Two Powerful Speeches

Justin K. May

Professor Cameron Bentley

English 2130

23 January 2014

Two Equally Powerful Speeches

Speeches have many forms and styles of which they can be written and emphasized. Douglas Biber of Cambridge University Press wrote, “speech is fundamental and writing only a secondary derivative” (Biber 1991) So when comparing Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God by Jonathan Edwards and Martin Luther King's Speech, I Have a Dream, Jonathan Edwards would scare people into submission with his powerful sermons portraying views of a vengeful God and man as sinners. Encyclopedia.com states, “Jonathan Edwards is one of America's greatest theologians, being a very influential figure during the time of the Great Awakening”( Jonathan Edwards 1703-58 Facts). Many decades later, Martin Luther King would use more of a subtle approach in his speeches. Nobelprize.org says, “Martin Luther King dreamt that all inhabitants of the United States would be judged by their personal qualities and not by the color of their skin”(Martin Luther King Jr. - Facts). Edwards and King both were very compelling speakers, and they each knew how to capture their audience's attention merely through their use of words. Painting pictures of what they wanted people to think of as they listened. King and Edwards both had intentions for people to change their ways, though not for the same reason. Equally putting all they had into their speeches making them very emotional speakers. Jonathon Edward and Martin Luther King had much in common in terms of public speaking; however, they had even more differences including their speaking approach, use of imagination, and views towards man.

To begin with Jonathan Edwards and Martin Luther King, Jr had different approaches when speaking to their audience. Edwards hammered at his congregation using guilt and fear to get them to accept the Lord by depicting God as being a less compassionate God than most people imagined him. Edwards wrote, "God has so...