Letter From Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Analysis Essay

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Rhetorical Analysis of “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” On April 16th of 1963, while imprisoned in an Alabama jail, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote a letter to eight Christian and Jewish religious leaders in Birmingham in response to their criticisms of his actions regarding the corrections of racial injustice in Birmingham. The clergymen called King’s actions and demonstrations “unwise and untimely” (King, 1). In response, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote a lengthy 7,000 word letter. In this letter, King uses numerous rhetorical devices to further strengthen his argument about the importance of correcting racial injustice and violence in Birmingham. Specifically though, King uses the mode of persuasion, pathos, throughout the letter in order to successfully appeal to the readers, which in this case is the …show more content…

He brings hope and peace to the issue of racial injustice. He also states; “I am here because injustice is here” (King,1). To conclude, I have found that Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter From a Birmingham Jail” is a moving, emotional piece that still remains just as important today. It is an influential piece that accurately describes the violence, heartbreak, and injustice that people of color experienced during the 20th century, and beyond. With King’s expert use of pathos, he successfully appeals to the readers by urging them to recognize the issue of social injustice in Birmingham, and to take action to help combat the issue. He asks the readers to help finally put a stop to the intense violence, disrespect, and heartache that African Americans and Black Americans have experienced for decades, specifically in the city of

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