In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day this year, I offer another analysis of one of Dr. King's historic documents, his "Letter from Birmingham Jail" written on April 16, 1963. King becomes more emotional With his language to try explain his point of view. An argument using ethos relies on personal integrity, good character, and credibility. This is to emphasize the point King is trying to make in his statement time the word is placed into the sentences, describing the noun, puts that much more emphasis on the word. Set individual study goals and earn points reaching them. 2 - King Jr. was adamantly against anyone being complicit with segregation. There are three persuasive techniques you should be aware of: There are many instances of each persuasive technique in "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," but some brief examples are provided here and in the analysis. King establishes his place in Birmingham by proving his organizational ties and showing credibility in keeping his promise to help an affiliate engage in a nonviolent direct action program. He reaches his audience by showing that he is merely acting responsibly by coming to Birmingham. High And Low Imagery From Mlk's Letter From Birmingham Jail Uploaded by: Victor Martin November 2021 PDF Bookmark Download This document was uploaded by user and they confirmed that they have the permission to share it. Free and expert-verified textbook solutions. His uses of Pathos and Logos in these two texts are examples of how words can inspire change. In addition, he also refers to a number of his own life experiences, stating that Lamentably, it is an historical fact that privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily (King Jr., 1968). "Letter From Birmingham Jail" written by Martin Luther King Jr. relies strongly on pathetic appeal often used in his oratory to persuade his audience in writing. Why sit-ins, marches, etc? For example, _. gly and inhumane treatment ot Negroes here in the iry jail; if you were to watch them push and curse old Negro women and young Negro girls; if you were to see them slap and kick old Negro men and young boys; if you were to observe them, as they did on two occasions, refuse to give us food because we uuanted to sing our grace together. It gives the language a cadence and draws attention to important ideas. Over the course of Letter from Birmingham Jail (1963), the author, Martin Luther King Jr., makes extended allusions to multiple philosophers, among them Aquinas and Socrates. Martin Luther King, Jr.s I Have a Dream speech had a great deal of logos and pathos appeals to persuade his audience to speak out against segregation and to give all men the rights they deserve. Not everyone who read Letter from Birmingham jail relates to the inequality and discrimination. Throughout King's letter, he used various ways of persuasive strategies: pathos, logos, and ethos. The third one is logos which appeals to logic also known to convince an audience by the use of reason. 4) He used logos here to explain that even though the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence promised all men to have equal rights, they did not follow it. Read these passages aloud, and as you do so, feel their undeniable passion and power. Martin Luther King Jr. was a master of persuasive techniques, which were created by Aristotle in 350 BC. It defends the strategy of nonviolent resistance as he writes his letter to his fellow clergymen. Again, this draws attention to this sentence by using strong imagery of two unalike things. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law. During this time, eight clergymen published an open letter to Martin Luther King Jr. accusing him of participating in impulsive and misguided nonviolent demonstrations against racial segregation. I am here because I have basic organizational ties here." The central argument King Jr. presents is that people have a moral obligation to challenge unjust laws that are oppressive and damaging to individuals and society. King deliberately chose striking images like this one to make his audience emotional and light a fire under them to make changes happen. Sign up to highlight and take notes. Another way that he appeals to logos is talking about how outrageous it is to have him making this speech, and that the people really do not understand the Fourth of July and crazy it is to think about it as a holiday for black people. The "Letter from Birmingham Jail" was written by Martin Luther King, Jr during the time he was imprisoned in jail, after the demonstration of a peaceful protest against segregation in Birmingham city. The speech also called for Civil and Economic Rights. By using assertive diction like these action verbs, it motivates the reader to join him in the battle against injustice. Most importantly, this letter explains current events in Birmingham in 1963 as well as in the rest of America. He gave examples you could almost see if you pictured them hard enough. In his letter, King is addressing a letter. He describes poverty as an airtight cage in the middle of an affluent society. These descriptive comparisons help contextualize the pain and insult of segregation. His controlled use of diction and persuasive techniques appealed to the audiences intelligence and emotions. Alliteration: the repetition of the consonant sound, typically at the start of words, near one another in poetry and prose. Asked by joe k #261061 on 10/27/2014 12:56 AM Last updated by jill d #170087 on 10/27/2014 5:22 PM Answers 1 Add Yours. All of these men went down in history as extraordinary individuals. Both speeches written by Elie Wiesel The Perils of Indifference and Martin Luther king Jr. Letter from Birmingham Jail give rhetorical responses that contain the three elements ethos, pathos, and logos. Lerne mit deinen Freunden und bleibe auf dem richtigen Kurs mit deinen persnlichen Lernstatistiken. The letter provided as a long road to freedom in a civil rights movement. Martin Luther Kings use of Pathos and Logos in I have a Dream showcases how he uses the devices to inspire others, compared to how he uses these rhetorical devices in Letter From Birmingham Jail to persuade the Clergymen. 