I Have A Dream Speech

Throughout the 1960s, Martin Luther King, a famous activist, engaged in various civil rights boycotts and protests, helping to further the movement and gain its eventual victory. Out of all of his civil rights efforts, the “I Have a Dream” speech, given on the Lincoln Memorial in 1963, had the greatest impact on the world. The speech managed to illustrate the racist problems of the time and provoke the audience into feeling sympathy, while providing hope to the depressed African-American population.

King’s speech not only changed history for the black community, but it also gave hope to blacks throughout the world. His speech was so successful because he was able to arouse his audience to their feet and get them to take action in society. The reason for the great impact of the speech, “I Have a Dream,” is due to the tense social mood of the time and that it reflects the conditions of the time, giving black activists a vision for the future.

It struck directly into the hearts of blacks across America, and made whites ashamed of their actions and be willing to have a new start. In just 17 minutes, King influenced and informed the people about racial equality and fairness. Later, near the end of his speech, King continues to “preach” this point. For example, he stated, “…little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. King talks about the future and how one day, freedom will “ring” from all across the United States and how people of all races will be able to “join hands” and be “brothers and sisters. ” He strongly desires a united world where racism will not exist. He says, “With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day. ” Overall, King intelligently used a well-planned structure to manipulate his audience into agreeing with him.

“I Have a Dream” August 28th, 1963 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D. C. , Martin Luther King Jr. preformed his “I Have a Dream” speech. Perhaps amongst one of the most famous speeches in history, this speech is considered one of the most influential speeches of the 20th century. “I Have a Dream” has inspired millions of people and is still frequently quoted and cited nearly 50 years later. My goal in writing his paper is to evaluate King’s speech using the evaluation criteria. The four main criteria are: effects, truth, ethical and artistic.

Each plays a very different role in assessing an essay and it’s adequacy. The purpose of the speech was to inspire Americans to believe that all individuals of all races should be treated equal, and that they would one day. King wanted people to stand with him and fight for their rights. The rhetoric situation was that King was delivering his speech during the “March on Washington,” where a protest was being held. Thousands and thousands travelled from all over the country to hear him speak. The rhetorical constraints of the speech were trying to adhere to those who opposed civil rights.

The ones that King really had to reach out to were those who still believed that segregation should continue. This leads into the first criteria of evaluation, effects. Effects are whether or not the author, or in this case speaker, got the final outcome that they wanted to achieve. The final outcome that King was seeking by making his speech was for equal rights to be finalized, and that all men and women of all races would be free at last. In the first line of his speech King states “I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation. Implying that King had great homes for the outcome of his ever so famous speech, he not only wanted to inspire those in his audience but to make them as passionate about the issue as he was himself. The next portion of the effects criteria is “logical and/or emotional sense. ” This examines whether or not the speech tries to capture the audience’s mind. In my opinion I think that the speech is more emotional rather than logical. King knew the anguish his listeners were feeling, and he used those feelings to fire his audience up.

He wished to connect emotionally with them, share their pain and happiness. For example, he often uses the word “we” within his speech, letting the audience know that he stands beside them, rather than in front of them. The second criteria when doing an evaluation is truth. Truth in and of itself is pretty self-explanatory, it is whether or not the author/speaker is using facts rather than fiction. “I Have a Dream” is a very truthful speech. During the time that King wrote his speech equal rights still did not exist in many states and segregation was common most everywhere.

He also touches upon the Emancipation Proclamation and how it led to the start of the civil rights movement, even though it was a century beforehand. On line two of King’s speech he states, “Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. ” The Emancipation Proclamation was undeniably the starting point for equal rights, freeing all slaves from their owners. King also uses the Constitution as a historical reference, to note that all men were supposed to be guaranteed certain rights. At the time of the speech, a lot of those rights were still not given to many citizens.

The third criteria in evaluation is ethical, this implies that the speech is socially responsible and not corruptive. This speech is fairly ethical, because King does not make any outrageous allegations against those who had done wrong and the rally held during the speech was very peaceful. But for the effect it had on society, it was remarkable. That August day King and 250,000 others marched peacefully in Washington. The following day the New York Times wrote about the speech, “They had found an effective way to demonstrate for changes in the laws without breaking the laws themselves” (Reston, 1963).

