Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+! King kept a serious but sincere voice getting straight to the point, but also persuading his audience. For example, King mentions directly the prophets of the eighth century B.C. andthe Apostle Paul as religious examples that support the idea that Christians havea duty to promote justice wherever injustices are committed, and in this way, reject the criticism that his pres. When the clergy said that Kings actions were untimely, he describes the urgency of the situation. Ethos is a useful technique in developing trustworthiness in a writer, but King uses logos as well. He said that he has watched his brothers and sisters be referred to as niggers and boys, be punched and kicked, lynched, burned, drowned, cursed, and brutalized. If you want a unique paper, order it from our professional writers. He refutes each one of the clergymens statements, breaking it down and tearing it apart by intertwining the use of logos, pathos, and ethos. Unlock effective presentation skills (tips and best practices) March 2, 2023. The prejudices of the white moderate who say they agree with the goal they seek of freedom but cannot agree with their methods of direct actions. As a member of PrimeStudyGuides.com, you get access to all of the content. As Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist minister who was inspired to use non-violent means in the civil rights movement by religious philosophy, it comes as no surprise that his letter is full of religious references. Quick action is typically a product of this appeal, which makes it the perfect secret weapon for Kings letter. The anaphora If you were to is meant to inspire his readers to emp. That direct action was the only choice for negation as they were victims of broken promises by the courts and given no alternative choice. Letter from Birmingham Jailby Martin Luther King Jr. includes a large volume of allusions and direct references that can be divided into several categories. He apologizes for not being able to hold his silence, and be patient in his fight. MLK wonders about the churches and why theyre not trying to help the black community in their struggle and support their movement, as Christians use to have moral and ethical power. I'm Amy, In order to get people to agree with him on just vs. unjust laws he needs to do more than appeal to the readers pathos and ethos. (2021, Apr 23). Showing the readers that the cops were actually the violent ones in the nonviolent protest that was going on, theyre the ones causing the harm instead of preventing it. Isn't negotiation a better path? ; Some have asked: Why didn't you give the new city administration time to act? ; One may well ask: How can you advocate breaking some laws and obeying others? . Pay the writer only for a finished, plagiarism-free essay that meets all your requirements. King also uses serious logical arguments throughout his letter as well, his letter states the facts of the situation going on in front of them in a way the clergymen failed to do. After reading "Letter from a Birmingham Jail", ask your students to do a scavenger hunt using the storyboard creator. King cites Amos, Jesus Christ, Martin Luther, John Bunyan, Abraham Lincoln, and even Thomas Jefferson as examples of people who also had what were considered extremist views and practices. He talked about how black people have waited over 340 years to gain the same rights as white Americans. Negroes have experienced grossly unjust treatment in the courts. MLK also includes many metaphors in the letter to create that image in the readers mind and to make important arguments. Be careful, this sample is accessible to everyone. This eventually gave King a sense of appreciation and satisfaction during his letter because he was regarded as an extremist, just as the influential men that came before him. Pay the writer only for a finished, plagiarism-free essay that meets all your requirements. Kings target audience was the white moderate but at the same time, his letter was renowned nationwide. Not trying to fight or disrespect them as he refers to them as men of genuine good will and that your criticism is sincerely set forth (King 273), but still speaks strongly upon his side of the statements that were made. Kings message would not be well received if he did not have his background. Analogies are comparisons through which the writer uses one event or person to describe another, creating associations for the readers. The "letter of Birmingham Jail" was written by Martin Luther King on April 16, 1963. Showing that his plan for direct action is not unwise and supposed to be untimely as they have waited to long for change and now its time to force negotiation. He painted a picture of the violence they faced, the injustices, and brutality they had to endure. He uses logos to first bring forward the racial injustices that engulf Birmingham stating, Birmingham is probably the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States. The unfairness as they are seen as extremists, the activism of taking extreme measures, for their nonviolent direct-action protest just because they want the same freedom as whites. King utilizes several facts and statistics throughout his letter. He would simply be regarded as an unreliable activist. An example of metaphor is when the writer associates destiny with a piece of clothing that can be put on and shared: We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of . aimed at creating associations for the readers and to add further emphasis to the writer's views. As he refers to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego It was evidenced sublimely in the refusal of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to obey the laws of Nebuchadnezzar, on the ground that a higher moral law was at stake. He was a man that is recognized all over as a leader for influencing the desegregation of the southern United States. King cited several examples of how blacks have had to endure pain for much too long. (2021, Jun 07). He then continues to address them in his introduction with respect and a cordial tone. He says directly that he is not an outsider looking in. As King states that just laws should be followed, and unjust laws should be openly disobeyed. You can order an original essay written according to your instructions. 