149 Words. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust. One may well ask, 'How can you advocate breaking some laws and obeying others?' Martin Luther King Jr.s Letter from Birmingham Jail, there are lots of rhetorical strategies that he uses in response to the eight Alabama clergymens letter, A Call for Unity. 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. everyday language, illustrating them with examples that are immediately relevant to students' lives. similes, metaphors, and imagery are all used to make the letter more appealing to the audiences they make the letter more descriptive while making you focus on one issue at a time. Stop procrastinating with our smart planner features. It allows the word to stand out from the rest. The Text Widget allows you to add text or HTML to your sidebar. On Pg.6, paragraph 4, Injustice anywhere is a treat to justice everywhere. MLK addresses this by integrating a biblical allusion. Everything King does simply cannot be justified unless it is justified as illegal and violent However, King and his people still have hope. (LogOut/ By registering you get free access to our website and app (available on desktop AND mobile) which will help you to super-charge your learning process. Fig. Protests and marches took place in order to push for a change in the society, to make a world where equality is achieved. A wise man will only be useful as a man, and will not submit to be clay and stop a hole to keep the wind away, but leave that office to his dust. Everything you need for your studies in one place. In his words he suggests,This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness (King) . The excerpt adds to the overall urgency of "Letter From Birmingham Jail." Imagery allows a person to relate what they already know to a situation. This essentially puts MLK in the same group as Jesus, removing the negative connotation of being an extremist. Civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. wrote "Letter From a Birmingham Jail.". He uses powerful language that doesn't shy away from revealing the true hardships Black Americans were experiencing due to racial segregation. Since we so diligently urge people to obey the Supreme Court's decision of 1954 outlawing segregation in the public schools, it is rather strange and paradoxical to find us consciously breaking laws. In the speech King shows in this quote that the Negroes should be free. This is also a remarkable appeal to logic because Martin's directed audience was a group of religious ministers, so using examples of historical figures in the. Martin Luther King, also referred to MLK, uses both Pathos and Logos to fit the audiences and occasions for each text. Another place where he uses logic is where he talks about the fact that slaves are human. He wrote a letter to defend the strategies of nonviolent resistance to racism. repetition of direct personalized phrases blended with clear imagery forces his audience to be involved in the struggle. In this letter, King addresses eight white clergymen who had previously written to King regarding his demonstrations. Mr. Kings statement letter addresses that he wants to form and restore an organize community where all human race can fight and have equal rights. In his " Letter from Birmingham City Jail ," Martin Luther King effectively uses imagery to capture the injustices his people are suffering. He argues that the real issue is racial injustice and that the current laws maintaining segregation are unjust; the only way to rectify injustice is through direct and immediate action. Martin Luther King Jr. was a non-violent leader significant in the 1950s civil rights movement. In Dr. Martin Luther Kings essay, Letter from Birmingham Jail he refutes the statements made by the eight clergymen who denounce the demonstration taking place in Birmingham. 283 Words 2 Pages Open Document Essay Sample Show More King's use of ethos and allusion in "Letter From Birmingham Jail" proves effective as a method of advocating for the credibility of his cause and civil disobedience. Martin Luther uses imagery to visually address his actions and give reasons behind them. In this quote you get a feel for how civil disobedience makes people feel by making us think with our heart more rather than our brain. By King painting a vivid picture for the reader and allowing them to see through his eyes and trom his point of view, it makes his argument that much strong, King picks and chooses whar to vividly describe in his letter and by only painting out what he wants you to see makes his argument that much stronger. King explains that the intent of their direct-action is to cause a tension powerful enough to force a response, to direct change. These are the hard, brutal, and unbelievable facts." Finally, Dr. King used repetitions to show people something that is really important, and to remind them about things in the past that should be remembered. An example is We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded hy the oppressed, Frankly, have yet to engage in a direct-action campaign that was h,vell timed in the view of those who have not suffered. Kings dialect showed the audience civil right issues, involving many rhetorical strategies using ethos, logos, and pathos, to a racially tempered crowd whom he viewed as different, but not equal. He often gave a clear line of reasoning supported by evidence in his speech, like when he says: This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable Rights of Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. America has defaulted on this promissory note, given the Negro people a bad check which has come back marked insufficient funds. (King para. An example of imagery in the letter would be when King says, They haue calved a tunnel of hope through the dark mountain of disappointment. Stop procrastinating with our study reminders. The letter he wrote from the Birmingham jail was a response to the 8 white clergymen who criticized M.L.K for leading protests in Birmingham, Alabama. Martin Luther King Jr. is renowned as the leader of the great Civil Rights Movement. Pathos was used to appeal to