parallelism in letter from birmingham jail parallelism in letter from birmingham jail

: "There can be no gainsaying the fact that racial injustice engulfs this community." . Similarly, King uses pathos to trigger the emotional . Lincoln says, The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. He didn 't know if people would remember what Lincoln said on November 19, 1863 but he said don 't forget that the soldiers lost their lives. Dr. King goes on to say that laws that do not match what the Bible says are unjust. Pathos are present more often in the I Have A Dream speech, mainly because he is bravely facing a crowd, speaking from the heart, rather than formality. Being nearly symbolic, King being held prisoner in Birmingham, the most polar racial arena of the United States, made his rhetoric more effective. King's letter from Birmingham Jail addresses the American society, particularly the political and religious community of the American society. As he sits in a cell of Birmingham Jail in 1963, he responds to criticism from eight white clergymen. Martin Luther King Jr. was an important figure in gaining civil rights throughout the 1960s and hes very deserving of that title as seen in both his I Have a Dream speech and his Letter from Birmingham Jail letter. Repetitions help the writer give structure to his arguments and highlight important aspects. "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." - Martin Luther King Jr., "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" "United there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. He uses rhetorical devices such as repetition, analogy, and rhetorical questions. Here, King combines divergent interpretations of justice to demonstrate the gravity of the injustice that he confronted in Birmingham. The letter was addressed to clergymen who had criticized King and made many claims against him. His masterful delivery of these metaphors and the frequent repetition makes the speech much like a poem or a part of a song. In addition, King is also in Birmingham because he feels compelled to respond to injustice wherever he finds it. Martin Luther King Jr. uses both logical and emotional appeals in order for all his listeners to be able to relate and contemplate his speeches. Your email address will not be published. 'Letter from Birmingham Jail'"' is a clearly written essay that explains the reasons behind, and the methods of nonviolent civil disobedience, and gently expresses King's disappointment with those who are generally supportive of equal rights for African-Americans. Parallelism/ Juxtaposition. King understood that if he gained support from the white American, the civil rights movement would reach its goals much faster. "Letter from Birmingham Jail" Allusion Essay. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from a Birmingham Jail is a letter that illustrates oppression being a large battle fought in this generation and location. 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. MLKs use of pathos and repetition is an effective way to persuade his audience about his position on civil disobedience. 25 terms. The letter goes on to explain his choice to act directly and nonviolently, stating, For years now I have heard the word wait. It rings in the ear of every Negro with a piercing familiarity. As campaigning, King uses it in his speech in order to express all his points. This use of parallelism draws on the emotions of personal experiences to persuade that segregation is a problem in a myriad of ways. Additionally, personable elements such as tone, inflection, and overall vindication behind the letter are left to be determined by the rhetorical language. Other than the speechs heartwarming and moving content, Kings effective structure along with the usage of all three rhetorical modes and certain rhetorical tropes and schemes has revealed the reason I Have a Dream as a masterpiece of rhetoric and it persuades hundreds of thousands of people support the blacks instead of treating them. Mistreatment of this kind is labeled as racial discrimination. , Atlantic Media Company, 29 Jan. 2021, https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/02/letter-from-a-birmingham-jail/552461/. To summarize, Martin Luther Kings rhetoric is effective and ultimately changed the course of the Civil Rights movement for the better. That sentence magnifies the fact that good people doing nothing is the same as bad people purposely hindering civil rights. One of the challenges that he faced included being criticized because of what he believed in concerning the laws of segregation. Lastly he shows ethos by using authority in his speech by using quotes from two very famous documents. In his letter King effectively manipulates language and tone to strengthen his argument against the complaints of the clergyman and successfully address the white people. Firstly, and most daunting, is the constraint of the letters audience. While there were consistent and impactful efforts made by various groups for equality throughout the civil rights era, the proximity between the public release of the letter, found nation-wide by late 1963, and the passing of the Civil Rights Act in early July 1964 shows the direct impact the letter had on social attitudes following its publicization. In the letter "Letter from Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King Jr. writes to the Clergyman to express his idea on the racial discrimination and injustice going on in Birmingham