Martin Luther King Ethos Pathos Logos

Firstly, in response to the comment that his present activities are unwise and untimely, Martin Luther King, Jr. explains why he chose to lead the non-violent protest in Birmingham and why they chose the specific time.

First Martin Luther King effectively makes use of logos throughout his letter. He clarifies all of the reasons for his arguments and supports them

On August 28, 1963 more than 250,000 civil-rights supporters attended the March on Washington. Addressing the protesters from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. Profoundly, he proclaimed for a free nation of equality where all race would join together in the effort to achieve common ground. King stated his yearning for all colors to unite and be judged by character, not by race. African Americans would not be satisfied until their desire for freedom from persecution, bitterness, and hatred prevailed. Not only were the points in his speech powerful, but also the delivery he gave was so persuading and real

Logos means reason. Martin Luther King Jr. uses logos to show why he is delivering this speech and why he wants things to change. He is delivering this speech to show how many blacks and other races, that weren’t being treated equally, really didn’t have freedom like they should. “It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment and to underestimate the determination of the Negro.” (King, M. L. Jr. (1963, Aug.28) Para 6) “Instead of honoring the sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check which has come back marked ‘insufficient funds.’” (King, M. L. Jr. (1963, Aug.28) Para 5) These quotes are just a couple of the logos quotes Martin Luther King said in his speech.

Martin Luther King’s use of Pathos and Logos in “I have a Dream” showcases how he uses the devices to inspire others, compared to how he uses these rhetorical devices in “Letter From Birmingham Jail” to persuade the Clergymen. Martin Luther King, also referred to MLK, uses both Pathos and Logos to fit the audiences and occasions for each text. His uses of Pathos and Logos in these two texts are examples of how words can inspire change.

The quote appeals to the ethical obligation that any righteous activist should take while pursuing change. As an activist King was required to be open to every channel of

Martin Luther king uses ethos in many cases in his remarkable speech “I Have a Dream”. He uses ethos in his speech to connect with his audience and persuade them that they are fighting with other famous Americans. Such as famous fathers and Abraham Lincoln. Martin Luther king’s approach is very smart because he knows the American people trust famous people so using them as examples they will be on Martin Luther King’s side.

King used numerous examples of pathos, ethos, and logos throughout his speech. Pathos appeals to audience’s emotions and feelings, whereas ethos relies on the author's credibility. Logos are used in heated discussions to help get a message across. Pathos often rely on the use of logos and ethos to be effective. An example of pathos used in his speech is how he could guide the emotion of the crowd to make them feel sympathetic towards African Americans. He could make the crowd understand how segregation was tearing the country apart and made people have feelings toward the subject. He stated, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character”. (King) He talked as a parent wanting the best for his children which emotionally touches people because many people want their children to have a better life than they did growing up. He used ethos in the beginning of the speech when he stated” Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. In this example, he refers to President Lincoln and the great work he had done to abolish slavery. This example provides credibility to his speech because he referenced president Abraham Lincoln who played a major role in the ending of slavery. He also referenced the Declaration of Independence, the most important piece of literature ever written for this

During his lifetime, Martin Luther king dared to not only dream about a better future but also fight for it. He was not afraid from having confrontations in order to promise a change. We can see his decisiveness when his arguments for stopping discrimination against black were not enough to change the situation. He decided to make a direct action in order to make society confront the issue.

On August 28, 1963, people around the nation tuned into hear several civil rights speeches going on in Washington. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of those civil rights speakers, and that day he gave his famous “I have a dream” speech. In Dr. Martin Luther King Juniors speech, he spoke about unifying the nation, to create a place where Americans “will not be judged by the color of your skin but by the content of your character.”(2) He shocked the nation into actions advising that they’re will be a “rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual.”(1) Thankfully, many people in America were changed, and wanted to make a difference after

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” Dr. King

Ethos is defined in our textbook as, “showing that you know what you are talking about exerts an ethical appeal, as does emphasizing that you share values with and respect your audience” (Lunsford and Ruskiewic, Page 26). Martin Luther King, Jr., is a man that can be described as an typical American, we know this due to his “I Have A Dream” speech centered around equality. “My Dear Fellow Clergymen” ("Letter from a Birmingham Jail [King, Jr.]").

Throughout his speech, Martin Luther King Jr. gave many examples of ethos, logos, and pathos. In literature, ethos is defined as, “An appeal to ethics, and a means of convincing someone of the character or credibility of the persuader,” and I believe that the term was applied into his speech. Near the beginning of the speech, in order to make his audience feel like they are fighting along with other well-known Americans, like Abe Lincoln, Martin says, “Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation” (1). This shows that a great president, who was well known by many, fought for black equality, just like King is, and will make his audience feel as if they are fighting for the same reason as well.

This use of Logos in Martin Luther's Speech shows the folks a truth of what has not truly took impact to each African yankee person, or each Negroid within the us.

During this speech Logos, Pathos, and Ethos was given. Pathos and Ethos is one when King explains the way he think things should be and shouldn’t be. King agree that segregation is not the way things should have been. We should all be equal. King references the beliefs of the Founding fathers, who declared that America would be a land of freedom where all men are created equal.