Concluding thoughts are essential, as they are the final impression a reader receives from a speech or a piece of written communication. Garner (2017) emphasizes that the primary purpose of concluding thoughts is to prompt readers to take action. He further states that the last words should not be perfunctory (Garner, 2017). From my perspective, conclusions should be engaging to attract readers’ attention and leave an impression.
Functions of Conclusion
Conclusions perform several functions:
- summarizing;
- persuasive;
- emotional.
In the conclusion of academic or scientific papers, an author should underline the main ideas cohesively and concisely. With fiction or speeches, persuasive and, subsequently, emotional functions are brought forward, as an author should win their audience over so that it will accept their ideas and, if necessary, takes actions. Garner (2017) suggests using unique and catchy phrases to add a new perspective to the opinions expressed and bring a little emotion. Consequently, the purpose of the conclusion is to show a unique perspective to a delivered speech (a written paper), so the ideas will be ingrained in the audience’s memory.
Analysis of “I Have A Dream” Conclusion
Martin Luther King’s conclusion is effective and powerful, as it presents his ideas from the best angle. King (2021) catches his audience’s attention with parallel construction: “when this happens … when we allow… when we let”. With appropriate gradation, he creates a perfect buildup for his final words that are short phrases, which he further repeats. King (2021) artistically alternates the length of the sentences, so his narration will not be monotonous. The final words represent the main idea, a catchphrase engraved in his listeners’ memory, short, emotional, and persuasive. For this reason, I believe that the concluding thoughts of the “I Have a Dream” speech are an example of a perfect conclusion.
References
Garner, B. (2017). In Conclusion…: The power of finishing strong. ABA Journal, 103(5), 24-25.
Martin Luther King, Jr. I Have a Dream. Web.