Martin Luther King Jr. uses contrast, repetition, and listings to further strengthen his letter, inspire others to take action, and leave a long lasting print on his audience. One of the tools King used to create a long lasting impact on people is contrast. In the second paragraph Martin states that, “you [clergymen] warmly commended the police force for keeping “order” and “preventing violence.” I don’t believe you would have so warmly commended the police force if you had seem its angry violent dogs [biting Negros]” (2). Martin Luther King Jr. uses the clergy’s word against them. They stated they were peaceful but in all actuality were quite violent. When King backed his defense up with facts, the clergymen’s word became unreliable. His use of contrast is successful because it puts …show more content…
doubt in the words of the clergymen and gives Martin credibility. If the people were to doubt the clergymen some might be persuaded to listen to Martin Luther King and believe in what he is saying. Near the Martin’s of his letter he says, “[I apologize] if I have said anything in this letter that is an overstatement… [And] if I have said anything in this letter that is an understatement” (6).
By apologizing on both sides of the spectrum King covers all of the audience that might have been offended with his letter. It is wise of him to apologize to both sides rather than one so it eliminates all controversy. Another rhetorical strategy martin Luther King Jr. uses to make his letter successful is listing and repetition. Throughout the letter, King lists important (positive or negative) ideas, names, actions, etc. to emphasize the importance of what he is stating at that point in the letter. For example King iterates, “if you would have seen its angry violent dogs” (2) “if you would observe their ugly and inhumane treatment of Negros” (2) “if you would watch them push and curse old Negro women” (2) “if you would watch them slap and kick old negro men” (2). The way King listed all of the cruel and inhumane way the police treated Negros, it gives a sense of uneasiness to all people. When he repeats (repetition) the same phrase, it engraves it into people’s heads so they can’t forget
it. This is effective for King because it gives the reader prolonged sense of wrongdoing. Martin Luther King also lists many of the civil rights leaders like, “James Meredith” (4) “a seventy-two-year-old woman of Montgomery” (4) “young high school and college students, young ministers of the gospel and a host of their elders” (4). This is effective at inspiring other Negros to take action. When King lists all of the everyday people that turned out to be well known civil rights heroes, it inspires others to make a change. It is effective for King because he is leading a revolution so he needs as many people as possible to take a stand against civil injustice. There is no doubt that Martin Luther King Jr. succeeds at using rhetorical tools to inspire his audience to take action and leave a long lasting influence on his audience.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote his famous “A Letter from the Birmingham Jail” on April 16, 1963 while he was imprisoned in the Birmingham Jail for being involved in nonviolent protests against segregation. The letter is directed at eight white clergymen from Alabama who were very cynical and critical towards African Americans in one of their statements. Throughout the letter, King maintains an understanding yet persistent tone by arguing the points of the clergymen and providing answers to any counterarguments they may have. In the letter, King outlines the goals of his movement and says that he will fight racial inequality wherever it may be. Dr. King uses the appeal three main rhetorical devices – ethos, logos, and pathos – in order to firmly, yet politely, argue the clergymen on the injustices spoken of in their statement.
In “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Martin Luther King, Jr. uses a catalogue of personal experiences in order to appeal to the emotions of the reader, also called pathos, by utilizing concrete language, semicolons, and lengthy sentences. He not only entices the emotions of the fellow clergymen he is addressing, but also society in general, attempting to reveal the true situation of the oppressed Negroes during this time in the Civil Rights Movement.
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 for the cruel acts that have been done to the blacks. King gets his point across, that segregation is unfair and morally not right and that man has a responsibility to act against unjust laws, by using many different strategies throughout the letter. He uses logos, pathos, and ethos to do so. While using these devices he shows emotion, gives logic to his reasoning’s and gives credibility as well.
The letter was written during the 1960’s when people, white people in particular, believed that segregating African Americans was civil and humane. Furthermore, white people thought that African Americans were an inferior race. King includes the following in his letter: “I doubt that you would so quickly commend the policemen if you were to observe their ugly and inhumane treatment of Negroes here in the city jail; if you were to watch them push and curse old Negro women and young Negro girls…” (p.187) Martin Luther King’s purpose of writing is to address this occasion of racism and cruelty towards African Americans living in the United States of America. In the letter, King attempts to appeal to multiple audiences. His first major audience is the eight Alabama clergymen. King’s letter is a direct response to them and their belief that the non-violent protests occurring in the city create tension and are unlawful. Another audience is the white moderate who does not take a stance on the issue of African Americans having basic human rights. By
In Martin Luther King Junior's Letter from Birmingham Jail, King responds to a public statement made by eight Alabama clergymen about African Americans being too extreme and their actions untimely. In this public statement, made on the twelfth of April, 1963, the clergymen also commended the police on their control of the situation. Four days later, King writes a letter showing his opinion on the statements while he sits in the Birmingham jail for parading without a permit. King carefully uses rhetorical devices to force the clergymen to realize that they are the ones responsible for teaching morals. King uses figurative language to create pathos in his audience of Alabama Clergymen
In his letter, Martin Luther King is trying to persuade his readers to understand his action and point of view of an African-American living in this era. He did so all while replying to the public published statement and criticisms written to him by the eight Alabama clergymen. This illuminating work of art that King had created was filled with heightened terminology which was gratified by his precise framework. By King writing this response letter with such high dialect, it reflects off of his determined and highly educated mentality immensely. In this letter King directly tries to build a connection
In Dr. King's essay 'Letter from Birmingham Jail' he addresses the claims made about his arrest by the eight clergymen. His responses are very long and detailed, giving a very compelling and moving point of view. His letter is directed to his audience, which consists of white middle class citizens who Dr. King refers to as the 'white moderates'. Dr. King's letter is very persuasive because his use of pathos makes the audience think or imagine themselves in the situation. It is very poignant of him to write his letter this way. He is in touch with the views of his audience, which makes a greater impact on his readers. Dr. King uses antecdotes to make his readers see the injustice that would continue if there were no changes. It helps his audience to feel that they are a very powerful part of this issue and that they can make a difference.
