"Transcend tribe, race, class, nation, and religion and embrace the vision of a World House" (Morehouse College). This quote from Morehouse college is the way that Martin Luther King Jr. saw and believed people could achieve through dedication and transcending the barriers that held back society Worldwide during that time. By analyzing the way metaphor, allusion, and diction are used in Martin Luther King Jr.'s "The World House" speech and understanding the cultural aspects of the 1960's, readers can a gain a better awareness of the significance in maintaining unity among humanity. 

The use of metaphor in this empowering speech is undoubtedly on of the largest components used in this speech. The biggest and most powerful of these metaphors is used throughout the speech, and is also the name of the speech "The World House" as King calls it referring to the world in general. Using this he helps to connect to every person in the world. He does this by helping people to see that in an essence everyone has to live here just like in a regular house. So, in essence using this metaphor he is saying that people are all living under the same roof, and if the whole world is under one roof why are we allowing our family or everyone else to suffer through things such as poverty or racism. He uses the metaphor because the house is supposed to be safe happy place where everyone helps one another, and everyone is equal. "The bloodiest massacre in the history of South Africa takes place in Sharpeville resulting in the Sharpeville massacre." (South African History Online) in King's speech he talks of the problems facing South Africa with the Apartheid in the 1960's. This event was truly a horrible thing because the people held a rally for ending the racism there and were brutally murdered. Which brings reason behind King using the metaphor of a world house not just an American house because people were suffering all over. Therefore, when using this metaphor everyone sympathizes because no one in the house should be any lesser of a person. King is trying to evoke sympathy in people so that people understand that having unity and looking out for another is very important to society. Also, that as a group humanity is not a very good job of keeping its house together, and we should not overlook those in a lesser position like they are not there. Racism was one of the biggest problems faced during the time this speech was given. This terrible time in America's pastime was probably the most important time where this World House metaphor held the most weight because looking at the poor, deprived, and different colored as people living in the same house made those overlooking these people feel something instead of not even noticing. The next thing that helps King get the metaphor across and help to understand the importance of unifying humanity.

Allusion is another big part in the to understand the importance of unifying humanity which is the reason for this speech. One of the main allusions is the allusion toward Moses from the bible when Moses is talking to the Pharaoh and says "Let my people go" this has a lot of significance for this speech because in a heavily Christian society comparing the blight of racism at the time to the oppression of the Israelites by the Egyptian's is a very powerful reference. This happens because people can directly relate to this, and the comparison is very spot on with the racism and previous slavery for hundreds of years. So, "Let my people go" is one of the most powerful allusions Dr. King made because it really resonates in signifying his message of unifying the world and making the "World House" a much better place.

Diction is the next best thing Dr. King uses in his speech to help bring people together all over the world. The fact that Dr. King is talking about the entire world suffering during a time when there was so much suffering for African American people in one place yet he did not just speak on behalf of the African American's part but for everyone who has ever been oppressed, and is still being oppressed during this time. "The yearning for freedom eventually manifests itself ... " (pg. 285) this quote comes directly from Dr. King's speech which is a very powerful line in the speech because by using diction such as yearning and manifests it is understood that this is a very powerful unmoving force that words such as wanting and created would not have accomplished. This powerful word choice used throughout the speech really resonates within itself that gets the point across that humanity is hurting, and people should do everything in their power to help unify humanity. For if everyone lives in the same house everyone in the house should be equal and not wanting for anything that can be provided.

This speech was one the best to bring light to the situations plaguing the world regarding racism that was holding society back greatly at the time. Using this speech Dr. King manages to tie in the importance of unifying humanity and ending racism. Through such literary devices as metaphor, allusion, and diction brings across this single thought throughout the speech in a way that only Dr. King could present. This speech is still important for everyone gracing this planet for not enough has been done to make this "World House" a place for everyone.

