Examples Of Symbolic Interactionism In Letter From Birmingham Jail

The paper analyses Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” from a sociological point of view and shows how three major theories (structural functionalism, social conflict, and symbolic interactionism) are treated in the letter. The paper shows different appreciation of King’s ideas and works by his contemporaries and modern people. It also explores the concepts of “nonviolent direct action” and “natural law” and determines their importance in the civil rights movement.

In this analysis ,”Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King’s was exhibiting his skills in the usage of Ethos, Logos ,and Pathos to respond to his fellow Clergymen who blamed him for organizing the blacks to demonstrate and make the whole world aware of how they are been treated in the Birmingham community. After reading King’s letter I have realized that he was such a passionate and strong man who was able to fight to the end to achieve his goal, had it not because of his actions the injustice will still be going on in this country up till now. Despite everything his opponents do to bring him down, he still stood strong to fight for the black community. I was also impressed about his work of art and the choice of words that he uses to make his letter a success. After I finished reading the essay I felt sad for him going to jail and the punished he experienced over there, but it takes one person’s sacrifice to save the rest.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a key figure in the civil rights movements that took place in the 1950s and 1960s. The “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” is an open letter written by King defending nonviolent resistance against racism. The letter argued that people have a moral responsibility to break unjust and unethical laws. The letter also stresses themes of unity among brothers in order to overcome racism. I will argue in support of King’s stance that citizens are morally justified in breaking unjust laws and that openly and responsibly opposing unjust laws is itself a duty of every citizen.

In 1963, the rights and the equality for African Americans was a cause constantly fought for. Protests and marches took place in order to push for a change in the society, to make a world where equality is achieved. In a Birmingham jail, sat a civil rights leader named Martin Luther King Jr.. Placed in this cell due to a protest held in Birmingham, Alabama when there was a court order stating it was not allowed, King wrote a letter that has become an influential and infamous piece of writing. This letter became known as, “The letter from a Birmingham Jail”. This letter calls out to the criticisms placed on King and confronts them all. In this letter, through rhetorical devices such as pathos, logos and ethos, and other rhetorical devices.

As a result of racist laws that forced blacks to be segregated and refused them their right to peacefully protest, Birmingham, Alabama in the 1960’s, was considered the most racist part of the United States and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. worked towards removing segregation laws from being enforced. In “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. publicly addressed the issue of racism on a religious, political, and social aspect by addressing his letter to the clergymen, disobeying the law through nonviolent civil disobedience, and expressing disappointment when he did not receive support from the white moderate, respectively. Advocating against the extreme racial injustice in Birmingham, Dr. King’s support of St. Augustine’s belief that “an unjust law is no law at all” caused a controversial debate across the country over who has the authority to decide which laws should be disobeyed (King 3). Although Dr. King addressed his letter to the white clergymen, his target audience was to the entire white moderate of the country whom he hoped would help him gain support in order to change unjust laws that promote segregation and refuse citizens of their First Amendment rights to a peaceful protest (King 4). Dr. King was looking for support from other members of society in order to create an effective change in society’s ethics. Moreover, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s large audience and public movement used nonviolent

Injustice is a big problem in today’s society. Martin Luther King wrote the “Letter from Birmingham Jail” in which he addressed many forms of injustices that was present then and continue to be present in today’s world. Martin Luther King did a lot of things that still effect today. He got in trouble for some things as well; such as like protesting how blacks were treated. He was arrested and was sent to Birmingham City Jail. He wrote a letter to defend the strategies of nonviolent resistance to racism. He employs the use of pathos, ethos, and logos to support his argument that nonviolence resistance is definitive. Based on the pathos, ethos, and logos present in this letter, the article is overall effective to this argument.

In “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” King uses allusions to historical and biblical individuals and events to justify and support his reasoning. In the letter he uses the examples of how equality and freedom are possible today because Socrates practiced civil disobedience and America civilly disobeyed Great Britain through the Boston Tea Party. Throughout history, individuals have disobeyed the authorities over them to invoke change. King has done and is doing just that. After the arrest of King, you declared him an extremist in his ways.

