Rhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther King

In his Letter from Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King Jr. explains his reasoning for coming to Birmingham. His hope was to have the religious leadership in the white community realize the “justice” of their “cause.” In order to convey his main idea, Martin Luther King Jr. uses rhetorical strategies like pathos, ethos, and logos, as well as strong diction and examples.

Civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., while imprisoned in Birmingham, Alabama, wrote his “A Letter to Birmingham Jail” in 1963. In this letter, King addresses eight white clergymen who had previously written to King regarding his demonstrations. The purpose is to inform the audience on ethics/ morality and how segregation is wrong. Through the use of ethos and pathos, Dr. King exposes the cruelty of segregation to justify his protest.

In “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. resolutely responds to eight clergymen who question his methods of protest against segregation in Birmingham, Alabama. Specifically, in paragraphs 12-14, Dr. King explains why his protests are indeed being done in a timely manner to obtain the “constitutional and God-given rights” (A Portable Anthology, page 207) that Africans have been restricted of for over 340 years. Dr. King’s argument, combined with his strategic use of rhetorical devices to enhance it, helps create a palpable feeling of understanding that captivates the audience into seeing America through his vision.

In Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” King responds to the clergymen’s criticism on his non-violent actions being “unwise and untimely.” In his introduction, King uses front loading to provide a preview and background of what his letter will discuss. As he justifies why his actions were not “unwise or untimely” King addresses the bigger issue of the black community suffering injustices and the need to take action for justice. To convey his arguments King effectively uses quotations, allusions and pathos to support his argument and to refute what his opposition is saying.

On April 12, 1963, eight clergyman wrote an open letter, “A Call for Unity”. In this published letter, the clergyman expressed their strong disapproval of the civil rights demonstrations taking place in Birmingham, Alabama. Consequently, that same day, civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested for protesting without a permit. In his short eleven day jail sentence, Dr. King directly responded to the clergymen with a letter of his own. In his letter, Dr. King informed his readers about the protests in Birmingham. He explained why the protesters were civilly infringing racist laws and city ordinances; why the protesters had truth and justice; and how he was thwarted with the clergyman and white moderates in the South who said they supported his cause. In his “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, Dr. King incorporates biblical and historical allusions to defend the strategy of nonviolent resistance to racism. Dr. King’s allusions gave him credibility with his target audience, the clergymen. Additionally, Dr. King subtly asks rhetorical questions and logical conclusions to force his audience to consider his purpose.

Martin Luther King’s (MLK) “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” was written in 1963 as a response to the Eight Alabama Clergymen’s public statement against King’s actions in April of that year. Martin Luther King Jr. was an activist for desegregation of the south in the early 1960s and overcame much adversity to attain incredible gains on the segregation issue in the United States. King uses effective persuasive appeals of logical evidence, emotional appeal, and author credibility to win over his audience in “The Letter from Birmingham Jail.” MLK’s writing shows the effects of segregation in Birmingham with clear direct language and heart wrenching examples.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “A Letter From Birmingham Jail,” depicts the fight for equality by African Americans during the civil rights movement. In this letter, King uses tone, rhetorical questions, and allusions to discuss the racial segregation sweeping the nation. King’s letter is a response to “A Call For Unity,” a condemning message written by eight white clergymen who frowned upon the peaceful protests conducted by many African Americans. Although Dr. King is presently seen as an American hero, during the civil rights movement he was simply seen as just another negro attempting to break the social norm. “A Letter From Birmingham Jail,” counters the arguments made by the clergymen in a very effective way by appealing to their

Martin Luther King’s adherence towards peace and especially social justice is clearly shown in “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” In this letter King writes with passion and conviction. Through this suggestive yet powerful letter Martin Luther King uses various rhetorical devices to get his point across by saying “justice too long delayed, is justice denied.” Through the clergymen’s arguments and use of ethos, pathos, and logos, he demonstrates to them that they need to take action immediately.

In the midst of the Civil Rights movement, Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. found himself in a jail cell in Birmingham, Alabama, one of the most segregated cities in the United States at the time. While in that jail cell, King wrote Letter from Birmingham Jail in response to the city’s religious leaders. Through his use of ethos, pathos, and logos, King made a thought-provoking and powerful argument for the Civil Rights movement which continues to inspire change in the hearts of his audience, both implied and actual.

A statement from eight white clergymen from Alabama prompted Martin Luther King’s “Letter From Birmingham Jail”. This statement criticized Kings actions of non-violent protests against racial segregation and the injustice of unequal civil rights in America (Carpenter elt al.). The eight clergymen considered Birmingham to be “their” town and King was disrupting the “Law and Order and Common Sense” established in coping with racial issues in Alabama during this time (Carpenter elt al. par 1). These clergymen considered King an “outsider” and describe his actions as “unwise and untimely” (Carpenter elt al. par 3). This statement suggests that there is an appropriate time

As an African American growing up in a multi-generational household I appreciated the stories my grandparents told me about the Civil Rights Movement through their eyes. They acknowledged that Martin Luther King was not just for people of color; but all human beings who were being treated unjustly. He is known for many speeches, but The Letter from a Birmingham Jail” written in 1963 was phenomenal in my opinion; this letter, written in response to “A Call for Unity,”(Carpenter et. el, 1963 ) an article written by eight, white, Alabama clergymen, was to serve as a response to those who believed that King acted inappropriately for coming to Birmingham, Alabama, as an outsider, for creating immense tension with his demonstrations, and for the inopportune timing of his marches. Even though, the clergymen agreed that social injustice did exist, it was their opinion that these types of matter should be handled in the judicial system rather than in the streets.

In “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Martin Luther King, Jr. refutes the condemnatory claims made by eight white Alabama clergymen. By appealing to ethos, logos, and pathos King argues that he is not an outsider and that the experience of African Americans in segregated Birmingham warrants well-intentioned demonstration and civil disobedience. In doing so, he calls attention to the clergymen’s hypocrisy and firmly garners their respect and understanding.

In 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama, a group of eight white clergymen wrote a letter criticizing the actions of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and others protesting racial segregation. After being arrested for protesting and reading the letter in a local newspaper, Dr. King decided to address the clergymen by writing to them on the sides of the newspaper. This passionate letter was Dr. King’s attempt to convince the clergymen that the protests and actions they were witnessing were necessary and justified. Throughout this letter, Dr. King uses logos, pathos, and ethos to strengthen his argument and to persuade his readers that

Martin Luther King Jr. compassionately responds to eight criticizing clergymen in “Letter from Birmingham Jail”. Refuting the opposition posed by the catholic church, King retorts in a non-confrontational manner, raising many topics to defend his nonviolent protest. King utilizes his time in jail to accurately represent the African American perspective, and the struggles that motivate them.

In this article “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, Martin Luther King Jr. discussed the problems with racial inequality that African Americans were facing in the 1960s. King wants freedom for his “people”. He wanted to discourage Americans from tolerating racial discrimination and to advise Americans to live up to the ideals of the country’s belief that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” He is trying to convince the clergymen that the actions he took were absolutely necessary at this time. In doing this, he provides a valid argument using Ethos, Logos, and Pathos throughout his piece.