Rhetorical Analysis Of Letter From Birmingham Jail

In paragraphs 12-14 of “Letter From Birmingham Jail”, Dr. King begins addressing the clergymen’s belief that the peaceful demonstrations conducted by him and his associates were untimely. King starts answering questions frequently heard by opposing or moderate forces, as well as essentially denouncing the resistance to desegregation. King then introduced the relationship between the oppressor and the oppressed; concluding that the oppressor is not inclined to act on things that do not directly affect them. Therefore, providing a platform of his argument as to why blacks could no longer wait to be given their basic human rights. Action needed to take place because fair treatment was no longer a hope to be given, it had to be taken.

He is not simply a hypocrite who wished to complain about all that is being done wrong; he is speaking as one who truly has a care and concern for the church and is involved in it. Furthermore, King portrays his use of ethos when he expresses, “We will reach the goal of freedom in Birmingham and all over the nation, because the goal of America is freedom.” The majority of Americans will respond greatly to this statement because of how proud they are of America’s freedom, and it will appeal to their pride. Altogether, King builds trust in his readers and continually convinces them of his worthiness to speak on behalf of this issue because of the ethos he intermingled throughout his letter.

It is known to all that Martin Luther King is a famous person in America, who strongly goes against the racial discrimination all the time. Here, in this letter, Letter from Birmingham Jail, it is easy for us to realize that racial discrimination appears and the non-violence action is still serious at that time. As a matter of fact, this letter is coming from the people in the Birmingham jail, stating their inner thoughts about the non-violence action, which just goes against the violence and the injustice in most cases. Although this essay response intends to provide the people in the Birmingham Jail of how to solve the serious problems of the

In Letter from Birmingham Jail Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is writing a letter in response to eight white Southern religious leaders. King begins by giving his reasoning for addressing them. He mentions that he usually doesn’t address the criticism he receives. He says, “But since I feel you are men of genuine good will and your criticisms are sincerely set forth, I would like to answer your statement in what I hope will be patient and reasonable terms.” (King 1) To me, it seems as if Dr. King had a bit of a sarcastic tone, and this is what intrigued me to read this letter.

The purpose for Martin Luther king to write “Letter from Birmingham Jail” was to respond to white Alabama clergymen who before this had criticized his action saying they were “unwise and untimely.” These clergymen had published a criticism directed towards King’s organization and participation in his protest march against segregation in Birmingham. This letter is not intended to persuade these men towards supporting civil rights, but rather to demonstrate that there is an immediate need towards direct action, and also that they need to open their eyes and see the African American community’s suffering. King withal expounds the need for tension, though only through nonviolent means, a tension that will coerce society to confront the present convivial iniquity head on. King disapproves being called an outsider because of his belief that humanity is part an "inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny."

At a time where African Americans felt oppressed by whites, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stood up for what he felt was right and spoke the truth about controversial issues such as inequality and injustice. During the 1960s when he wrote his “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, segregation was a major controversy. There was a divide between African Americans and white Americans with racism and prejudice being very prevalent throughout this era. Public places, like restaurants and bathrooms, were being split up into sections based on race. As a nonviolent protester, King frequented in silent marches through southern cities, especially Birmingham, Alabama. The goal was to act in a nonviolent way towards whites and stay persistent. From this,

In the Letter from Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King Jr. the author makes multiple allusions to philosophers. His comparison make it seem as if he shares likeness with them. King’s work was highly devoted to one thing only, the protection of civil disobedience so that the civil rights movement could go on uncompromised. Although King only had one purpose the complexity of the situation called for unity by eight Alabama clergymen for a decision. In this way King’s letter served more than the one singular purpose of fighting for civil rights, he used it to establish himself as a credible authority amongst his audience, let the trials of the black in America be shown, and to argue the absolute necessity of immediate action.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail" is a defense of the kind of non-violent direct action that King promoted and used during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and '60s. It is a response to statements of disapproval made by the clergymen of Birmingham, Alabama, and is obviously written in a way that appeals directly to this audience. King uses his knowledge of this audience's identity to design highly targeted arguments and to choose relevant historical examples for citation, and uses his personal experience in writing sermons and speeches to construct moving sermon-like passages that complement and reinforce his arguments. The arguments' basis in terms that the clergymen will find to be familiar and agreeable,

In Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail, there are lots of rhetorical strategies that he uses in response to the eight Alabama clergymen’s letter, A Call for Unity. The clergymen’s letter was criticising Dr. King’s civil rights demonstrations taking place in Alabama. The letter encouraged civil rights activists to negotiate instead of protesting and King’s letter responded arguing that it is necessary for them to take civil action and counters their claim by using ethos, asking rhetorical questions, and using numerous biblical and historical allusions.

