Rhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther King Jr 's Letter From Birmingham Jail

Possibly the three most important components a writer must understand are audience, genre, and rhetorical situation. When reading critically we become acquainted with these concepts therefore become better writers ourselves. While learning about rhetorical writing and composition we have analyzed Billy Collins “ Commencement Address at Choate- Rosemary Hall” , Martin Luther King Jr’s “letter from Birmingham Jail” and Lloyd Bitzer’s essay on “Rhetorical Situation”. In this paper I will analyze and make connections between the concepts of audience, genre and rhetorical situation in connection to the fore-mentioned readings. In doing so I will focus on how each used these concepts as means to communicate their main ideas and purpose.

Gray and empty, the sounds of the inmates echo throughout the prison block. Controlled under superior authority, many stories are kept within the four wall cell. The Civil Rights Movement is at a peak in 1963. While prisoner in Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King Jr., an important historical figure,constructs “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” to the eight clergymen, who wrote an open letter criticizing his actions and involvement in Birmingham, Alabama dealing with the segregation and racism going on. A Christian minister and an intelligent individual with a Doctorate in Philosophy, King powerfully and constructively writes to the clergymen. Sitting in a confined, uncomfortable prison cell, he addresses the criticisms. King utilizes techniques of diction, syntactical devices, and rhetorical devices for strategy to respond to the clergymen.

Luther writes in his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” informs and states why he is in jail, and the purpose of what he is in the middle of. Martin Luther King jr addresses that when he enters the jail he is quickly criticized. He supports his claim by first answering the statements he was asked and starting with explaining what unjust and just laws was as he quotes, “An unjust law is a human, law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law. Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust.” (King 1064) Then it informs about the segregation laws and what he thinks is right in his opinion like repeating segregation statements that state and

Martin Luther King Jr. 's 1963 "Letter from Birmingham Jail", a rhetorical masterpiece, was written in response to eight clergymen’s statements condemning his nonviolent direct actions. He defends the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights nonviolent, direct action against individuals, institutions, and laws that look the other way while unjust racial prejudice against African Americans runs rampant in Birmingham. Using three main appeals, Ethos, Pathos, Logos, Dr. King communicates the struggle that was the essence of human rights, equality. Appealing to the logic, ethics, and emotions of the reader strengthens his rebuttal of the opposition, helps him gain support, and clearly justify the recent direct action he led. King uses logos to illustrate his argument and invalidate the opposition to his claim, leading the reader to side with his position. Exampling this, he demonstrates that direct action is not opposed to negotiation, contrary to what his fellow clergyman believe, and states “Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue” (King par 9).

Do you have what it takes to make the morally correct choice? An even better Question is: What are you willing to give up to save another? Martin Luther King gave up his freedom in an attempt and to gain civil rights for the people of Birmingham. Peter Singer explains if you give up just $200 you can save the life of someone with nothing. King and Peter Singer both used honesty to convey their message of what is right and what is wrong, but they both describe very different situations that hold their case and point. King wrote his letter from Birmingham jail on April 16, 1963. Dr. King wrote this letter to his fellow clergymen who defamed the action of Dr. King and the Southern Christian leadership Conference. In King’s response he honestly told his fellow brothers of the church that he was angered by their criticism and explained his actions in Birmingham. Peter Singer wrote “The Singer Solution to World Poverty” on September 5, 1999 for the “New York Time”. It is an honest piece that describes the difference between morally right and wrong. Singer talks about two people who both make the morally choice in the eyes of society and explains to the audience how we as America choose to do nothing to help but they can still buy expensive cars.

In the 1960's equality for the African American community still did not exist almost one hundred years after the Civil War. Dr. King received an open letter from eight Alabama clergymen. In his "Letter from Birmingham Jail" he responded with strong rhetorical devices such as the trinity of ethos, pathos, logos, and effective strategies of anaphora, repetition and periodic sentences. He does this to emanate the racial inequality and social indignity imposed on the African American communities during this time.

Martin Luther King Jr, an civil rights activist, fought for the rights of African Americans in 1963. King organized various non-violent demonstrations in Birmingham, Alabama that resulted in his arrest. While in jail, King received a letter from eight Alabama clergyman explaining their distress and opposition to King and his followers actions. This letter occasioned his reply and caused King to write a persuasive letter justifying his actions and presence in Birmingham. Although King’s reply was addressed to the Alabama clergyman, its target audience was the “white moderate”. King understood that if he gained support from the average, indifferent white American that the civil rights movement would reach it’s goals much faster. In his

On Good Friday 1963, Martin Luther King Jr was arrested for protesting the treatment of African Americans in Alabama. He was sent to solitary confinement in Birmingham Jail. His attorney had passed along a copy of the Birmingham newspaper which consisted of some writing from eight clergymen that commented on the protesting situation with Mr. King. They stated that King’s previous actions and the protest were, “Unwise and untimely” (LA, 174). Because Mr. King was a very thoughtful man, he rarely responded to criticism. However, King felt the need to eloquently dismantle why the clergymen’s comment was so incorrect. King’s main point in this letter is to explain to the clergymen and all people why racial prejudice will not stand in the beautiful United States. With only time on his side, he got to work. Four days later he had written what would go down as “prophetic… diplomatic… and theological” (LA, 174). In King’s letter to the clergymen, ‘Letter From Birmingham Jail, he builds his ethos to both the clergymen and any other reader to understand what type of person he is, but the strategy that creates the most impact is pathos through the child viewpoint questions.

