"Transcend tribe, race, class, nation, and religion and embrace the vision of a World House" (Morehouse College). This quote 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 one 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". Using this, he helps to connect to every person in the world helping people to see that in an essence everyone has to live here on Earth just like in a regular house. So, in essence by using the metaphor of the world house 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 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 for the house to prosper and grow as a community not separately. King does not say this for no reason terrible things were happening at this time like in South Africa where a big civil rights movement was going on to stop the apartheid which led to "The bloodiest massacre in the history of South Africa takes place in Sharpeville resulting in the Sharpeville massacre." (South African History Online) This event was truly a horrible thing because the people held a rally for ending the racism or trying to make the house a better place to live and were brutally murdered for just trying to become equal. Therefore, when using this metaphor everyone sympathizes appealing and reaching a more people 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 important to society. Also, that as a group humanity has not a very good job of keeping its house together, and 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 especially in America where Mr. King was fighting for equality and in this speech he says "Equality with whites will not solve the problems of either whites or negroes if it means equality in a world society stricken by poverty and in a universe doomed to extinction by war." (pg. 264) With all the problems still facing the racism movement and inequality in America for Mr. King to basically say that the fight is still not over here in America even after all the strives made by the civil rights movement means nothing unless the world is also fixed. Which almost makes Martin Luther King seem like a saint because after all the years of racism and slavery that had plagued the American negroes he cares more about the house that everyone lives in not just the house that he lives in. By using quotes such as these and references to other social issues plaguing the world Mr. King uses the metaphor of a world house to maximum effect to show the importance of unity.

Allusion is another big part in understanding 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 powerful reference. This happens because people can directly relate to this, and the comparison is 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. This is because Moses and his people also went through hundreds of years of slavery and prejudice just like what the American negroes and people all over the world were going through at this time. The other big allusion used is that of fellowship between men which is one of the basis that the bible is on. Fellowship or brotherhood is the part in the bible that says everyone in the world is part of it, and that those in the brotherhood look out for each other just like god preaches. This once again is exactly what MLK is preaching to everyone that everyone is in the fellowship that is the world needs to unify and take care of each other. 

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 moving line in the speech because by using diction such as yearning and manifests it is understood that this is an 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.

