Letter From Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Rhetorical Analysis Martin Luther King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail The “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, was written by Martin Luther King, who was an amazing writer, and speaker. King was a man that fought against racism toward African Americans. With being an African American himself, he understood the way racism had affected African American’s daily lives.

King has to respond to the clergymen but instead of using logos he uses pathos/ethos to appeal through their emotions. For example in paragraph (39) he has to respond through the statements. “I have heard numerous southern religious leaders admonish their worshipers to comply with a desegregation decision because it is the law, (39)?” Regarding to this statement Dr.King responds with: ‘in deep disappointment I have wept over the laxity of the church. But be assured that my tears have been tears of love.

King also says that when he and his followers break an unjust law they are willing to receive the consequences. He says that this shows that they have the highest respect for the law. King also explains why he is in Birmingham in the first place. He says that Birmingham is the center of all injustice and he can't sit idle and watch from Georgia while injustice occurs. He goes on to explain that injustice that occurs in one place affects other places.

Additionally, King proves he isn't an outsider to the clergymen when he says “I am here because I have organizational ties here” (par.2) he says this because it's to show the clergymen he has acquaintances in Birmingham who invited him out to support the

Martin Luther King Junior wrote “Letter from Birmingham Jail” in 1963, when African Americans were fighting for their equality. The letter was written when Dr.King and hundreds of other protesters were under arrest for their non-violent demonstration in Birmingham, Alabama. He begins the letter by explaining to the white religious leaders why he is in Birmingham, one of his reasons was the prejudice that was being held in Birmingham. He also describes the torture African Americans go through in their everyday lives. The author argues that if the white people in Birmingham, Alabama don’t start treating the African Americans with proper respect, then it’s going to cause more problem and there will be other alternative actions.

Analysis on “Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King, Jr. Martin Luther King, Jr. a civil rights activist created a piece of history while confined in the Birmingham jail, which helped the civil rights movement for freedom take off. The emotion, credibility and logical effect he gave in the response to eight religious leaders left them speechless. Dr. King didn't want to attack anyone, just explain his own perspective to justify what was right and what wasn't. The reasonable statements the Rev. King presented made anyone with common sense acknowledge him.

He is speaking through experience as he has been fighting for the rights of himself as well as the other oppressed minorities. He feels betrayed to know that the clergymen are not giving him his constitutional rights. King says, “At first I was rather disappointed that fellow clergymen would see my nonviolent efforts as those of an extremist” (King 4). The other clergymen are supposed to be an ally to King, but instead they are discriminatory just like everyone else in Birmingham. His letter from Birmingham jail called out the oppressors for their wrongdoings in hopes to get his basic human rights.

Additionally, King's encounter with a prejudiced judicial system is a potent example of the discrimination African Americans encounter in the struggle of basic human rights. As he notes in his personal experience, "For instance, I was arrested Friday on a charge of parading without a permit. Now, there is nothing wrong with an ordinance which requires a permit for a parade, but when the ordinance is used to preserve segregation and to deny citizens the First Amendment privilege of peaceful assembly and peaceful protest, then it becomes unjust" (King 3). This statement emphasizes the injustice and unfairness of the situation and evokes a strong emotional response from the reader. While King acknowledges that obtaining a permit for a parade is not inherently unfair, he emphasizes that it

While in solitary confinement for nearly 8 days, reverend and social justice activist, Martin Luther King Jr., wrote his famous Letter from Birmingham Jail in response to the criticism he received for his non-violent protests. Several clergy who negatively critiqued King’s approach of seeking justice, wrote A Call for Unity, arguing that his protests were senseless and improper. Within the article, the clergymen provide nine different critiques that asserted how King’s protest are invalid, uneffective, and simply unintelligent in the fight for obtaining justice and equity for individuals of color. His letter has become one of the most profound pieces of literature of the 20th century, as King uses vivid examples and eloquent rhetorical devices to counter all nine arguments.

LFBJ Martin Luther King (MLK) uses Pathos to persuade his readers and uses rhetorical questions. MLK appeals to his audience when he states, “ In justice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” (King 6) MLK. MLK used pathos here to link with the reader’s emotions. It makes the audience think about justice vs. injustice.

Although that was enough reason to be in Birmingham King goes on further to say that he is in Birmingham because injustice is here. King says he couldn’t ignore the fact there was injustice in Birmingham regardless if he was an outsider or not. King goes on to say that “injustice anywhere is a danger to justice everywhere” this builds on the theory that “whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. Defending his belief on just and unjust laws, King uses a quote of St. Augustine the quote says, “A unjust law is no law at all.” King uses this to answer the criticism on how can you advocate people to obey one law but breaking others.

Martin Luther King Jr. was a strong leader in the Civil Rights movement, the son and grandson of a minister, and one heck of a letter writer. As he sits in a cell of Birmingham Jail in 1963, he responds to criticism from eight white clergymen. Though this letter was intended for the judgemental and condescending men of high faith, his response touched the hearts and minds of the entire U.S. population, then, and for years to come. In his tear-jerking, mind-opening letter, King manages to completely discredit every claim made by the clergymen while keeping a polite and formal tone. Metaphors, allusions, and rhetorical questions are used in the most skillful way to support his argument and ultimately convince his audience of the credibility behind his emotional, yet factual, claims.

With the help of these four steps, he justifies the need for the demonstration. King illustrates the city of Birmingham as “the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States,” (King 2). Here King is able to show that injustices are present in Birmingham, which further justifies his reason for a peaceful demonstration. King proceeds to speak about his method of protesting. He states that negotiation was not met, and that “[their] hopes had been blasted,” that like “victims of a broken promise,” their wishes had been disregarded, (King 2).

King believed that if he could just go to Birmingham, and protest non-violently, that he could make a difference. On April 16, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. was imprisoned, in Birmingham, for protesting the civil rights of Black Americans. While in jail, he began writing a letter addressing the clergymen. His main audience in writing this letter was to the eight clergymen who criticized his actions and also the majority of the population as well. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter From Birmingham Jail”, argues that injustice

King uses pathos to tap into his audience’s mind to think about the importance of promoting action now rather than waiting for others to promote it first. He ends his letter by stating that he “hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away and the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation”. (King Jr., p. 658) Dr. King is a man of great integrity and love. He wanted to bring his fellow brother and sister together as a nation strong and not divided.