Words and actions have the power to inspire an audience by using facts and evidence to support a topic, emotionally connecting with the audience, or motivating a person to do something. Words have the power to change a person’s opinion on a topic by presenting differential facts and evidence that makes them want to side with the opposing argument. This can be seen in The Letter From Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King who states, “As in so many past experiences, our hopes have been blasted.” This supports the main idea because in it Martin Luther King presents the fact that this is not the first time he has been let down. Saying this makes readers angry and more enticed to side with Dr. King, knowing that he is in more need of support than …show more content…
With this information, readers side more with the author because it rejects and contradicts their beliefs, so they change their views accordingly. The text How Black Businesses Helped Save the Civil Rights Movement by Louis Ferleger and Matthew Lavallee also provides information supporting the main idea saying, “The assistance of the organizational network of small businesses proved vital.” This quote too supports the main idea because it says that overall black businesses proved that the civil rights movement wouldn't have worked if not for them. This helps to change readers' opinion by having them stand on the writer’s plane of reasoning, that is, it is necessary in order for them to be successful. Another way words can inspire an audience is by emotionally connecting with the audience so they can feel more in sync with the text and their way of thinking can be persuaded. This can be shown in the text Letter From Birmingham Jail by MLK which states “Perhaps I was too optimistic, perhaps I expected too …show more content…
Another example of this can be seen in A Litany for Survival by Audre Lorde who says, “When our stomachs are empty we are afraid we may never eat again.” This also contributes to the main idea by relating to the readers using the emotion of fear. By doing this, readers know that they are not alone and that it is ok to fear something silly, so that they side more with the author knowing that they can relate to one another. Yet another example of this can be represented in the text How Black Movements Helped Save the Civil Rights Movement by Louis Ferleger and Matthew Lavellee which says that “Lee was shot and killed; the sheriff merely dismissed the death as an automobile accident.” This too supports the main idea by giving readers a sense of injustice served to the innocent man, making them too feel unjustified. By creating that feeling of injustice, readers become angry and frustrated, siding more and more with the author, knowing he is on their side. Lastly, words can motivate a person to do something by using fear or reward tactics in order to entice the reader to take
In his Letter from Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King Jr. uses his personal experience to convince others of the importance of revising the segregation laws that were in place during 1960’s. In paragraphs 13 and 14 in particular, there is a lot of language used to persuade the reader’s opinions and emotions toward King’s argument. He does this not only convince his fellow clergymen, but to inform others of the reality that African Americans faced in the 60’s.
The uniqueness of our minds and our cognition is irreplaceable. Beauty, and reverence of the voice lie in the opinions it resonates. We take aesthetic pleasure in the speech of those who motivate us and adopt from them a number of values and beliefs that we agree with. The likelihood of individuals basing their ideals and decision making process off of accessible and prolonged exposure to certain influences is great. These underlying unidimensional prejudices cause us to be biased in our opinions. Various forms of literature are able to help their readers to become more aware of their prejudices. Though the messages we adopt from these texts, we are able to realize the importance of basing our opinions from multiple sources and perspectives. Literature has traveled great lengths to help me become more cognitive of my prejudices, and encourages me to seek different perspectives before formulating an opinion.
Authors and speakers alike use some type of persuasion on their intended audience. They often try to make you agree with their argument before considering other factors. Persuasive writing often has a copious amount of logical fallacies, defined by the Perdue Online Writing Lab as “errors in reasoning that will undermine the logic”, despite that they tend to have success with sympathetic audiences. Wendell Berry’s essay “The Whole Horse” is an example. Berry is likely to persuade his conservationist audience because of his use of emotive language.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested on April 12, 1963, in Birmingham, for having a protest without a proper permit. On the exact day King was arrested, eight clergymen from Alabama wrote a letter called “A Call for Unity.” The letter called for termination of civil activities and demonstrations and designated King an “outsider” and saying that outsiders were the problems in Birmingham and not the blacks that are from there. On April 16 King wrote “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, which was his responds to his fellow clergymen. He wrote the letter as a means to convince the clergymen and the white moderate that the nonviolent demonstrations that had got him arrested, were a necessity and to enlighten them on why the segregation laws in the southern states needed to be changed. In “Letter from Birmingham Jail” King uses logos, pathos, and ethos to persuade the clergymen and convince them in assisting him in putting an end to segregation laws of blacks in Birmingham, Alabama.
In 1963, when African-Americans were fighting for black and white equality, Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” While confined in the Birmingham jail, King felt the need to respond to a letter published in the local newspaper. This letter criticized King’s intentions during his visit by saying they were untimely. As a way to defend his actions, King put together a number of arguments and beliefs that proved why taking direct action was necessary during a time of racial discrimination. Furthermore, to persuade his audience, King had to gain trust and share the emotional connection he had with his people. Today, “Letter to Birmingham Jail,” is known for its articulate and powerful use of ethos, pathos, and logos.
In the “Letter from Birmingham Jail” (Jr., Letter from Birmingham Jail) written by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. the three artistic appeals of Aristotle are plainly apparent, especially logos. Dr. King repeatedly appeals to logos (Ruszkiewicz) throughout the entire piece; particularly when he says he was initially disappointed at being categorized as an extremist then gradually gained a matter of satisfaction from the label. He is very impassioned in his language and tone in this part of the letter, yet still makes a strong argument for logic. Despite the overwhelming emotional and personal investment involved Dr. King still allows logic to prevail thus lending him a huge amount of credibility. As a member of the community being persecuted in this case, he might have had trouble remaining objective but clearly he doesn’t let his own pathos take center stage. All in all the use of logic and concise reasoning make a strong argument for the effectiveness of the letter in general.
