Imagery

Imagery and the Reason it's Successful---

The famous "I Have A Dream" speech was given by Martin Luther King Jr. on August 28, 1963. The success of King's oratory lies most heavily in his use of **imagery**.



//Does anyone disagree? Are there any literary devices that seem to outweigh imagery with regards to significance in this speech?//


 * Imagery** is so essential to this piece because of how the device acts in the listener's mind. Every concept that King covers in the speech is reinforced with an image. This is important because the fog of abstraction that may limit the listener's understanding in any work of information is wiped totally out of mind, and there is something firm and clear to hold for reference for the listener to interact with (this is especially important when trying to persuade and invigorate an audience to action).

"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," (para. 6).

and

"It is obvious today that America has defaulted..." (para. 4).

The use of extensive imagery also allows King to give certain things **emphasis** and **tone** without actually placing a blatant judgment on the concept. This keeps King and his ideas "safe on the surface" so to speak, from immediate resistance or criticism by the listener's opinions.

"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," (para. 7).

This almost subliminal effect produces a greater impact by bypassing, on first notice, prejudices and assumptions withheld by the listener.


 * Imagery** also gives room for an easy appeal to **pathos**. King doesn't outright say that, "African-Americans are suffering due to intolerance and discrimination." He lets this idea ride on the back of images, which gives the device the same advantages previously discussed.

"It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency..." (para. 4).


 * Ethos** is present within the vehicle of imagery as well, and it is just as subtle as any other rhetorical appeal that exists as an aspect of the imagery, like **pathos**.

"I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers," (para. 17).

Although most of the speech's points are clear with the use of **imagery**, one paragraph is alone in ambiguity.

"I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together," (para. 19).

//Does anyone have a feeling on what this passage means? What important aspect in his life do you think gave King the inspiration for it?//

This passage seems to hint at something mystical, archaic, and biblical. It is important to note it's strangeness because the tone of the excerpt does not fit the rest of the speech, but still seems to be filled with intention and meaning, perhaps more so than any other passage.

The extensive use of **imagery** in this speech allows King to sculpt and color his ideas with precision and intent, and integrate various rhetorical devices which reinforce and convey his ideas. This creates a seamless, direct, intuitive understanding in the listener which is what any work trying to get people to understand it can ever hope to achieve.