why doesn't Martin Luther King use a rhetorical question in his speech "I have a dream?"
A rhetorical question is a question that is asked in a writing to add effect and does not require an answer Thanks
2007-12-10 03:20:30 · 2 answers · asked by melly 4 in Education & Reference ➔ Homework Help
The purpose of a rhetorical question is to get a person to think or ponder on a subject. Dr. King's purpose of this speech was not to get people to think about the plight of the black people of the time, everyone already knew the plight. His purpose was to get action albeit peaceful action.
Here is a link where you can actually see and hear Dr. King give this speech and see the look of the people that was actually there. http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm
This was a wonderful speech and I feel it was the main reason he was assassinated.
2007-12-10 03:57:57 · answer #1 · answered by Thomas B 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He was a minister and his style was exhortation. He spoke with charisma and caught his listeners attention with his dramatic words. Therefore, he didn't use questions that would cause the listeners to tune him out for the next few sentences while they considered his rhetorical question.
Very interesting question. I've never though of this before.
2007-12-10 03:49:01 · answer #2 · answered by Woods 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