Recently you have received a letter from Martin Luther King Jr. entitled “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” In Dr. King’s letter he illustrates the motives and reasoning for the extremist action of the Civil Rights movement throughout the 1960’s. In the course of Dr. King’s letter to you, he uses rhetorical questioning and logistical reasoning, imagery and metaphors, and many other rhetorical devices to broaden your perspectives. I am writing this analysis in hopes you might reconsider the current stance you have taken up regarding the issues at hand.
Rhetorical Analysis “Letter from Birmingham Jail” In 1963 on April 16th, Martin Luther King Jr, who was in the Birmingham jail for non-violent protesting wrote a letter in response to a statement from eight white clergymen, in which they stated that his recent activities were “unwise and untimely.” In this letter King proceeds to state his purpose and reasons for his timing and his protests and powerfully he does so. He most obviously directs the letter to the Clergymen but there seems to be a many different audiences he wishes to enlighten on his thoughts. From what I gather he wants public figures and everyday men to read his letter, and by doing so he hopes to raise awareness of the cruel acts that have been done to the blacks.
The Letter from Birmingham Jail was written in 1963 by Martin Luther King, Jr. During this period, the African Americans were involved in a battle for white and black equality. This is evident from the vocabulary used by King including “Negro” which was common during that period but not used commonly afterwards. Moreover, the letter’s context tells it argues that King wanted was African Americans to have freedom. The letter’s purpose is that King wants to persuade the clergymen what he together with his people were demonstrating since it was extremely necessary during that period. In achieving this, King utilizes persuasive and condemnatory tones so that the reader can consent with him. King Luther King, the author of Letter from Birmingham Jail, presents a valid argument through the use of ethos, pathos, and logos in the entire piece with the intention of explaining his actions and changing the audience’s opinions.
The Letter from Birmingham Jail was written by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in April of 1963. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of several civil rights activists who were arrested in Birmingham Alabama, after protesting against racial injustices in Alabama. Dr. King wrote this letter in response to a statement titled A Call for Unity, which was published on Good Friday by eight of his fellow clergymen from Alabama. Dr. King uses his letter to eloquently refute the article. In the letter dr. king uses many vivid logos, ethos, and pathos to get his point across. Dr. King writes things in his letter that if any other person even dared to write the people would consider them crazy.
Martin Luther King Jr. uses the emotional appeal most often than any other appeal and using it to his advantage, he makes it extremely effective in persuading the reader. He uses emotional appeal in many ways throughout his “letter from Birmingham Jail.” In one of the ways, he uses strong words as one of the most effective ways to relate to the reader and make them feel connected to him. He mentions in his letter that “When you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate-filled policemen curse, kick and even kill your black brothers and sisters.” Words such as vicious lynch, drown, hate-filled, curse, kick, and kill are all strong words that persuade a negative picture in the readers mind. Such examples he uses to define the evil acts of segregation appeals to the reader as unjust and unfair. King uses most of his emotional appeals from midway through the letter and keeps using it until the end. King relates himself to the audience, the clergymen, and shows the similarities ...
In the touching, influential letter, Letter from Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King Jr. responds to the white, Alabama clergymen who condemned his movement as “unwise and untimely” (1) and delineates his motives for traveling to Birmingham, where whites consider him an “outsider” (1). Hoping to express his ambition of nonviolent protest in a sympathetic, deferential manner, he implores the white clergy to join the struggle for Civil Rights. Throughout the letter, he addresses and disputes against each negative argument by the whites, testifying his position unpretentiously, yet confidently. With aptitude, poise, and humility, King establishes his motives for coming to such an unwelcoming environment. In his heart-rending letter, King’s coherent logos, stimulating rhetorical questions, and accentuating parallel structure express to the white moderates who criticized his actions that nonviolent, direct protest is not only essential, but also inevitable to contain agitated hostility and to assume relative peace.
Speeches are a method of persuading people to do something. For Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, their speeches were to bring equality for the people of color. However, their approaches are different. Consequently, the effects may be different. An example of their contrasting differences is a speech from each, King’s “I Have a Dream” and X’s “The Black Revolution”. Their speeches used pathos, a central metaphor, and a warning, but was presented differently.
...ring to the example of a river and language it is easy to see how Martin Luther King Jr. utilizes the rivers destructive force to his advantage. He is able to combine diction and syntax to form the perfect letter filled with logical, creditable and emotional appeal to the audience. His words flow together in harmony while having a weathering effect on the mind, heart and soul. This is why Martin Luther King Jr. is able to successfully use rhetorical appeals to prove that nonviolent demonstrations will lead to negotiations and benefits for both sides. Birmingham City Jail was a private letter not intended to be read by the entire world and yet it still has the ability to stimulate a response in its unintended audience. What literature today can do this? Perhaps we can be the ones to create it just by chasing what we believe in and showing the world that we are right.
When it comes to civil rights, there are two pieces of literature commonly discussed. One of these pieces is Henry David Thoreau’s persuasive lecture On the Duty of Civil Disobedience. In this work, Thoreau discusses how one must combat the government with disobedience of unjust laws and positive friction to create change. The second piece is the commonly known article Letter From a Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King Jr. This letter covers the ways in which peaceful protest and standing up against injustice can lead to positive results. Both pieces conveyed a similar message of standing up for what is right. The strongest rhetorical methods which Thoreau uses are allusions, logos, ethos and rhetorical questions. However, King’s use of