English Literature

Literature has become a very wide subject with the emergence of many writers. Everyone wants to venture into literature because it is among the few avenues to making someone a public figure. With the greater progress in this field, several literal devices have been adopted so as to strengthen or to support the literature work. Some literal devices are used to spice the work while others are used to bring emphasis. This paper will identify and analyze one of the key literal supports that Martin Luther King has used in one of his speeches I have a dream that was delivered in August 1963.

Like every other writer, Martin has used several support devices in most of his works the most evident one that shall be discussed in this paper is repetition. There are several instances in which repetition has been used in this piece of work.  Several phrases have been repeated in almost all the paragraphs. For instance, in the first paragraph, the phrase One hundred years later has been repeated more than three times. Another repetition occurs on the fourth paragraph with the phrase Now is the time to. The phrases that repeat most times are I have a dream and Let freedom ring from on the eighth and last paragraphs respectively.

Martin has repeated words in very many occasions and in all the times the repeated phrases appear before the other devices. The author has used repetition to a grater extent because he wanted to create emphasis on the urgency of the matter. The key moments in which repetition has boosted my analysis of this work is in the eighth paragraph where the phrase I have a dream has been repeated. Rewriting this paragraph without repeating the phrase I have a dream, it would read.

This nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal. On the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. Even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. My for little children will one day live in a nation by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. Today Down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with 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. Today Every valley shall be exalted, and 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.  Once this paragraph is rewritten without the repetition of the idiom I have a dream, its meaning is totally distorted. It does not bring out the original meaning one is not sure whether a sentence has began or ended. Nothing has been emphasised hence there is no urgency in the message. It is also not clear whether this is something that is guaranteed to happen, a dream or a desire. It is just an open speech and anyone can think it to be something else. Repetition has therefore been used effectively in this paragraph and it omission could have changed the meaning of the whole speech.

The use of repetition in a literal work can be overdone by repeating words even when it is not necessary. Repetition of words is only necessary and useful when one wants to emphasis on a point or when she wants to make things clearer. Too much repetition is sometimes boring and may not even bring out the intended meaning. Thus, when a word or a phrase is repeated more than three times in a sentence, it may turn out to be overdone. Too much of unnecessary words may even interfere with the understanding of the reader. The use of repetition can also be underdone just as it can be overdone. When words or phrases are meant to repeat, it should be clear to the reader that repetition has been used the reader does not have to be forced so as to see a literal device used. Thus repeating a word only twice in a paragraph may not be considered as repetition. Therefore the effectiveness of every device lies on the extent to which it can be used without being overused or underused.

Repetition is commonly used when the author has a feeling that she is talking to a stubborn audience. Martin was addressing the American citizens about racial discrimination when he was writing this speech. During that time, racism had hit America and the Blacks could not sit together with the Whites. Therefore the only way he thought he could get the attention of this audience, more so the Whites, was to use some literal device that would bring emergence and emphasis.

In summary, Martin Luther King has chosen to use repetition as the key literal device to convey his message to the American people because it was the only available and effective way of making his mind known to these people. Repetition shows the urgency and necessity of the message communicated. Using other devices would probable alter the whole meaning and interpretation of the speech. He could have used other devices such as similes or metaphors, but not all citizens could interpret the deeper meaning of the speech if such devices were used. Repetition is clearer and readily understandable that people of all age could easily understand. Thus the reason why Martin chose to repetition and not any other device is that it is creates emphasis to the urgency of the situation he was addressing during that time.

The result of this device to the overall message of the speech is that it created a greater impact to the citizens of America that other devices would not have achieved if otherwise have been used. Today, the Blacks and the Whites are living like brothers and sisters because of this and several other speeches that were delivered during that time. Like the many other Americans that were antiracial, Martin wanted to pass this message through the most appropriate, effective yet touching way possible. If it were not for him and those of his likes, then we are not sure if this generation would be enjoying a race discrimination-free America.

This device is very appropriate for the ENG 204 course in that it enables students to get the right meaning of the course work through recurrence of words. It also creates emphasis hence the students can easily identify the specific areas in which they are supposed to concentrate on. Repetition can also be used to spice up the literal work thus making the reader more interested in reading the work. When such a situation occurs in ENG 204, then most students will find interest in the course work and their grades shall improve.