Alabama. Letter from a Birmingham Jail: The Rhetorical Analysis At the peak of the Civil War Movement in America on April 12th, 1963, eight Alabama . The constraints surrounding Martin Luther Kings rhetorical situation include the audience, the rhetorical exigence of the situation he is responding to, Dr. King himself, and the medium, all of which are deeply connected. This protest, his subsequent arrest, and the clergymens public statement ostensibly make up the rhetorical exigence, but it truly stems from a much larger and dangerous situation at hand: the overwhelming state of anti-black prejudice spread socially, systematically, and legislatively in America since the countrys implementation of slavery in Jamestown, 1619. He wanted this letter to encourage and bring up a people that will start a revolution. Parallelism takes many forms in literature, such as anaphora, antithesis, asyndeton, epistrophe, etc. Lincoln states, We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. What he says means that the soldiers lost their lives to give us freedom. Another instance of parallelism in the letter is, We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the vitriolic words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people(Barnet and Bedau 745). Kings arguments induce an emotional response in his readers. Any deadline. A letter, as a medium, is constraining as there is one definitive original copy, it is addressed to a small specific group, and since it cannot be directly broadcasted widely, opposed to television or radio, it must be printed or passed along analogically. King implies that one day, all, I Have a Dream, however, played a major step into changing it. King through this letter tries to express his, "Martin Luther King Jr.'s letter from Birmingham Jail, which was written in April 16, 1963, is a passionate letter that addresses and responds to the issue and criticism that a group of white clergymen had thrown at him and his pro- black American organization about his and his organization's non- violent demonstrative actions against racial prejudice and injustice among black Americans in Birmingham. Any subject. As the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s unfolded, Martin Luther King Jr. had, perhaps, the most encompassing and personal rhetorical situation to face in American history. But the strongest influential device King used was pathos. Wiki User 2013-03-13 02:55:46 Study now See answer (1) Copy "One has not only legal but moral responsibility to obey just. King has explained this through many examples of racial situations, factual and logical reasoning, and . He wants the clergyman to realize that what they believe and think is wrong. In response to Kings peaceful protesting, the white community viewed [his] nonviolent efforts as those of an extremist, and subsequently imprisoned the pastor (para 27). At the time, Birmingham was one of the harshest places to live in America for African Americans; white supremacy groups would set off bombs to instill fear in the black community and withhold racial integration, and peaceful protests and sit-ins were met with unjustifiable police violence, in addition to the suffocating social qualms surrounding the black community (Eskew). King intended for the entire nation to read it and react to it. While his actions may not have had much success at first during the 1960s what made his arguments so powerful was his use of pathos and logos., In Dr. Martin Luther Kings letter from Birmingham, he targeted specific people who he wrote the letter for including everybody. In this way, King juxtaposes the unscrupulous principles of the clergy with his righteous beliefs to highlight the threat of injustice, which he seeks to combat with hope. While there were consistent and impactful efforts made by various groups for equality throughout the civil rights era, the proximity between the public release of the letter, found nation-wide by late 1963, and the passing of the Civil Rights Act in early July 1964 shows the direct impact the letter had on social attitudes following its publicization. This is the beginning of King's point-by-point rebuttal of the criticisms leveled against him. King goes on to explain how this right has not been kept, making it appear to be similar to a laid-back rule. He had a great impact on race relations in the U.S. and he made a great impact on many lives. The rhetorical choices referenced above are riddled with pathos, also known as language utilized to persuade the audience emotionally. A seminal text of the Civil Rights Movement, King's, "Letter from Birmingham Jail," defends the strategy of nonviolent resistance to racism, justifies the measures that brought about his arrest, and asseverates that the segregation laws against blacks in the south must be repealed. Parallelism is a literary device in itself, but it is also a category under which other figures of speech fall, such as those mentioned previously. In Kings speech he says, Its ugly record of police brutality is known in every section of this country (King Page 6). While the Civil Rights movement superseded the dismantling of Jim Crow, the social ideologies and lackadaisical legislature behind anti-black prejudice continued to rack the country far into the 1960s. Lloyd Bitzer describes rhetorical situation as, a complex of persons, events, objects, and relations presenting an actual or potential exigence which can be completely or partially removed if discourse, introduced into the situation, can