There was also another article entitled 200,000 March for Civil Right in Orderly Washington Rally; President Sees Gain for Negro. The article stated “it was the greatest assembly for a redress of grievances that this capital has ever seen…There was no violence to mar the demonstration. In fact, at times there was an air of hootenanny about it as groups of schoolchildren clapped hands and swung into the familiar freedom songs” (Kensworthy, 1963). This just goes to show how non-violent King’s followers actually were.

King wished to send positive messages to his audience and encourage them to act civilly rather than aggressively to achieve their goal. The final criteria for evaluation is artistic, which judges the words used and the delivery of the speech are important. The speech is very artistically put together. King paints vivid pictures with his words and emotions. One line six he states, “Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path or racial justice. ” His use of descriptive words makes his speech more persuasive and appealing to the audience.

His use of the phrase, “I have a dream” is consistently used throughout the speech. This makes the speech flow together in harmony. A great writing technique seen throughout his speech is a metaphor, in line six for example, “Instead of honoring his sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked ‘insufficient funds. ’” King is not actually speaking of a bank account, but instead is using it as a metaphor for how African Americans were promised these rights but were never given them. King uses many different writing techniques to help to create and maintain drama throughout the speech.

The speech definitely applied some criteria stronger than others. I believe that King uses artistic and ethical criteria the strongest throughout his speech. The way in which his speech flows together and uses powerful descriptive words are characteristics of the strong artistic values of his speech. However I think the truth aspect of his speech could have been stronger. Although he did not use any false information, it would have been better to use more references throughout his speech, the only things he really quoted are the Emancipation Proclamation and the Constitution.

On line ten he states, “We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. ” The second part of the statement may be true, but African American males had been able to vote since 1870, almost a century before this speech, he could have been trying to use a metaphor, regardless, it was not truthful. He also dramatized many things, such as on line three when he states “But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. Technically speaking, they were free by constitutional rights, but did not entertain the same rights as Caucasians at this time. Dramatization may be great tools in some speeches, but it may seem un-honest to those audience members who did not understand metaphors or other writing strategies. Overall, I think that the speech met all the criteria in most ways. I evaluated the speech based on how I felt it fit the four main points of ethicality, truthfulness, effects, and artistic value. The speech has been an American staple since the day King gave it, nearly 50 years ago.

King did a great job in standing up for what he believed in and accomplished his goal of civil rights for every man and woman, regardless of color in the United States. Works Cited Kensworthy, E. W. (1963, August 29). “200,000 March for Civil Rights in Orderly Washington Rally; President Sees Gain for Negro. ” New York Times. King Jr. , M. L. (1963, August 28). I Have A Dream. Conducted from The Lincoln Memorial, Washington D. C. Reston, J. (1963, August 29). “I Have A Dream…” Peroration By Dr. King Sums up A Day The Capital Will Remember. New York Times.

Nhat Nguyen Patrick Clayton Cantrell English 1010-051 23 October, 2012 Analysis of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ’s “I Have a Dream” Speech Amidst the bigotry and racial violence of the Civil Rights Movement, there stood a shining example of brotherhood, unity, and an undying thirst for equality. In what was known as the March of Washington, an estimated total of 200,000 people of all races—observers estimated that 75–80% of the marchers were black and the rest were white and non-black minorities—took to the streets of Washington D.

C. on August 28, 1963 in an effort to raise awareness of the ongoing racial injustice in the work field and in everyday life. It was on this momentous day that the great Martin Luther King Jr. , one of the most powerful and influential voices of the Civil Rights Movement, gave one of history’s most memorable speeches. His speech, later came to be known as the “I Have a Dream” speech, served to bring into light the injustice experienced daily by the African American population of the United States.

In his famous speech, King outlined the racial discrimination and social inequalities that inhabit the great country whose creed explicitly states “all men are created equal. ” This constituted the main purpose of his speech: to encourage and empower the attendees and those at home to challenge the widespread discrimination and the status quo of the time. Bigotry had a stranglehold on all aspects of life during the Civil Rights era. From childhood, racial themes and motifs were embedded into the very being of the child. A plethora of consequences arose from this.