As a result of social media spreading messages throughout the internet, the way people view news and create opinions has greatly differentiated since the time of simple publications. If Dr. Martin Luther King had used social media when writing the “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, his story, experiences, and blatant view of the conditions of Birmingham would have been made known to the world quicker. Due to the traveling speed of internet and the large number of viewers using social media would greatly increase the expansion of Dr. King’s fight.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr wrote “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” The “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” takes place in a solitary confinement cell inside of Birmingham, Alabama. Majority of the letter were carried out on strips of paper by Dr. King attorney. They were using irregular jailhouse paper tissue. Dr. King was having a peaceful parade march when being held by law enforcement for not having a parade permit.

In Martin Luther King Jr’s letter, Letter from Birmingham Jail, he uses the rhetorical strategy of Ethos, Logos, and Pathos. Martin Luther King Jr. uses Ethos and Logos when he begins with the “My Dear Fellow Clergymen” this is important because he lets the Clergymen know that there is nothing separating them that they are human beings and equal. Dr. King then progresses and says that he has the honor of serving as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference which makes a statement that reveals he is a citizen of America. Martin Luther King Jr. then stated that they, the African Americans, have waited for more than 340 years for their constitutional and God-given rights. This statement means that their God-given rights are part of the constitution, therefore, means that everyone should be included thus means that even African Americans should have the same rights and equality and the white people. Logos comes in when he says that they have waited more than 340 years. Logically speaking there was slavery beforehand but now there isn’t slavery but segregation. Slavery and segregation have something in common which is the African American get racial injustice and have no rights. The 8th Amendment says the punishments should be fair and cannot be cruel. This Amendment was broken when colored people were doing a pacifist protest but ended in gore when the white men sprayed fire hose to them and let dogs chew on them like if they were a toy. Dr. King tried to catch

Over the course of our American history we have seen the African American community fight for civil liberties since the formation of our country till the height of this fight in the 1960s, also known as the Civil Rights Era. Among one of the most belittling policies included segregation which kept blacks and whites separated. This brings us to Birmingham Alabama 1963, one of the most segregated cities in all of America. During this time the Southern Christian Leadership Conference staged many non-violent protests which were led by the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr, a prominent leader during the Civil Rights Era. During these protest King was one of many arrested. As a prominent and popular figure King faced much criticism from many of the influential white clergymen in the south. King responded back with his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” a great and moving piece of literature in American history, in which he used rhetorical appeals to back his point by point rebuttal to his criticism, as well to back his counter critiques he would make back.

Social activist, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, in the letter, “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” (16 April 1963) addresses the many injustices occurring with the white moderates and the blacks in the community of Birmingham, Alabama. Dr. King supports his arguments by addressing laws that are unjust should not be pursued and the moral responsibilities one should be open to accepting, then illustrates the positives of being an extremist rather than the negatives and finally explains in deep disappointment the upbringing leadership from the white church. Dr. King’s purpose to the white moderates is defending the strategies of racial discrimination, oppression, and power in a nonviolent direct; however, throughout the letter his, tone goes from an emotional to very direct and formal towards his response to the fellow clergyman, critics, and others interested in the topic of injustices in a nonviolent resistance. Dr. King effectively argues his propositions using historical analogies, sincerity, and his emotional response of disappointment.

In Martin Luther King Jr.’s letter, he had a lot on his mind while sitting in Birmingham’s jail. He usually did not answer to the questioning and criticism of his ideas; however, he decided to give his reasoning for his actions in Birmingham. King states that Birmingham has injustice; while others may sit around and watch, he believes that if injustice is in one place it affects everywhere and everyone. Waiting for their Constitutional rights, black people were getting beaten and harassed every day. As he watched all of this happen, he noticed a huge gap between a law being just and unjust. Many people will alter these laws to where a law is unjust in its purpose. King reverts back to the past when civil disobedience is not new; it has shown up for years against Jews, Romans, and Communists. He concludes that he is not afraid and that African Americans will reach their goal of freedom all over the nation. After reading Martin Luther King Jr.’s, “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” he uses effective logos, pathos, and ethos to persuade the nation to fight for justice.