a dream until you try to pursue the dream. Martin Luther King definitely pursued the dream not only for him but everyone who was a victim of inequality. The speech not only called for equality for Negros but for the rights of all people. That showed the total equality of men, women, and children. He could have been selfish with his dream and focused primarily on the African Americans who were clearly suffering.

“We can’t walk alone”, Martin Luther King Jr had asked for unity, a unity that can;t be broken or destroyed for the better. Unified we stand divided we will fall. Martin Luther King Jr saw the road of destruction that was not only being walked but what could be next for humanity. We all have a calling in this life we live, but King’s path was dedicated to change and bravery. The speech always has me thinking what I would have said if I were in his shoes. I don’t think I would be as powerful as him but, I definitely would try to allow my voice to be heard.

“I have a dream today”, this means he would never live out his dream. Martin Luther King Jr already know he wouldn’t be able to see his dream come true because change never occurs over night. He never lost the attention of his followers, protesters, and believers and that is where he felt success in his actions, procedures, and beliefs.

The way the speech was ended, “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last” signified that all normal way of thinking was over and the free way of thought had begun. A thought that freedom is the goal and must be achieved. Martin Luther King Jr’s dream had begun to come true.