Every immigrant man, woman, or child has a story to tell, whether they travel alone or together, they have a reason to travel and start a new beginning. If a immigrant travels to America from a foreign country, they aren't always treated equally or fairly. Martin Luther King Jr. writes in his essay, "Letter from Birmingham Jail", about various topics regarding equality. Even though King writes about African-Americans and equal rights in America, he's writing about every person who is not welcomed in their country. He would have helped anyone in any country who was treated unfairly, "Had I lived in Germany at the time, I would have aided and comforted my Jewish brothers"(King 227). Immigrants face the same issue that King had to deal with during his time. There are five main issues that prevent immigrants from being accepted; equality, justice, oppression, freedom, and the advantages and disadvantages to allowing immigration.

In Martin Luther King Jr.’s essay, Letter from Birmingham Jail, he writes a letter that replies to the comments made by eight clergymen. The clergymen had said that African Americans were reacting too hastily and harshly to their environment and that they should wait for their freedom, saying it would come to them eventually. However, Dr. King explains to them, and all those reading the letter, that their freedom is not going to come willingly as well as the life they are forced to live. In one section of the letter, one which could easily be called the most significant paragraph of Dr. King’s rhetoric, he mentions how his family and the families around him are treated. The section, paragraph fourteen, uses a great deal of pathos or emotional

Race is not merely a group of people with same identity, origin and physical characters but it is an issue that involves emotions, opinions and rights. In America, people were and are recognized mainly on the basis of their skin color. This could be best witnessed in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”. He introduces his arguments against injustice. He provides the reason for being in Birmingham by saying that, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” (__). His thesis awakes the desire to have equal rights for the blacks. Dr. King uses various rhetorical devises such as allusion, ethos, and pathos that appeals emotionally, socially, morally and makes the text relatable and important because his text responds

On April 16th, Martin Luther Kind Jr., Minister and Civil Rights Leader, his letter entitled “Letter from Birmingham City Jail”, angers and informs that civil disobedience is not just. He supports this claim by first saying that we will obtain our rights because of heritage and god, then protesting and breaking the law is the correct thing to do, and finally, everyday heroic people are disobedient to find justice. Through King’s use of tone, rhetorical appeal, and rhetorical analysis, he effectively persuades the people of America, to bring justice to this society and to stop the violence.

3,446 black people were brutally lynched from 1882 to 1968. Lynchings were popular among white supremacists, and was only one of hundreds of discriminatory events black people faced. Martin Luther King Jr was a prominent figure in the push for equality. He wrote speeches, formed parades, and protested to end segregation. While confined in Birmingham Jail, King wrote a letter in response to white clergymen after they told him his actions for equality were untimely. The letter was published and it had an incredible effect: the clergymen chose to side with King. Although MLK exercises a plethora of rhetorical devices throughout the “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, logos, allusion, and ethos are the most powerful because they

The 1960s was a time when skin color was crucial, hate was inevitable, and where actions and words were uniform. Although accused of being an outsider, Martin Luther King Jr. was able to demonstrate his strengths and powerful influence even while confined in the walls of the Birmingham jail. The racial issues were addressed through his compelling and impassioned letter in reply to the eight prominent Alabama clergymen. Even during a time of racial injustice, King was able to establish many rhetorical strategies throughout his piece, specifically throughout paragraphs 45-50. Establishing logos and utilizing diction and syntax, are the three essential aspects that Martin Luther King Jr. used in order to portray the true message to the reader.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is one of the most monolithic pieces of racial justice literature in American history. His words, written some 53 years ago, still echo in modern writing and sentiment on the subject. No argument however, is revered without reason, and this letter is no exception. His writing stands firmly and persuasively through the march of time not because it was so thoroughly accepted and widely endorsed. In fact, many still rejected his efforts and the letter would not become popular until much later, when it was truly recognized as a masterpiece. No, Dr. King’s letter stands because of his remarkable usage of argumentative speech. His writing weaves a web of pathos, ethos, and logos, each piece lending themselves to strengthen the other. Not only does he use these forms near flawlessly, he is able to clearly and exactly refute the claims and positions of his opponents and use them to further his own argument.