The Power of Words

Martin Luther king’s most famous speech, “I Have A Dream” carried one very powerful message; the key message, that all  human beings are  created equal and have equal rights, irrespective of race, colour or religion, especially in America. King wanted to make a change in the future. Besides the main message, he also included other ideas to strengthen his speech.  I find the structure of the speech ‘I Have A Dream’ quite captivating. If we look closely at the pattern of the speech, we can clearly see that he talks about the dreadful life the American black were going through at that time, but it ends with a wish for a better beginning for all American people. The very key phrase or words ‘have a dream’ paves the way for a better future. He gives the black Americans some hope by using words such as ‘freedom and security’.  He uses creative dramatic pauses on purpose on a regular basis to emphasize what he is saying. The words” I have a dream” and “Now is the time” are repeated often in his speech to create a sense of necessity about the current situation and encouraging people to act. I was very moved by the way he employed his emotive words to create awareness for the need to be free men and women, to be given equal opportunities socially, economically and intellectually, to live and work among the whites as equals. . Words are the most powerful tool in influencing change.