Martin Luther King Rhetorical Analysis

In paragraphs 12-14 King uses a combination of rhetorical strategies to argue the urgency for changing current segregation laws. Kings selective use of imagery, parallel structure, and metaphors helps bring out the emotions of the eight clergymen, making them feel sympathy and understand Martin Luther King Jr.s point of view.

Martin Luther King did capture how people felt about the subject matter that he spoke about. There are many people who go back and try to imitate the way Martin Luther King communicated with the people. Therefore, it was such a good way to speak to the people’s

King uses ethos, which is making himself seem credible, many times throughout his letter. An exceptional example of this would be in paragraph three, where King says, “...so am I compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own home town. Like Paul, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid.” By comparing himself to the apostle Paul, it makes King appear to be more credible; more important and worthy of his position of leadership in the civil rights

Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech is one of the most successful and most legendary speeches in United States history. Martin Luther King Jr. was a masterful speaker, who established a strong command of rhetorical strategies. By his eloquent use of ethos, logos, and pathos, as well as his command of presentation skills and rhetorical devices, King was able to persuade his generation that "the Negro is not free" (King 1). His speech became the rallying cry for civil rights and lives on as an everlasting masterpiece.

“But more basically,I am in Birmingham because injustice is here.Just as the prophets of the eighth century B.C.left their villages and carried their,”thus saint the lord” far beyond the boundaries of their home towns,and just as the Apostle Paul left his village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to the far corners of the Greco-Roman world,so am I compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own home town.like Paul,I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid.”

Civil rights activist, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his memorable “I Have a Dream” speech while standing at the feet of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. His uplifting speech is one of the most admired during the civil rights era and arguably one of the best in American history. On August 28th, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. spoke about the true American dream: equality. Although the video of his oral spectacle is powerful, the written document portrays exactly how brilliant Martin Luther King Jr. really was. Like an Architect who uses his stones to build strong palaces, Martin Luther King Jr. uses every word, every sentence, and every paragraph purposely to convey the necessity of a civil rights

One of the most influential and famous Americans of all history announced this speech, most definitely allowing this address to be trustworthy nd truthful. Besides being a well know activist, Martin Luther King Jr. was reverend who has also had many written books. Consequently, allowing him to have had experience with writing and how to convey an idea among people. This is evident with his use of many literary element used. Overall, Martin Luther King Jr. was a renowned historical figure who without a doubt can be credited to be a trustworthy source of ideas.

It's the 1960's; American society is being torn asunder by civil unrest involving the struggle for equality at home and an inhumane war in Vietnam. In the midst of such turbulence, Martin Luther King Junior argues that American involvement in the war in Vietnam is unjust. He poignantly examines the thesis using appeals to ethos logos and pathos.

Credibility and ethics are one of the first things noted in King’s letter, and the presentation of it helps the reader to carry on reading the letter with open-mindedness and trust that King will continue to sincerely explain the reasons for the letter and the protest. Also, he establishes his credibility in the second paragraph by responding to the clergymen’s view that he was an outsider coming in. Similarly, King institutes his credibility by revealing that he is the president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference which was an organization working in every southern state. Martin Luther King Jr. also appeals to ethos by even stating the clergymen’s views throughout his letter, which, of course embodies the alternative to his views. People have respect and trust for King which is proof of his reliability, as one man writes, “I believe Luther's actions truly reflect his belief that all people should be equal. His actions also show his commitment to the movement and the fact that this man was a leader” (Akerman 1).

King used ethos to show his audience that he is a trustworthy man with good intentions. King is president of a christian organization that works in all southern states and they have eighty-five affiliated organizations. “ I have the honor of serving as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization operating in every southern state, with headquarters in Atlanta Georgia. We have some eighty-five affiliated organizations across the South, and one of them is the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights.” (7) This shows the clergymen and the audience that King knows what he is doing. By giving information on the events he has participated in, he shows people his experiences in protests for justice. People trust a person who has experience in a certain situation because they know what to do, so King uses ethos in his

A determinate of how effective a piece is can be recognized by how the piece affects the intended audience in the long run. In the sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards and “Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King Jr, both authors use several different effective rhetorical methods to convey their messages to the audience. Edwards (one of the best speakers in his time) and King (one of the most influential Civil Rights activists) both use these methods in an effective way. King and Edwards both use different methods to convey their messages, but it is important to analyze what one is the most effective on the intended audience. You must analyze how Edwards uses direct addressing

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the most influential figure from the Civil Rights Movement and still is to do the young minds of today. He is considered the face of the Civil Rights Movement. From his rallies, to his protests, to his speeches; it was obvious of how much of a great mind MLK had. He produced many popular and powerful piece of writings all throughout this period, such as his “I Have a Dream” speech, but his most famous piece of writing is Letter from Birmingham Jail. This letter was written on April 16, 1963 after King was arrested for leading a demonstration that was designed to bring attention to the cruel racist treatment of blacks in Birmingham, Alabama. Within in this letter it’s clear that Dr. King used his extensive knowledge of ethos, pathos, and logos in order to influence the reader.

Martin Luther King Jr. advocates for non-violence throughout much of his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” However, he uses the extremist behavior of the black nationalists as a way to threaten the “white moderates” into siding with him on the issue of Civil Rights with the idea that he is the most moderate and sensible person leading the fight for equality. How can King justify using others’ violence to argue for nonviolence? Even though King’s tactics seems contradictory, it did help to encourage “white moderates” to advance his cause for equality, avoiding the violence of extremist groups.

"What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence or lawlessness, but love and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice towards those who still suffer within our country, whether they be white or whether they be black."1

King argues that “oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever” and when he addresses his complaints, he is dismissed as an extremist (6-7). By using comprehensive facts to refute the criticisms, logos builds King’s argument against the church leaders, and advocates for the need for a change in mindset.