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. However, establishing this credibility allows King to reach his target audience. Give us your paper requirements, choose a writer and well deliver the highest-quality essay! Perhaps the most effective rhetorical device that King uses is pathos. How? Chat with professional writers to choose the paper writer that suits you best. Kings use of rhetorical appeal in the letter played an enormous role in the shift from a segregated America, to the kind of America that King dreamt it would become.. King started off by addressing the reason why he was in jail. The text includes numerous instances when the writer uses descriptive and metaphorical language to make his arguments more dynamic and appealing. He is a reverend from the south and it is his business to advocate against segregation. For any subject. An allusion is an indirect reference to people, events, literature, etc. This, and his use of appeals made his letter all the more credible. Rhetorical Analysis of The Letter of Birmingham Jail". King uses logos as a means to pick apart the flaws of the clergys concerns and show them just how warranted his actions are. King uses this truth to appeal to the readers emotions. He wrote this letter from his jail cell after him and several of his associates were arrested as they nonviolently protested segregation in Birmingham, Alabama. Make sure your essay is plagiarism-free or hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs. original papers. Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide. This essay is available online and might have been used by another student. King says having to explain to your six-year-old daughter why she cant go to the public amusement park, and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told the fun town is closed to color children, and see ominous clouds of inferiority beginning to form in her little mental sky and see her beginning to distort her personality by developing an unconscious bitterness towards white people (King 275). Our writers can help you with any type of essay. This passage in the letter shows the clergymen the two different sides. King uses this appeal so that the audience understands that he knows what he is talking about. He pulls on the audiences emotions making them more likely to side with himself rather than the clergy men. In other words, King borrows from the ethos of these figures to gain credibility and legitimacy in front of his readers. Therefore, tugging at the heartstrings was an extremely powerful way to send a message. His hope was that people would feel not just one emotion, but a plethora of emotions: sadness, anger, remorse, love, regret, empathy, etc. Specify your topic, deadline, number of pages and other requirements. For example, Now is the time to make real the promise of democracy and transform our pending national elegy into a creative psalm of brotherhood. Just expressing his background as a minister goes towards the development of ethos. He continues to go on and on about the things they go through every day. He does this by describing just and unjust laws from multiple different angles, in ways the reader could relate to. All of these men went down in history as extraordinary individuals. Logos is the appeal that refers to logic and facts. MLK wrote the Letter from Birmingham Jail in response to an essay written by white clergymen. your personal assistant! King made use of ethos, pathos, and logos in his letter; three powerful rhetorical devices that make various appeals to the target audience. The best example of this appeal is when King explains the urgency behind his cause. Some may say Martian Luther King could persuade anyone and anything, by the choice of his words and how he made them flow together. This excerpt is strong appealing to the emotions of parents as no mom or dad would ever want their kids to feel that pain and carry it with them. Kimberly Bautista. King organized the letter by stating each critique from the white moderate and then explaining why direct action was justified. Letter from Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Analysis, This example was written and submitted by a fellow student. original papers. "Letter from Birmingham Jail": Examples of Rhetorical Devices - Quizlet Martin Luther King also establishes ethos throughout his letter by outlining his own culture of religious ancestors and deliberating his own church leadership. In Letter of Birmingham Jail MLK does just that. In Letter From Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King responds to the subjectivity of law and the issue he paramounts by using precise and impactful rhetoric from inside of his jail cell. Not only did he bring those injustices forward, but his letter was the stepping stone for the civil rights movement of the 1960s, as justice was finally approaching. MLK says I doubt that you would have so warmly commended the police force if you had seen its dogs sinking their teeth into unarmed, nonviolent Negroes (King 283). His famous Letter from Birmingham offered a detailed response to the white moderate of his time, rebutting their claims that the direct actions of Kings cause, were untimely and unwise. I'm Amy, Now is the time to lift our national policy from the quicksand of racial injustice to the solid rock of human dignity (King 279). These are the hard, brutal facts of the case (King 274). Even in closing, King says that his letter would have been much easier to compose, had he not been thrown in jail for peacefully protesting for the rights of people who he considers to be family. Lastly, he argues that it doesnt matter how admirable the police are when they are maintaining the immoral end of racial injustice.