Whites usually aged into adulthood with the belief that racial superiority belonged to them because of the color of their skin. Most African Americans, on the other hand, grew up with beliefs very much contradictory to those of their white counterparts. Many aged with the preconceived notion that racial inferiority accompanied being black. Martin Luther King, in his speech, endeavored to end this narrow-minded approach to race by encouraging his audience to rise above what they once accepted as a social norm and be the light that would lead that generation out of blind hatred for their fellow an. He preached brotherhood and equality and electrified the crowd when he demanded the immediate realization of the “promises of democracy” (King). He galvanized the crowd to rebel from the dark, secluded “valley of segregation” and enter into the “sunlit path of racial justice” (King). He closed this portion of his speech by once again reiterating the importance of immediate action. He called for justice for all of mankind, be they black, white, or any other race.

Besides the obvious fact that he was speaking to the audience present, King’s speech was meant for a much broader audience. Specifically, his speech was targeted at those who desired to continue the economic and social oppression of African Americans. This could clearly be seen when King states, “And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual” (King). In this sentence, King concentrated his words against “those. “Those” are the people who continued to disregard African Americans as equals. King wanted to make it known that he and millions alike would not quit until justice was dealt and democracy rang through the land. In another explicit example, King talks directly to “those” again. “There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, ‘When will you be satisfied? ’” (King). He goes on to answer this question by saying that he and other civil rights activists will never be satisfied so long as injustice and discrimination remain a synonymous part of the United States’ culture.

He ensured the people whose intentions were to physically, mentally, and economically deter African Americans that America will not experience rest or tranquility until all black men, women, and children are granted their rights as citizens. The speech was as much a message to those oppressed as it was to the oppressors. Martin Luther King’s speech was well formatted with respect to harmony, with each prior point flowing harmoniously into the next. It was organized into two halves.

The first half portrayed American society as a cesspool of intolerance, racism, and close-mindedness, and it also revealed the incongruence between the themes of the American Dream and the suffering of African Americans. In the first half of the speech, King called for action to alleviate these overriding themes in American society. In his “now is the time” paragraph, King emphasized to the audience that the time for action is now and rejected gradualism. In his “we can never be satisfied” paragraph, he set the conditions that must be met before he and others like him can rest.

The second half of the speech depicted the dream of a fairer, more perfect union, free from the shackles of segregation and racial discord. In the most memorable part of the speech, Martin Luther King famously stopped reading from his written speech and began to speak earnestly of his “dream” concerning the future of America. In the part of the speech that became its namesake, King repeatedly bellows the phrase, “I have a dream” (King). In a brief 3-minute period, King gave one of history’s most beautiful pieces of rhetoric, summoning boisterous cheers from the masses of people.

King concluded his masterpiece by articulating to the crowd his vision of a democratic America, emancipated from the chains of prejudice. His dream was that individuals from all corners of society—different in color, culture, and beliefs—could one day gather together in unity with respect for one another. His comprehensive use of metaphors, imagery, and repetition served to persuade the audience to remain optimistic and faithful in the face of prejudice and despair. He appealed greatly to the crowd’s sense emotion and logic.

He also masterfully used anaphora and allusions on several occasions in his moving speech. From under the shadow of the Lincoln Memorial, King fittingly began his speech alluding to Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg Address. He started by saying “five score years ago” (King). This assisted in setting the mood for the rest of the speech and was particularly poignant since King was speaking from the steps on the Lincoln Memorial. King also alluded to the Declaration of Independence when speaking of “the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This allusion powerfully reiterated America’s promise to all her people. There are several allusions to Biblical passages in the speech. Perhaps one of the most notable was when King warned the oppressors of civil rights that he and everyone who challenged discrimination will never surrender until “justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream” (King). This was reference to Amos 5:24. It appealed impressively to the audience’s emotions, stirring up shouts of “hallelujah” within the crowd. Metaphors were used throughout the speech to help emphasize and sometimes exaggerate the ppression experienced by the African American population during that era. King frequently compared discrimination to a desolate valley and the path to racial justice as a “sunlit” one. He would often describe oppression as a searing heat to intensify the pain that it caused. He described African Americans’ poor economic position as a “lonely island of prosperity in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity” (King). This helped accentuate the situation that African Americans were in. King incorporated anaphora and repetition in his speech in order to stress the importance of key themes.

