Argument Technique in Martin Luther King

Read the short speech. Household chores are rarely exciting. Sorting laundry and unloading dishes does not quicken the pulse. Few people smile at the prospect of mopping. However, chores are building blocks for a firm foundation. Young children who help in the kitchen gain confidence preparing food. When teens help in the yard, they learn valuable home-maintenance skills. These experiences provide support for future independence and success. Identify the metaphor in the speech.

"However, chores are building blocks for a firm foundation."

Which phrases from Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech contain strong emotional connotations? Check all that apply.

"sweltering with the heat of oppression" "an oasis of freedom" "vicious racists"

Read the excerpt from Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. 1) We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. 2) This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. 3) Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. 4) Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice.

4

Read the excerpt from Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. Which statement best describes King's "palace" metaphor

The image shows the impressive potential of a just society.

Read the excerpt from Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania. Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California. But not only that: Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia. Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee. Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring. The most likely reason King uses allusions in this part of his speech is to

encourage listeners to envision freedom everywhere.

Anaphora is the use of a repeated word or phrase that

introduces a clause or sentence

Read the short speech. Mrs. Valenzuela touched countless lives. She reached out to her students and taught them about history. Every lesson was offered with lively insight. She reached out to her peers and made them smile. The workroom echoed with laughter when Mrs. Valenzuela was around. She reached out to her family members and gave them unconditional love. The most likely reason the author uses repetition is to emphasize Mrs. Valenzuela's

personal connections

Read the excerpt from Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

plea for peaceful action.

Read the short speech. Patriotism is often taught through school routines. Young Americans may stand to say, "I pledge allegiance to the flag." They may attend special assemblies or programs honoring veterans. Career studies may include descriptions of armed service professions. Even the study of geography is an exercise in patriotism, as students learn the names of states and capitals. The author includes an allusion to allow readers to

recall a familiar text

Read the excerpt from Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. 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 of this nation. King uses repetition to emphasize the need to

take a firm stand