An evaluation, comparing and contrasting King's themes and techniques with Woodgate's.

King's "Promised Land" speech contrasts dramatically with his 'I have a dream' speech and Woodgate's "We shall overcome" speech. He appears to be telling almost a life story - it seems to be sombre and apprehensive, "I may not get there with you" and "But it doesn't matter with me now." 'Did he know he was going to get killed?" These were the enquiring words of M.E. Dyson who wrote a biography of King.

In the last paragraph of "The Promised Land", King's sentences are short and abrupt, contrasting from the eloquent, flowing prose of the rest of the speech, "And I've looked over. I've seen the promised land." This provides emphasis and contrast. This is one of Woodgate's more prominent techniques, for example, "This issue affects one and all." "Everyone is equal." "Change society." "Let peace ring."

Dyson employs many 'King-like' features in his writing, "If we can employ King's words to whitewash our blood-stained racial history."

In contrast to elaborate, metaphorical sentences, Dyson, like King and Woodgate also uses short sentences to make a punchy impact; "King is visibly moved."

Despite the frequent similarities in techniques, King and Woodgate have no themes in common within all three speeches. King focuses on equal rights for black people, racism, freedom and justice and Woodgate focuses on the problems of today's younger generation; the body of the speech being based on conflict between groups. Crime and the sensitive issues of alcohol and drugs are intertwined within.

Dyson himself employs many of the characteristics of speech-making that King used to emphasise a point, such as repetition; he enthuses about King's strengths almost as a bombardment of magnificent compliments, "the greatest American ever produced", "King's enormous genius", "the defining American of our national history". Dyson makes his huge admiration obvious; there can be no greater accolade than the case he makes for King.

We can see repetition again when Dyson talks about events in King's life and starts each sentence with, "When King..." and continues to tell a tale of how King was denounced for various views or actions. King also uses this repetition technique, when repeatedly emphasises how close he was to death by stating, "If I had sneezed..." six times and he states the possible consequences.

Repetition is a common technique and repeated refrains at the opening of sentences are frequent in both speeches and each have 'Go back to.....' 'I have a dream that one day...'. Woodgate's similar final paragraph differs slightly from King's, accounting for his topic; 'Let peace ring from the...'. King's final paragraph is prominent with 'Let freedom ring from...' This technique helps to emphasise a point which the speech-maker feels strongly about, by referring to personal, local place names.

Humour is a strong characteristic in Woodgate's speech, used to warm the recipients, encouraging them to share an affinity with him. We can see this when he pointedly refers to Romford as a den of iniquity and uses the term "mummy's boys" to describe one of the youth categories.

Alliteration is also a common occurrence in all of the speeches. Woodgate talks about, 'murky mud-flats' 'drunken dope-addicts' 'hyenas of hostility' and King mentions 'symbolic shadow' 'dark and desolate' 'marvellous new militancy.'

Woodgate proposes possible solutions and preventions and ways of averting conflict and violence whereas King in his 'I have a dream' speech does not suggest answers. He merely imagines a better future.

Speech Evaluation Coursework January 2004

Jordan Woodgate 10T