How Does Mlk Use Ethos In Letter From Birmingham Jail

At different times in Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech he uses logos, as well as in “The Letter from Birmingham Jail.” A part from his speech was how Dr. King explained the community which he wants to change or make a difference. “The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community

Letter from Birmingham City Jail, by Martin Luther King (MLK). MLK wanted to end segregation, but had to try and do it from jail (which was hard enough). He decided to write a letter to the clergymen, telling that all about his experience, views, and what was happening, so they could hopefully help him get equal rights for the blacks. MLK made a claim saying that the whites treated the blacks like they didn’t even matter and even treated them like property. So he decided to take matters into his own hands and get the rights that the blacks deserved, which was to end all of the segregation as peaceful as he could, without anyone getting hurt.

Dr. King uses pathos when he says, “But when you have seen victims mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate-filled policemen curse, kick, brutalize, and even kill your black brothers and sisters with impunity,” to describe how hurtful these things were. Dr. King had to take a step forward because brutalizing someone when they have done nothing at all is wrong. He uses logos when he talks about segregation as an unnecessary

Martin Luther King's letter from Birmingham Jail and Henry Davis Thoreau's Civil Disobedience share similar views on the moral and political corruptness of the nation. However, a plethora of circumstances differentiate the two activist in their styles and purposes. Kings indigent tone and his attention grabbing use of pathos created a more relatable atmosphere between himself and his audience. While Thoreau's text remains more detached from the situation; this caused a failure to engage his audience with as much success as Martin Luther King . While both texts clearly share views relation toward the need for just laws paired with equal rights to all who live in America, Dr. King demonstrates greater accomplishment in persuading his audience than Thoreau.

Have you ever thought about the techniques Martin Luther King Jr. used in his speeches? Or how some are statistics, while others really trigger the emotions in people and touch their hearts? In the famous speech “I Have A Dream” by Martin Luther King Jr, MLK gives a speech to a large crowd of people in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. The famous letter written by Martin Luther King Jr, “Letter from Birmingham Jail” was written while MLK was in jail for a public speech, and he writes back to criticism to 8 White Clergymen. King uses logos and pathos in different ways to appeal to different people, in large crowds king uses more pathos to appeal to their feelings to make a change, ut in the letter to a smaller audience he uses

The reason for open letters are so, that the author can get his/her point across in a time of need, on behalf of justice, or on behalf of others. In Dr.King’s open letter “The letter from Birmingham jail” is a mixture of both commentary genre and rebuttal microgenre as he commentates his opinions on the injustices that the blacks of the south face with the white supremacists, throughout the open letter Dr.King argues why the act of nonviolence is the best way to solve segregation in the south. The discomfort of being in jail for acting against racism gives Dr.King the motivation for writing this open letter, in the open letter, King expresses the discomfort of having that the racial justice of his people have been too long denied by stating

Although there may be times when you come across races and have a racist experience; it is not an ongoing thing all the time anymore. W.E.B DuBois is explaining clearly as day how racially profiled America used to be. For example, he states “It decrees that it shall not be possible in travel nor residence, work nor play, education nor instruction for a black man to exist without…acknowledgment…to the dirtiest white dog.” This goes to show how much control whites had over black people in America before today, specifically during 1919. DuBois is using this statement to express how blacks cannot have housing, cannot work, cannot travel, or even have an education without being seen as being beneath the white man.

In “Letters from Birmingham Jail” Martin Luther King Jr. writes a response to statements made by clergymen in which he strongly defends and expresses that his actions and the actions of his followers, were just and reasonable. The letter King writes is from his prison cell in Birmingham jail where he was imprisoned for parading without a permit when representing the Southern Christian Conference. Although King is in an upsetting situation, he does not regret the choices he made, but yet supports them. He mentions how the clergymen claimed that he was acting quickly, he then points out that, “We have waited for more than 340 years for our constitutional and God given rights.” (King 91)

By using the pathos appeal, Martin Luther King Jr. demonstrates his ability to inspire the civil rights activists, invoke empathy in the hearts of white moderates, and build compassion in the minds of the eight clergymen. Dr. King explains why it is difficult to wait for the end of segregation. It is entirely dedicated to stirring the emotion of the reader. The main theme throughout the paragraph is King’s urge to the clergymen to see things from his perspective. He states, “For years now I have heard the word ‘Wait!’

MLK dramatizes his own experiences telling the reader “When you have seen hate-filled policemen curse, kick, brutalize, and even kill your black brothers and sisters with impunity…then you will understand” using words with violent connotation that makes the reader feel how wrong and dirty these policemen are to the black community. When the reader can imagine a white police officer beating a black person who cannot fight back with freedom and hatred burning in the police officer’s eyes it puts into perspective how unjustified it is that a person is beaten to death for their skin color. Furthermore the emotion behind the part MLK states “then you will understand” because one who has never suffered from such treatment does not find the brutality towards others to affect them so it is in no importance to them. MLK describes how it is to “forever fight a degenerating sense of “nobodyness” in a world where it does not matter who a person is are but what defines a person is the color of their skin.

Martin Luther King Jr. was an important figure in gaining civil rights throughout the 1960’s and he’s very deserving of that title as seen in both his “I Have a Dream” speech and his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” letter. In both of these writings Dr. King uses logos - logical persuasion - and pathos - emotional appeal - to change the opinions of people who were for segregation and against civil rights. Although King was arrested for a nonviolent protest, he still found a way to justify his actions with the use of logos and pathos. MLK uses both ways to gain the attention and agreement of the audience but, he uses pathos not just more, but in a more relatable way in order to appeal to his audience.

M.L.K use of Logos and Pathos in his Writings Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered for many things. He is a world renowned civil rights activist whose words affected the hearts of many. His marches united people race demanding the rights for all Americans in a peaceful, yet effective manner. His speeches drew crowds of thousands of people, whose lives were affected by his words. But how was Dr. King able to do so much with just words?

In Martin Luther King Jr “I Have a Dream” he uses logos to show logic and facts. In the second paragraph he shows logos “This note was a promise

“Letter from Birmingham Jail” written by Martin Luther King JR. is a concise letter that addresses the overall situation and challenges that black community faced during the segregation period. In his letter of response to the eight clergymen who doubt his “non-violent direct-action program” in Birmingham, Alabama, Dr. King emphasizes the consequences of injustice for the justice system that presents anywhere (800). In his letter, Dr. King informs the clergymen about the cruel treatment and the injustice that has been practiced in the black community. In addition to informing, Dr. King reflects that his nonviolent protest to end segregation in Birmingham is wise and timely by pointing out how much black people suffered from the racial injustice.

King explains why blacks can no longer “wait” for an end to segregation in the South, he relates all the racial injustices to families so that the white leaders are forced to imagine what life would be like for their children, for their families. One such example includes the following quote, “…seek to explain to your daughter why she cannot go to the public amusement park…and see tears well up in her little eyes… Funtown is closed to colored children…see her begin to distort her personality…when you have to concoct an answer for a five-year-old son asking in agonizing pathos, ‘Daddy, why do white people treat colored people so mean?”’ (26-32). Through the reference of children, King impels his readers to think about their own family members and how it would affect them if they were forced to live in the circumstances that colored people do.