Martin Luther King pinpoint the oppressed should be able to raises their high dignity and do not come with the hate and malice to the injustice system. He also indicates the nonviolent resistance contribute to the moral way and will be a positive model for the next generation. At last, Martin Luther King conclude his argument with his philosophy of how to deal with the oppression, and to clarify that the nonviolence resistance is not against the people but against the

In August of 1963 while confined in Birmingham Jail, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote to the religious leaders of Birmingham, who had voiced discontent regarding the recent demonstrations taking place in Birmingham. The letter written by Dr. King, not only gathered local attention, but also brought awareness nationwide to the growing civil rights movement. In this analysis, I will identify Dr. Kings intended purpose in writing this letter, its directed audience, and the techniques that made it effective.

Martin Luther King, Jr. uses metaphors to make his argument in “The Letter To Birmingham Jail” by saying things such as “I guess it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation to say wait.” He is referring to when the people were being brutalized by police officers. They were kicked, cursed at, and treated awfully. I believe one reason Martin Luther King uses metaphors in his writing to show you more detail and give you a visual of what he is saying. In addition a good example of Martin Luther King using a metaphor to show detail would be when he talks about little girls not being able to go and play on the playground with other white children.

Martin Luther King Jr. discusses the advantages and purposes for his theory of nonviolent direct action in his Letter From Birmingham City Jail. He shows four basic steps that must be taken to achieve nonviolent action. They include 1) collection of facts to determine whether injustices are alive; 2) negotiation; 3) self-purification; and 4) direct action. Each of these steps will be explained as part of King's argument later in this essay. The main purpose of a nonviolent campaign is to force any community to confront a problem rather than refuse to negotiate or face a specific issue. In the letter, King discusses his group's reasons for coming to Birmingham.

An ultimate conflict of Americans throughout time has been how to fight injustices in an appropriate way with lasting long term affects. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.”(1963), explained that after disappointment from failed negotiations, direct action now had to be taken. Dr King stated in the letter, “But he will not see this without pressure from devotees of civil rights. My friends, I must say to you that we have not made a single gain in civil rights without determined legal and nonviolent pressure.. We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.” It can be understood that when political aspects fail, whether between countries, states, or government offices, there is always the social relationship to fall back. During the civil rights movement Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. used this to his advantage. The personal connection between

In order to understand this paper one must have background knowledge on the authors and their pieces. In 1963 the Civil Rights movement was in its prime. MLK had went to jail more than 20 times for his cause and was arrested again for parading without a permit. King was stabbed in the chest and his house was even bombed. He lead a 381 day boycott and traveled over 6000 miles. In “Letter From Birmingham Jail” King wrote to the eight clergymen who had stated they wanted the civil rights movement to end about why his movement was morally right. In this letter King shows how they are being nonviolent now, but in time it will evolve into something more.

This was openly embraced in the Civil Rights Movement in America. The faces of the movement were many but most notably among them were Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. As he explicates upon in “Letter From a Birmingham Jail”, when Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. practiced civil disobedience, he did it to bring attention to plight of African Americans at the time and attract the news outlets to Birmingham, the capital for racial injustice. At the time, African Americans were facing horrible treatment, including unfair treatment in courts, unsolved bombings of churches and homes, a refusal by “city fathers” to negotiate, and countless other transgressions. In the light of this, the acts of civil disobedience the likes of Martin Luther King Jr. took part in sparked public attention and led to changes in the public’s regard fro civil rights issues.

In Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, King discusses the importance of civil disobedience being performed. King is confined in the Birmingham city jail and decides to respond to the criticisms of his fellow clergymen although he often does not acknowledge such statements. King’s understanding of civil disobedience is clearly reflected in his use of rhetoric and includes violating the law in peaceful terms to protest unjust laws and circumstances.