In the "Letter from a Birmingham Jail", Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. responds to an article by eight clergymen, in which he explains the racial injustice in Birmingham, and reasons why King's organization is protesting for Civil Rights. He introduces himself and his actions at the beginning of his letter. He states that the purpose of his direct action protest is to open the door for negotiation on the Civil Rights. He tries to convince his audience by providing evidence in order to gain his audience to be involved in his movement and support him. He also highlights police actions against nonviolent Negros and crimes against humanity in Birmingham city jail.
Martin Luther King, Jr. is known to be a civil rights activist, humanitarian, a father, and a clergyman. He is well known for fighting for the equal rights of colored people and ending discrimination. King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail is an important part of history that showed King’s opinion of a letter that he happened to read in the newspaper written by a group of clergyman. In this letter, the group of clergyman report that colored people, also known as black people, are being violent towards Birmingham City. Also, the clergymen believed the time that will allow segregation to be diminished was not happening anytime soon because it is not convenient. King refuted the clergymen’s argument in a variety of ways using tactics of argumentation and persuasion like appeal to emotion through real life examples, appeal to logic, and even articulating certain phrases through metaphors and word choice. Many of these different tactics of argumentation and persuasion made his letter very effective and is now seen as a great piece that is looked upon highly today.
Martin Luther King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail", was written to answer a critical "Call For Unity" by a group of clergymen in Birmingham. The clergymen were critical of King for "interloping" in the activities of their city. Dr. King said that he had every right to fight unfairness in the country that he lived in. The letter he wrote, in response to the "Call for Unity", and a statement that he would battle racial inequality wherever it was. The "Letter from Birmingham Jail" was the main point in his life. In this letter, he perfectly described his reasons why he felt this way, appealing to logic, emotion, and ethics.
Martin Luther King, Jr., born on January 15, 1929, was well known for his nonviolent movement to bring justice and to an end to the segregation of the people in the United States back in the 1950s. With King being the leader of a peaceful protest, it failed to bring equally to the colored people. Martin Luther King, Jr. was labeled as an “outsider” who was “hatred and violence” and that his actions were “unwise and untimely” from the Public Statement by Eight Alabama Clergymen (clergymen). In response, on the day of April 16, 1963, he wrote the Letter from Birmingham Jail to declare and defense his movement was not “unwise and untimely” at all. To analyze his points, King used the powerful literary devices of pathos- use of an emotional appeal.ethos-
In “Letter from Birmingham Jail” Martin Luther King Jr, responds to various criticisms directed against him by the white Clergymen. King responds to the criticisms in a professional manner but with a twist. He uses a respectable tone since they are men of good will. The white Clergymen publish an open letter about the racial problems in Alabama. The letter was direct to the outsider of their community, which was King. King agrees with some of the main points that the Clergymen said, but he turns what they say around on them. He uses important people and symbols to make his point across. Two criticisms that King uses are “unwise and untimely” and “tension”. For example, the Clergymen show how the police are doing their job as good law enforcers.
Dr. King effectively expresses why his critics are wrong in a passionate tone. He is extremely zealous about the rights that African-Americans have been neglected to have and should have, as well as everyone else. Mr. King was criticized for his “untimely” actions in Birmingham. “This wait has almost always meant ‘never.’” (King 264) Martin Luther King isn’t just a bystander witnessing the injustice; he is a victim and one of the few who is willing to fight for justice well deserved. His tone also evokes similar passion in the audience. The reader will feel that strong passion and by doing so they will realize that Dr. King does know what he is doing. Since Dr. King is directly affected and is relatable, his writing is able to effortlessly capture his determination and courage. All while having a passionate tone he is able to remain a respectable and calm tone throughout his letter. Dr. King’s tone shifts from brusque to a conciliatory manner. His non-aggressive tone benefits Dr. King’s argument and makes it more effective. If Dr. King had written in an hostile tone, the clergymen would feel attacked and would not want to support his cause....
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail” was written to address the public criticism he and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference received from eight clergymen. In his letter, King shows off his fiery emotion throughout his letter. However, King does not force his beliefs upon his readers. Rather, he hopes that his readers will see his perspective on the situation through an emotional appeal. If the readers are able to recognize the injustice and inequality suffered by the African American community, perhaps they can. The fourteenth and fifteenth paragraphs were a true testament to his passion and ambition for equal rights.
Socrates in “Apology” is known to be one of the founders of Western philosophy because he was successful in challenging and persuading his audience. And it is because of Socrates, the art of philosophy is so successful today. King used this source to justify disobedience and defend his reason for his actions as an advocate of desegregation. The Bible and The Tanakh were used as Christian references to justify the moral just in his actions. Christianity is the absolute most influential idea in today’s society. What individuals perceive as right and wrong is actually based on Christianity. So by using religion in his letter, King was able to connect and force the clergymen to engage in his words. Overall, “Letter to Birmingham Jail” is very convincing in justifying the civil disobedience and morals dealing with the civil rights. Moreover, King’s response was strong and, without a doubt, proved his commitment to civil rights. While addressing the clergymen’s public statement, King successfully encouraged his followers to stay in a hopeful and devoted state of mind despite the clergymen’s advice to cease demonstrations and marches. This is the reason why this letter is so important in the civil rights movement. It proved that although King was arrested, he remained hopeful in his boycotts, his sit-ins, and his demonstrations, because he believed in a better future for society. And just like in some of the most influential texts in history, his devotion, faith, and beliefs led to a tremendous change in