One of the lesser known anaphora used was King’s repetition of “one hundred years later” (King). Here, King referred to the fact that 100 years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, his people are still hampered by the weight of inequality. He repeated the phrase “now is the time” (King) in an attempt to inspire the audience to act immediately and to demand change that instance. The most famous and most often cited anaphora used was the repetition of the phrase “I have a dream” (King) In that passage King revealed his vision of a better tomorrow for America.

He stated that even though he faces difficulties, he still maintained that dream. This helped to strengthen this portion of his speech tremendously. On August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave one of history’s most beautifully executed pieces of rhetoric. The language incorporated in the speech helped convey King’s message to America: challenge discrimination and the status quo and strive for an equal society. This will live on as one of King’s greatest contributions to the advancement of civil rights. Today, it remains a significant part of King’s legacy.

On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. gave a speech that electrified a nation. In Washington D. C, King delivered his speech on the steps of the Lincoln memorial and as his powerful voice echoed out across an audience of 200,000 people, echoes of the Gettysburg address could be heard as well as the Declaration of Independence and the Bible. It has been called “masterfully delivered and improvised sermon, bursting with biblical language and imagery. ”The passionate speech is filled with rhetorical devices that help ground into earth King’s demands of racial equality and outcries of social injustice.

The second paragraph of the speech starts with “Five score years ago”, an allusion to Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg address. This is particularly poignant due to the fact that the speech was given on the steps of his memorial. A memorial to the president who passed the emancipation proclamation. Martin Luther King Jr. continues with comparing this (the emancipation proclamation) “momentous decree” to a “great beacon light” to those who had “been seared in the flames of withering injustice” in an example of a simile and then a metaphor.

The metaphor is expanded to call the proclamation “a joyous daybreak” to a “long night. ” The metaphors help prove King’s point through contrasting two abstract concepts through tangible things. The last sentence of the second paragraph is the first of many references to the bible. In comparing Psalms 30:5 “For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning” to King’s line “ It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity” the parallels can be seen.

The use of biblical references helps link the work of MLK to the bible and divine things. Southerners being in the “bible belt” and dominantly Christian, this reference to the bible strikes home to these slaveholders. The third paragraph contains a strong example of anaphora with the repetition of “one hundred years later” four times. This is used to thrust home the point of how long the suffrage has gone on. The duration is important but also the effect of its repetition makes the paragraph seem longer and drawn out- like the injustices that are still being suffered- one hundred years later.

Also a simile is used to compare segregation to imprisonment in the the phrases “manacles of segregation” and “chains of discrimination. ” The usage of these rhetorical devices relates slavery to jail and further contrast it from the biblical allusions used with equality. Paragraph four of the speech is a large metaphor for an allusion to the United States Declaration of Independence which is later cited directly. In Specific King alludes to the declaration in saying “unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. ” Which within itself is a tricolon ascends.

This allusion to such an important American document is used to support King’s theme of equality by pointing out its resonance in the purely American document. Throughout this portion of the speech King makes a metaphor of these guaranteed rights saying they are a “promissory note”. This metaphor links these intangible unalienable rights to something tangible which falls into place with the rest of the expanded metaphor. He goes on the say that the Negro people have received “a bad check” and when they tried to cash this check is comes back marked ““insufficient funds. ” These metaphors feed into the larger one of a citizens rights to a promise of a bank. Martin Luther King Jr. shows his hope the country in the continuance of the metaphor in which he refuses to believe “the bank of justice” is bankrupt and that there are insufficient funds in the “great vaults of opportunity”. Furthermore he makes a metaphor of freedom to riches and security to justice. The use of all these smaller metaphors feed into the larger one and these rhetorical devices are used to link intangible to tangible.

Also this shows the realist side of the speaker, not only does he allude and reference biblical things but also he realizes the importance of equality to blacks economically. The fourth “paragraph” of the speech ends with an example of anaphora. A short hopeful phrase of “now is the time” is repeated four times back to back to back to back in the last four lines of the paragraph. These rhetorical devices have a powerful impact and add a decisive, hopeful feel. Martin Luther King Jr. in this conclusion also makes another metaphor with saying racial injustice is “quick sands” and brotherhood is a “solid rock. These metaphors also link the intangible with the tangible creating a contrast. Apples and bananas are different but the difference of good and bad is harder to see. When attached to real life objects the visualization is made. The rest of the speech contains several more independent metaphors, all used to support Martin Luther King Jr. ‘s points. “The whirlwinds of revolt will shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges”; making a metaphor of revolt to a whirlwind and justice to a bright day.

