A Stylistic Analysis of Martin Luther King’s I HAVE A DREAM

Now let’s cite some of the similes and metaphors used in King’s speech.

(23) One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. (Par. 2, metaphors)

(24) But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the GREat vaults of opportunity for this nation (Par.4, metaphors)

(25)This is no time … to take the tranquilizing drag of gradualism. (Par. 4, metaphor)

(26) This sweltering summer of the Negro’s legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. (Par. 5, Metaphors)

(27) …we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream. (Par. 7, Similes)

(28) …a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers. (Par. 14, Similes)

3.4 Use of Contrast

Although maybe a rhetorical device instead of a stylistic one, contrast has also been used effectively, like repetition, in this speech, achieving the function of making clear the ideas of the speaker. In paragraph l, for example, “GREat beacon light of hope” is contrasted with “flames of withering injustice,” and “joyous daybreak” with long night of captivity.”

As it is defined, contrast is used to show the difference between two things. Therefore, it is not very difficult for us to understand why the speaker king uses so many contrasts in his speech.

(29) One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. (Par. 2)

(30) Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of seGREgation to the sunlit path of racial justice. (Par. 4)

(31) Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood (Par.4)

(32) This sweltering summer of the Negro’s legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. (Par. 5)

(33) 1963 is not an end, but a beginning. (Par. 5)

(34) Again and again we must rise to the majestic height of meeting physical force with soul force. (Par. 6)

(35) And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back. (Par. 7)

(36)…the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave-owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.(Par. 10)

(37)…a desert state sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. (Par. 11)

(38)…where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. (Par. 12)

(39) With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. (Par. 17)

(40) With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood.

4. Conclusion

As we have analyzed above, stylistic devices are frequently used in the discourse of literary works especially in speech, to achieve certain specific purposes. Thus making the style of a speech somewhat particular to the others.

Generally speaking, a speech may have the following stylistic characteristics:

To begin with, it must be very persuasive. Thus the sentence patterns are very well-organized, with repetitions, parallelism and contrasts frequently used.

Secondly, it should be emotional so as to be convincing, because the speaker should face the audience directly and his words should not only be orderly and informative but also be expressive and inspiring. Therefore, the stylistic devices such as similes and metaphors are often involved.

Finally, in many cases, written-conversational style is usually used with not very formal diction and not very complicated sentence structure.

Bibliography:

[1]. Martin Luther King, Jr., I Have a Dream, August 28, 1963

[2]. Wang Shouyuan, Essentials of English Stylistics, Shandong University Press, July, 2000

[3]. Pan Shaozhang, English Rhetoric and Writing, Shanghai Transportation University Press, December, 1998

[4]. Widdowson, H. G. Stylistics and the Teaching of Literature, Longman, 1975

[5]. Leech, G. N. “ ‘This bread I break’ Language and interpretation”. In D.C. Freeman. (ed.). Linguistics and Literature Style. New York:Holt, Rinhart & Winston.

Acknowledgements:

It was really a laborious task to accomplish a B.A thesis. Many people gave me support and help in the process of writing the paper. I’d like first to give my grate to my dear teacher, vice professor Mr. Liu Fagong, who generously gave me his kindly help and instructions during the whole process of my paper-writing. Then I’d like to give my many thanks to my classmates who helped me a lot with my information collecting and paper-polishing. Most important of all, I want to give my thanks to my mother university and all the teachers in the English College, who educated and cultivated me to be a qualified teacher in the future.转贴于 酷文网-论文下载中心 http://www.coolwen.net