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Analyzing Rhetorical Devices in King’s Speech

The document provides a worksheet for analyzing rhetorical devices in Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech. It outlines a three-step approach for identifying, quoting, and analyzing the function of rhetorical devices. Additionally, it includes specific tasks for students to practice their analysis skills on metaphors and other stylistic elements in the text.

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35 views2 pages

Analyzing Rhetorical Devices in King’s Speech

The document provides a worksheet for analyzing rhetorical devices in Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech. It outlines a three-step approach for identifying, quoting, and analyzing the function of rhetorical devices. Additionally, it includes specific tasks for students to practice their analysis skills on metaphors and other stylistic elements in the text.

Uploaded by

Weam Said
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Analysing Rhetorical Devices

The American Dream

8 Worksheet on Analyzing
Rhetorical Devices

Text: Martin Luther King, Jr., “I Have a Dream”, from: Peter Freese, The American Dream,
Viewfinder Topics (München: Langenscheidt, 2011), pp. 22f.

A HOW TO DEAL WITH TASKS ON RHETORICAL DEVICES

In general, the following three steps in analyzing a rhetorical device can be recommended:
1 Identification of device and location in the context plus line number in brackets:
What is the name of this device and where does it occur?
2 Quotation and technical analysis:
What are the characteristics of the device in this particular example?
3 Function of the device within the context:
What effect does this particular stylistic device have on the reader? In what way does it
enhance this particular passage and heighten its impact?

Example:
In the passage where M. L. King warns the whole country not to underestimate the
determination of the Civil Rights Movement, he uses a metaphor to illustrate its power and
persistence, too: “The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our
nation” (ll. 63‐65). In this image the movement’s protest actions are described as extremely
strong winds that are so powerful that they can damage even the basis of the whole country.
Consequently, all those who care for this nation should strive to help the Civil Rights
Movement achieve its aims.

© 2011 Langenscheidt KG, Berlin und München


Vervielfältigung zu Unterrichtszwecken gestattet.

Seite 1
Analysing Rhetorical Devices
The American Dream

B TASKS
1 The text starts with a paragraph full of metaphors (p. 22, ll. 1‐7). Identify three of them
and analyze them according to the pattern outlined above.
2 The adverbial “one hundred years later” is used effectively in the following paragraphs (ll.
8‐16). Find out what device it is used for, and explain its effect on the listeners (and
readers).
3 In the next three paragraphs (ll. 18‐40), there is an extended metaphor consisting of and
surrounding the word “check”. What does this “check” stand for, and how does King play
with this poetic image? Explain.

(Peter Ringeisen)

© 2011 Langenscheidt KG, Berlin und München


Vervielfältigung zu Unterrichtszwecken gestattet.

Seite 2

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