Yet again, metaphors are used to represent abstract ideas with concrete things to create a contrast. In another place it is seen that storm are like persecution and winds like police brutality. Tying in the earlier metaphor to imprisonment, this usage of a rhetorical device shows the vicious circle Negroes were living with. At some point it becomes repetitious all of the metaphors of justice to everything from money to the bible. But yet again injustice is metaphored to “sweltering… eat” (alluding to Richard III act one, scene one, line one) and justice to an “oasis” yet another instance in which the metaphors are used to show contrast. Later on the entire country is metaphored to as in “jangling discords” and that with brotherhood it can be transformed into a “beautiful symphony. ” This metaphor is a nice break for all of those to justice but still the same ideas ring through. This usage of a rhetorical device ties to the topic at hand to a larger more national scale. Some of the most famous parts of this speech are due to the usage of anaphora.

In several instances, besides those already listed, Martin Luther King Jr. uses this rhetorical device to sink his point deep into the hearts and minds of those who have heard it. He uses the phrase “We can never be satisfied” six times in paragraph thirteen. This powerfully blunt statement repeated over and over again is riveting and unifying. Then in paragraph fourteen King uses “go back to” six times to create a larger size to his efforts. After building up the crowd this use of anaphora disperses hope of a better tomorrow to all. No matter where, to everyone. Then in the onsecutive paragraph comes to most famous line of a speech possibly ever: “I have a dream. ”

He transitions from we, as a part of the crowd, to I, separating himself as a leader; sharing his dream. While these words may be the most famous, the speech ends with another example of anaphora that are the most important words of the speech. They are “Let freedom ring. ” After alluding to “My country ’tis of thee” and its chorus line “let freedom ring” he expands to say let freedom ring in Pennsylvania, Colorado, California, Georgia, Tennessee and “from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. This all encompassing freedom is Martin Luther King’s dream and this beautiful anaphora heightens the grandeur of the allusion. The depth of Martin Luther King Jr. and his speech is seen in his many allusions. Thirteen ends with an allusion to Amos 5:24 with “But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream” which echoes in King’s line “No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream”.

Another biblical allusion is in I have a dream that one day 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. Which echoes Isaiah 40:4-5 “Every valley shall be exalted, and very mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: and the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. Both “And when this happens, . . . we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual” and Galatians 3:28 “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. ” All of these biblical references connect the “dream’ of king to the biblical writings.

There are two additional non-biblical examples seen in his referencing to “My country Tis of Thee” and “Free at last” works of American music. . Martin Luther King Jr. also makes multiple allusions to the Declaration of Independence (some emitted as previously cited before). Including the direct quote of “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal. “Another very closely related allusion is seen where he says “I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream”.

In both instances, King is saying that his dream is no different than that of our founding fathers. What alluding the the Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution does is show the legitimacy of his dream: it is directly seen in both documents. While it may not be exact anaphora the repetition of words such as freedom (used twenty times) and justice (eight) must be seen as notable. What they do as anaphora (a rhetorical device) is support the key themes of the whole speech- freedom and justice.

If there is any impression to be taken from the speech it is the ideas of equality, justice and freedom for ALL. From the allusions to the metaphors and similes, the “I Have a Dream” speech is littered with rhetorical devices but what exactly is rhetoric? Rhetoric is is the art of enchanting the soul (Plato) and the faculty of discovering in any particular case all of the available means of persuasion (Aristotle). It is the use of rhetoric that sets this speech a part, makes it so famous and adds to its success in the spreading of one man’s dream to change his world for the better.

Essay Summary of Becoming a Teacher

Every person has his or her own dreams of becoming somebody when he or she grows up. Some would say they want to be a doctor, engineer, lawyer, accountant, or businessman. In my case, ever since I was a child, I have been nurturing this dream of becoming a teacher. I decided to embark on this noble profession for three main reasons.

The first reason can be attributed to my wish to have an impact on people’s lives. Specifically, I wish to become a role model for the youth of today, many of whom are in need of guidance.

I believe that I can be a good example and a teacher to every student that I will be teaching in the future. By being a role model, I can help my future students grow and mold them to become better individuals—a feat that, when achieved, can certainly leave me fulfilled. Second, I want to become a teacher for a very simple reason: I want to share knowledge and make a difference in people’s lives. I seek to educate the young ones not only about the subjects that they have to learn, but also about the realities of the world and the values that they should live out.