so constrain human decision or action to bring about the significant modification of the exigence (6). King defends his primary thesis all throughout the length of his letter, and the arguments that he has made to prove that his thesis is true and valid will be the focus of this rhetorical analysis. You may use it as a guide or sample for writing your own . Martin Luther King Jr., with the Rev. Although the letter was addressed to the eight clergymen, the Letter from Birmingham Jail speaks to a national audience. The letter was written April third, 1963, it was published for the public in June of the same year, a slower spread than a nationwide address on television or radio. Who was he truly writing for? His audience ranged between those who his message empowered, a radical positive force, and those who disagreed, made up of southern states, extremist groups, and the majority of American citizens stuck in their racial prejudices. Recent flashcard sets. IvyMoose is the largest stock of essay samples on lots of topics and for any discipline. He goes on to add; I am in Birmingham because injustice is here (King 1). Although King was arrested for a nonviolent protest, he still found a way to justify his actions with the use of logos and pathos. By stating the obvious point and implying that moderates act as though this was not true, he accuses them of both hypocrisy and injustice. What type/s of rhetorical device is used in this statement? This letter serves as a purpose to apply the need for love and brotherhood towards one another and avoid all the unjust laws. Martin Luther Kings Letter From Birmingham Jail is undeniably effective at responding to the rhetorical situation at hand. 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. Parallelism In Letters From Birmingham Jail 172 Words1 Page Martin Luther King Jr. uses pathos and parallelism frequently throughout "Letters from Birmingham Jail," to persuade the clergyman to support his actions in the civil rights movement. Because of his skill in creating such pieces of writing, as well as his influential role within the Civil Rights Movement, and the reminder that Letter from Birmingham Jail provides of these trying times, his letter should continue to be included within A World of Ideas. In the letter, King appeals for unity against racism in society, while he wants to fight for Human Rights, using ethos. Both their speeches, I Have a Dream and The Ballot or the Bullet may have shared some common traits, but at the same time, differed greatly in various aspects. Read these passages aloud, and as you do so, feel their undeniable passion and power. The way Dr. King constructs his argument is as if he was preaching his argument to his congregation. you can use them for inspiration and simplify your student life. 1, Penn State University Press, 1968, pp. All of these factors influence each other to shape rhetoric, which Bitzer describes as, pragmatic; it comes into existence for the sake of something beyond itself (3), with Martin Luther Kings. Writers commonly use parallelism when there is a pair or a series of elements, or in the headlines or outlines of a document. Constraints bring light to the obstacles this rhetoric may face, whether it be social, political, economical, etc. . King organized various non-violent demonstrations in Birmingham, Alabama that resulted in his arrest. King uses tone, literal and figurative language to establish structure and language in his letter. Explain why the examples fit your chosen reason. In paragraphs 33 to 44 of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s response to A Call for Unity, a declaration by eight clergymen, Letter from Birmingham Jail (1963), he expresses that despite his love for the church, he is disappointed with its lack of action regarding the Civil Rights Movement. He points out the irony of America because Black Americans were still not truly free. 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. The "Letter from Birmingham Jail" was written by the African American hero Dr. Martin Luther King in Birmingham back in 1963, addressing the issues that the African Americans faced back in that time. In "Letter from Birmingham Jail", King implements antithesis -- along with his background as a minister -- to demonstrate the hypocrisy of the Southern clergymen, as he attempts to further diverge the two diametric rationales; thus, he creates logos as he appeals to the audience's logical side and urges African-Americans to act punctual in their Dr. King repeats the same starting words when you have seen with different examples of injustices. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Early in his speech, King writes riches of freedom and security of justice and then justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream. In these two examples, King is using parallelism to express that the African American wants justice and freedom by repeating them next to each other and mentally connecting them in the readers mind, which is also connected with pathos as the terms King uses subtly emphasize those words and create good feelings in the reader. Although Kings reply was addressed to the Alabama clergyman, its target audience was the white people. This audience is rhetorical as the social and political ideologies of the American people fuel democracy and are able to change the system around them through collective effort. Since Kings arrest he had time to think deeply about the situation; therefore, he decides to