the emotions of the clergymen when he speaks about how the black people in Birmingham are suffering. So instead, Dr. King and others. In "Letter from Birmingham City Jail," Martin Luther King, Jr., uses logos, pathos, and ethos to support his arguments. living constantly at tiptoe stance" is an example of what type of imagery? The following summarizes the Letter from a Birmingham Jail, which was written while Martin Luther King Jr. was in jail in Alabama. Hate cannot drive out hate only love can do that. This two quotes mean People shouldnt judge someone by how they look or what they believe in. King Jr. refutes the central argument that he is willing to break laws by identifying that some laws are just while others are unjust. It also gives a logos appeal. He also calls out the white church and explains his disappointment in their weak and uncertain convictions that maintain the status quote of discrimination and violence. In his letter, it was intentionally written to respond to criticisms of the eight white clergymen on him and his fellow activists' action . Throughout his Letter from Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King Jr. establishes himself as a legitimate authority in the eyes of his audience, shows the trials his people have gone through, justifies his cause, and argues the necessity of immediate action. Perhaps it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation to say, 'Wait.'". Throughout "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," King clearly explained his actions to those urging him to call off the demonstrations he supported. I have a dream that my four little will one day live in on a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. (King 263) Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote his I Have a Dream about the civil rights movement speech to . During the fourteenth century, more than half of the European population was killed off by the Black Death. Because of his crowd of mix races King made sure to make his speech imploring to all no matter what the race that they may be. Good Essays. Injustice is a big problem in todays society. Fig. The stressed words here were chosen to show that civil progress is happening casually, as creeping and having a cup of coffee are not quick movements. Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested for marching in an anti-segregation march and peacefully protesting on grounds where he did not have a parade permit. They create whatever hope they can out of the mountain of disappointment of constantly being shot down. His words proved to give the nation a new vocabulary to express what was happening to them. In his essay he uses many rhetorical devices to respond to his critics. By using the hard c sound it accentuates the idea that Black Americans struggle for basic rights while other individuals have the privilege of being leisurely about progress. Put the type of literary element in the title box. King, using these methods of persuasion, led the Clergymen to contemplate on their decisions which also led to them questioning their logic. Earn points, unlock badges and level up while studying. Martin Luther King went to jail for protesting for blacks in Birmingham in 1963. Why does King Jr. use visual imagery in "Letter From a Birmingham Jail"? Martin Luther King, also referred to MLK, uses both . Pathos is another appeal which is intended to persuade an audience which has to relate to their emotions. He starts by addressing the clergymen and sets a respectful precedent. I have the honor of serving as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization operating in every Southern state, with headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. in the "Letter from Birmingham Jail" Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s purpose is to show his fellow clergymen true imagery of how racism and segregation is affecting the citizens of . logos "policemen curse, kick, and even kill your black brothers and sisters" metaphor smothering in an airtight "cage of poverty" hyperbole "many streets of the South would, I am convinced, be flowing with blood" alliteration speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six year old pathos "see tears welling up in her eyes" logos The speech that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr wrote I have a Dream gives a pathos feel, building ups emotions towards real equality for each and every person, and not just separate, but equal living conditions. like a foreshadowing method of the main point Dr. King wants you to realize. The letter encouraged civil rights activists to negotiate instead of protesting and Kings letter responded arguing that it is necessary for them to take civil action and counters their claim by using ethos, asking rhetorical questions, and using numerous biblical and historical allusions. Analysis of Rhetorical Devices Used in Dr Martin Luther King Jr's "Letter from Birmingham Jail". At first, being categorized as an extremist disappointed him but as he contemplated the issue, he began to gradually embrace and relish the label that was given him. Martin Luther King Jr. uses alliteration and imagery to further establish his argument and add substance to his words. Martin Luther King wrote the Letter from Birmingham Jail in which he addressed many forms of injustices that was present then and continue to be present in todays world. The fight should be addressed in the courts. They rely on logic, emotions, and the character of the speaker. Create flashcards in notes completely automatically. In the "Letter from Birmingham Jail", written by Martin Luther King Jr., King delivers a well structured response to eight clergymen who had accused him of misuse of the law. In both Letter from Birmingham Jailand On the Duty of Civil Disobedience one man took action and made a huge change in how we view different races, another man changed our beliefs on government. He uses these techniques throughout his letter to create a convincing tone. The two most poignant examples, which I will focus on here, are found surrounding his use of . King Jr. says, You express a great deal of anxiety over our willingness to break laws.