I also wish to have the chance to help them achieve their goals and dreams in the future. By doing so, I would be able to draw out every student’s potential and help him or her lead a successful life founded on integrity. Third, my passion for and interest in dealing with children prompted me to decide on becoming a teacher.

For me, children are just like angels; being around them makes me feel happy and content in life. They are cute, sweet, and adorable. They may be stubborn, hardheaded, and noisy, but these are the qualities that make them a child, so their display of such behavior is only natural.

Hence, I, as a teacher, should start teaching children during their formative years so that they will grow up to become principled individuals. These are the reasons why I am very eager and enthusiastic to become a teacher.

Teaching is a very challenging profession. Thus, in order to survive and become a successful and effective teacher, I believe that teachers should possess the following characteristics and skills. First of all, a teacher should have compassion, a trait that entails empathy, kindness, and benevolence.

Teachers with compassion possess a genuine desire to help students. Hence, being compassionate is one of the most important traits that a teacher should have. Another quality that is crucial to teachers is dedication. Teaching is not just a profession; it is a commitment that an individual takes due to his or her great intention to help others and pass on the knowledge and skills that he or she has. Teachers should also have confidence in themselves in order to be an effective teacher. They must know what they are doing and have the courage to lead every student to the right path.

Strength is also another important trait that teachers should possess in order for students to regard them with respect. Moreover, teachers should exhibit enthusiasm in order to motivate the students to learn and develop. They should also be approachable and have good communication skills in order to prevent misunderstandings or miscommunications with and among their students.

Open communication is imperative in a teacher-student relationship so that the teacher will know whether there is development or problem in his or her students.

In addition, I also believe that a teacher should demonstrate a good attitude and character to his or her students. They should always be a good example to their students and always show positive feelings and emotions (Glenn, 2001). Finally, the most important personal characteristic that a teacher should have is a lot of patience. Patience is said to be a virtue, a virtue that is very hard to keep and maintain. Being a teacher requires having a lot of patience because of all the responsibilities that he or she has to fulfill, such as making sure that the students learn and develop their skills.

Considering this list of the personal characteristics that a teacher should possess in order to become effective, one may perceive the profession as very difficult and complicated to fulfill. However, knowing that the purpose of teachers is to help and change other people’s life for the better does not hinder me to fulfill my dream of becoming a teacher someday. There are different types of schooling in the society nowadays. One of these is special education. Special education is a very different setting compared to a normal school.

It is a school or a place where various special and additional services are provided for children or people with disabilities, including blind, deaf, mute, and mentally challenged individuals, among others (Watson, 2003). To stay updated in the field of special education, teachers can attend seminars or taking a special course that directly provides information especially relevant to this field. This may involve taking a course that offers different techniques and strategies in teaching and handling special children.

Learning that is based on personal observation could be helpful as well in this field. Keeping one’s passion sounds very easy especially if it is something that a person enjoys doing. Nonetheless, in the field of teaching, it might appear very difficult to keep a teacher’s passion in teaching, for it is said to be a very stressful and difficult career. However, in my opinion, maintaining my passion for teaching is easy. There are a lot of things that I can do in order to maintain my strong will and desire in teaching.

Being innovative in my teaching style, combined with a positive attitude towards this profession, would keep me happy and satisfied with this job. Dealing with children, getting to know different students, and gaining love, respect and care from students are also rewarding reasons to be passionate about being a teacher. Building relationships and fostering creativity within my students, which are some of many exciting things that I am looking forward to achieve when I become a teacher, would perpetually rekindle my passion for teaching.

In addition to this, keeping in mind that the students future lies on my hands would certainly maintain my passion and keenness to be a great teacher and a role model to every student I will have. Indeed, having a career in teaching can be considered as a blessing and an honor to an individual. It is one of the most noble and respected jobs in the world, and its intangible rewards will always arouse the passion that I have always possessed towards teaching.

I believe that a great teacher has the responsibility to bring out the best in every student. A teacher should have an open mind, positive attitude, and high expectations everyday as he or she goes to school. This is my educational philosophy. When I become a teacher, I would gladly and proudly become an inspiration to every child. I would like to be an instrument that will make these children grow and succeed in their lives. I wish to live a life of service to other people most especially to children.

