⒅With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to straggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day. (Par. 7, five parallel infinitive phrases).

3.2.4 Parallel prepositional phrases

⒆I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. (Par. 12)

⒇…, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, … (Par. 25)

E. Parallel clauses:

(21) …, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and (that) their freedom is inextricably bound t our freedom. (Par. 6, two parallel objective clause)

(22) I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough place 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. (Par. 6, six parallel clauses used as appositions of the noun “dream”).

3.3 Use of Similes and Metaphors

As two very important types of meaning transference in literature, similes and metaphors are comparisons that show similarities in things that are basically different, which can be used to add vividness and vitality to writing. As Leech points out, metaphor is associated with a particular rule of transference which may be called the “metaphoric rule” (1969: 151). That is, the figurative meaning is derived from the literal meaning or it is, as it were, the literal meaning.

Throughout the speech, King makes extensive use of similes and metaphors. In paragraph 1, for example, King compares The Emancipation Proclamation to two forms of brilliant light cutting through darkness. The first-“a joyous daybreak”-compares it to the sunrise, which (in this case) ends “the long night of captivity”. In paragraph 2, he speaks of “the manacles of seGREgation and the chains of discrimination,” comparing segregation and discrimination under which the Negro people live to the manacles and chains once used on slaves. Therefore, it is very clear that the using of similes and metaphors can definitely add vividness and vitality to writing and make it easy for the readers or audience to understand.

Now let’s cite some of the similes and metaphors used in King’s speech.

(23) One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. (Par. 2, metaphors)

(24) But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the GREat vaults of opportunity for this nation (Par.4, metaphors)

(25)This is no time … to take the tranquilizing drag of gradualism. (Par. 4, metaphor)

(26) This sweltering summer of the Negro’s legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. (Par. 5, Metaphors)