reply back to the Alabama clergymen. Kings decision to compare his efforts to those of biblical figures with shared intent was a deliberate attempt to find common ground with his initial readers, the eight religious Birmingham clergymen, through the faith of a shared religion. King was the figurehead of the Civil Rights movement, infamous for his I Have a Dream speech and substantially impactful rhetoric promoting social and political change, peaceful indignation, and calls to awareness. The eight clergymen in Birmingham released a public statement of caution regarding the protesters actions as unwise and untimely (King 1), to which Martins letter is a direct response. King uses pathos to invoke anger, sympathy and empathy, his impeccable use of logos makes his argument rational to everyone, and his use of ethos, especially the use of biblical references, makes his opinions more reliable. Martin Luther utilizes powerful rhetoric to define his exigence. In Martin Luther Kings Jr, Letter from Birmingham Jail the letter was a persuasive attempt to get Americans to finally see the inequality in the United States of America. is undeniably effective at responding to the rhetorical situation at hand. Lloyd Bitzer describes rhetorical situation as, a complex of persons, events, objects, and relations presenting an actual or potential exigence which can be completely or partially removed if discourse, introduced into the situation, can so constrain human decision or action to bring about the significant modification of the exigence (6). Throughout Kings letter, he used various ways of persuasive strategies: pathos, logos, and ethos. The main argument Dr. King is making in the letter is the protest being done in Birmingham is "wise" and most important "timely". This exigence is rhetorical because it can be improved if enough people are socially cognizant, whether that be in legislature or the streets of Birmingham, through creation and enforcement of equitable laws and social attitudes. King goes on to write that he is disappointed that white moderates care less about justice and more about order. Furthermore, exterior events regarding the movement could ultimately reflect on his influence and polarize the audience further. He had hoped that the white moderate would understand that law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice and that when they in this purpose they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress (King 267). Bitzer, Lloyd F. The Rhetorical Situation. Philosophy & Rhetoric, vol. Furthermore, Dr. King had four steps to achieve his goals by collecting facts, negotiation, self-purification, and direct, Dr. Martin Luther King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail" is a response to Dr. King's follow clergymen criticism. The amount of original essays that we did for our clients, The amount of original essays that we did for our clients. , vol. To get a high-quality original essay, click here. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with moral law. In this example, King manufactures logos through the creation of antithetic parallelism, as the structure of his essay provides justification for his argument against the postponement of justice. Civil rights leader and social activist Martin Luther King Jr. wrote a world renown correspondence, Letter From Birmingham Jail, in April of 1963, during a time when segregation was at its peak in the South. As example, King uses I have a dream that one day and Let freedom ring.. to open his points on how Americans should change against racial indifferences. However, Martin Luther King Jr is an extremely influential figure in the field of oration and rhetoric. In Letter from Birmingham Jail, King implements antithesis -- along with his background as a minister -- to demonstrate the hypocrisy of the Southern clergymen, as he attempts to further diverge the two diametric rationales; thus, he creates logos as he appeals to the audiences logical side and urges African-Americans to act punctual in their fight against injustice, prompted by the imprudent words of the clergy. In order to dispel any misguided ideas that whites have of the Negroes fortune, King tells them directly that Negroes are in poverty as everybody is blocking them from entering the ocean of material prosperity. The second time King uses antithesis is when he states that Nineteen Sixty-Three is not an end, but a beginning, which he aims to express that the revolution will not stop at 1963; rather it will have a new beginning. The Martin Luther King, Jr., Research and Education Institute. This special lyrical and parallel structure helped get his main points across and allows a large audience to understand simple but powerful words (Layfield) . However, this constraint did not ultimately halt the spread of Kings message nation-wide, as it became a persuasive landmark of the civil rights movement, likely due to both his impactful position and persuasive use of rhetoric. However, in the months that followed, Kings powerful words were distributed to the public through civil rights committees, the press, and was even read in testimony before Congress (Letter from Birmingham Jail), taking the country by storm. With these devices, King was able to move thousands of hearts and inspire the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Engels . Therefore this makes people see racism in a whole new light; racism has not been justified because the United States have failed to uphold their promises.