I want to be a teacher to be able to nurture children and instill all the necessary knowledge and values that one should have in order to have a blissful and rewarding life. Teaching will always be my passion, and I will never harbor feelings of regret in choosing this career path. References Glenn, R. E. (2001). Admirable Teaching Traits. Education World. Retrieved January 28, 2009 from http://www. education-world. com/a_curr/curr387. shtml. Watson, S. (2003). What is special education?. About. com. Retrieved January 28, 2009 from http://specialed. about. com/od/idea/a/Special101. htm

Edgar Allan Poe’s “A Dream within a Dream”

Edgar Allan Poe’s “A Dream within a Dream” (1849) is a poem dramatizing the losses of a man, and his reflection if his life is real or unreal. The narrator is reflecting about the elusiveness of things and people he value, since they all seem to disappear. The poem questions if reality is fantasy, thus the title, “A Dream within a Dream”. Since this was published in the year of Poe’s death, some assume that the narrator is talking about the death of his loved ones, and the troubles in his life.

The poem begins with an image of parting and addresses a specific person. This person is only mentioned in the first stanza; the second stanza does not mention any person at all. Others interpret this person as abstract, meaning that the narrator talks to life or love personified, or any abstract idea, and not a real person. The narrator, talking to this person, ponders whether his “days have been a dream”, and speaks of losing hope. He sees his life as if he is trapped, as shown in the lines, “All that we see or seem/Is but a dream within a dream”.

But first, to define the word “dream” is relevant in understanding this poem. A dream can either be images, ideas or sensations while sleeping, an aspiration or ambition, or an illusion or trance. Upon reading the poem, there is no question that the definition of the word “dream” in the poem is the last one given above, an illusion, but not necessarily a beautiful or happy illusion. There is no mention of sleeping or daydreaming, so then it is safe to assume that “dream” meant an illusion.

One of Edgar Allan Poe’s well-known poems, the poem uses rhyme and meter, but it has inconsistent rhythm. Repetition is also used to emphasize the feeling of sadness and frustration, as in the fifth, eleventh, and twenty-fourth lines. These poetic elements and romantic characteristics such as the dramatization found in the lines, “O God! Can I not grasp/Them with a tighter clasp?” and the use of simple but powerful images, make this poem compelling when read aloud.

The images, especially in the second stanza, are striking and memorable. The lines, “And I hold within my hand/Grains of the golden sand/How few! Yet how they creep/Through my fingers to the deep,/While I weep— while I weep!” might be alluding to either time or material wealth. The “grains of the golden sand”  is said to have been referencing to the gold found in California in 1848 (Silverman 402).

This image of grains slowly trickling down evokes a feeling of frustration over the elusiveness of things that the narrator values, and that might or might not include money and personal possessions. Time could also be an allusion due to the fact that Poe had lost his loved ones in the past. The narrator might be saying indirectly that he is already feeling his death nearing.

The last six lines of the poem express the desperation to “grasp” and “save”  the things he value. There is also a feeling of helplessness as the narrator watches the grains creeping through his fingers, and he cries, as shown in the line, “While I weep— while I weep!”

However, in the end he seems to question, not to state that he is in “a dream within a dream”. Unlike the ending line of the first stanza in which the line is written as a statement as though the narrator really believes that his life is all a dream, the last line of the poem is written as though the narrator is in doubt, or perhaps there is a little bit of hope in him.

Some say that Poe wrote this poem after the death of his wife from tuberculosis, and that the person that the narrator is talking to in the poem is a woman. But that might not be, because this was published long after his wife’s death, unless he did write the poem from way back. Whether or not Poe wrote this because of his troubles or his depression is not certain.

What is certain is that the poem tells of a person’s thoughts about what is real and unreal. Losing all the things he values makes him think, out of sadness, and perhaps, denial, that his life is just “a dream within a dream”.

Works Cited

• Poe, Edgar Allan. Poetry and Tales. Ed. Patrick F. Quinn. New York: Library of America, 1984.
• Silverman, Kenneth. Edgar A. Poe: Mournful and Never-ending Remembrance. New York: Harper Perennial, 1991.
• Sova, Dawn B. Edgar Allan Poe: A to Z. New York: Checkmark Books, 2001.

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