4 - It is necessary to appeal to as many people as possible while making claims. He used logos when he talked about the Declaration of Independence and its writers. 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. 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. By using concrete proof that a certain portion of the population is subjected to unfair treatment and violence, he convinces his audience that this needs to change. It often involves connecting and understanding humankinds physical, psychological, or social needs. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. 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. In Martin Luther King's letter from Birmingham Jail, pathos, ethos, and logos are vividly expressed throughout it. Its 100% free. He says, "So I am here, along with several members of my staff, because we were invited here. He is telling them that the African Americans have been free for five hundred years and that was a great point in history but the African Americans arent treated equally or fairly. In 1963, the rights and the equality for African Americans was a cause constantly fought for. To begin with Dr. King used logos in his speech to educate the people and give them evidence and logic. Pathos is another appeal which is intended to persuade an audience which has to relate to their emotions. A Letter from Birmingham Jail: To You. Good Essays. Martin Luther King Jr. was a non-violent leader significant in the 1950s civil rights movement. Martin Luther King Jr. was a master at using sound devices like alliteration, perhaps because of his religious background, to add emphasis and detail. Letter from Birmingham Jail: Background. Sorry about this. In this statement, they, is referring to the people who are standing up to the whites and fighting for the equal rights far blacks. On August 28, 1963, King presented his well-known speech, I Have a Dream, during The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom for Africans civil and economic rights. Through loaded words Martin Luther King Jr. was able to connect emotionally as well as to relate to his audience in a "Letter from Birmingham Jail". King Jr. refutes the central argument that he is willing to break laws by identifying that some laws are just while others are unjust. How about getting full access immediately? This paper attempts a comparative study of Dr. King's great speech, "I Have a Dream" and . Pathos, an emotional appeal, relies on the audiences emotional connection with the speaker or writer and the subject matter. Letter from Birmingham Jail: Symbols, Motifs, and Rhetorical Devices Menu Good uses of similes, metaphors, and imagery will act on the reader's senses creating a false sense of perception. With. He directly responded to critics who believed he and other Black Americans should wait for federal, state, and local governments to make changes. It is a path we as America can look back on, learn from, and continue to be inspired by today thanks to MLKs. Read these passages aloud, and as you do so, feel their undeniable passion and power. He further humanizes the damages of racial segregation by providing a concrete example of his daughters tears and the clouds of inferiorityin her little mental sky. The clouds block what would otherwise be an innocent girl and her self-esteem, making her believe the false narrative that she is less-than others simply because of the shade of her skin. By continuing well assume you His goal was to create a nonviolent riot so large that no one could ignore whatd been brushed under the rug. His parents and his sister died while being separated but Wiesel is able to confidently talk about his experiences. Empowered, gratified and dedicated is how Martin Luther King Jr, made his audience feel when they were either reading his Letter From Birmingham Jail or listening to his famous I Have a Dream speech. This whole letter is an escalation until the final paragraphs when it s summed up and beings to take a calmer tone. The purpose of the Letter from a Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King Jr. was to respond to the clergymens accusations in their open letter to him. Public demonstrations are an inappropriate way to address his concerns. This is certainly a legitimate concern.". They are also called persuasive appeals. If you are author or own the copyright of this book, please report to us by using this DMCA report form. He wrote a letter to defend the strategies of nonviolent resistance to racism. In "Letter from Birmingham Jail," he uses metaphor for a variety of effects, both to paint the painful picture of life in the segregated south and to point to the bright possibilities for racial harmony. 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. Using strong visual imagery, King Jr. elicits compassion from his audience. This essentially puts MLK in the same group as Jesus, removing the negative connotation of being an extremist. On August 28th, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr gave us one of one of the most rhetorically moving speeches ever given. He is very impassioned in his language and tone in this part of the letter, yet still makes a strong argument for logic. The letter provided as a long road to freedom in a civil rights movement. In the "letter from Birmingham Jail" by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he uses pathos, logos and rhetorical devices such as imagery, sarcasm and biblical allusions to show how his work of nonviolent protests are smart and how Birmingham has violated their civil rights. Have all your study materials in one place. All segregation statutes are unjust because segregation distorts the soul and damages the personality (7). used allusion, metaphors, and repetitions in his speech to try to convince Americans to open up their door of selfishness and welcome change. 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. 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. It defends the strategy of nonviolent resistance as he writes his letter to his fellow clergymen. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Inspiration and exuberance were the emotions that people felt as they listened to Dr. Martin Luther King Jrs., I Have a Dream speech. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust. An appeal to ethics, a means of convincing someone of the character or credibility of the persuader (ethos), an appeal to emotion, and a way of convincing an audience of an argument by creating an emotional response (Pathos), and finally, an appeal to logic, and is a way of persuading an audience by reason (Logos); these three Rhetorical Strategies are used countless times throughout Martin Luther Kings Letter for Birmingham Jail. In the Article Letter to Birmingham Jail Martin Luther King Jr uses the rhetorical analysis triangle to address the issue that the eight clergymen had with him being in Birmingham. Sign up to highlight and take notes. The two most poignant examples, which I will focus on here, are found surrounding his use of . In his concession, he acknowledges his respect for opposing views and his ability to recognize the validity of other opinions. 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. On Pg.6, paragraph 4, Injustice anywhere is a treat to justice everywhere. (LogOut/ Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. By establishing a clear delineation between just laws that uplift human personality and the law of segregation which degrades, King Jr. asserts that it is out of harmony with the moral law. His logical explanation as to why he is participating in protests is convincing to his audience. He condemns people who are complicit with the unjust laws and sit by without doing anything. In his Letter form a Birmingham Jail, King responds to the eight clergymen who published an open letter in the local newspaper entitled A call to Unity that ultimately criticized Kings antics directly. Pathos And Logos In Martin Luther King's I Have A Dream. Who is the "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" addressed to? Letter From Birmingham Jail Give examples of the writers use of metaphors, imagery, and anaphora. But the strongest influential device King used was pathos. Dr. King wrote this epic letter on April 16th, 1963 as a political prisoner. All segregation statutes are unjust because segregation distorts the soul and damages the personality . Report DMCA Overview 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. Using logical appeals helps to develop the readers confidence in the, In Martin Luther Kings Letter from Birmingham Jail, he uses rhetorical questions in combinations with logos to persuade his audience on the value of civil disobedience. This brings out King as a caring person ready to help society. In this letter, through rhetorical devices such as pathos, logos and ethos, and other rhetorical devices. Overall, he seemed abandoned by many people believing more could have helped instead of being bystanders. 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. King's Letter Considered a Classic Argument Essay . Martin Luther King Jr. was a master of persuasive techniques, which were created by Aristotle in 350 BC. The Black American community should show more patience. Individuals must actively seek to create the world they want, since there is no inevitable sense of fate that will deliver it. It gives the language a cadence and draws attention to important ideas. Create and find flashcards in record time. "Letter from Birmingham Jail" is woven together using ethos, pathos and logos to perfectly support his point of view. Dr. King used metaphor to let people better understand things that they dont necessarily know. Martin uses Pathos to emotionally connect with everyone listening to the speech. Famous for his prowess with words, King was known for writing powerful texts throughout his life. It gives the segregator a false sense of superiority and the segregated a false sense of inferiority.". All segregation statutes are unjust because segregation distorts the soul and damages the personality.". Two of his most famous compositions were his I Have A Dream speech and his Letter From Birmingham Jail. For instance, he compares unjust laws with dangerous dams, and social progress with a river: 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. Not everyone who read Letter from Birmingham jail relates to the inequality and discrimination. King Jr. uses active verbs and strong visual imagery like harried, haunted, and living constantly at tiptoe stance to show how uneasy and discomforting it is to be a Black American living in an oppressive society. The climax helped him in his argument by creating emotion in the paper that not only the clergymen could relate to, but Others Who read The letter as well, The climax paint pictures for the reader, allows the reader to feel the emotions Of Dr. King though language. Writers or speakers often restate opposing views accurately and fairly, align their ideas with relevant experts on the subject matter, and use a controlled tone to convey respect and level-headedness. On April 12, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested in Birmingham, Alabama for protesting without a permit. MLK addresses this by integrating a biblical allusion. Examples Of Logos In Letter From Birmingham Jail. He asks a rhetorical question about indifference; he explains it to be the lack of sympathy people have towards others and that people try and avoid others in need. On April 12, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested. In his speech it states It does not say all white men, but it says all men, which includes black men. Literary Devices in Letter from Birmingham Jail. The clergymen's open letter to King specified a list of criticisms defending their argument that civil rights demonstrations should end. They just want equality but no one would give them the time of ay to explain themselves as equals. (Thoreau,Para.6 ,942) Because Martin Luther King Jr. and Henry Thoreau use different tones, appeals, and imagery to show how men have the power to make change. A Summary View of the Rights of British America, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey, Non Sum Qualis Eram Bonae Sub Regno Cynarae. King has explained this through many examples of racial situations, factual and logical reasoning, and . He demanded to end racism throughout the entire United States. Although they do not read or hear his words with an open mind at first, his audience begins to accept h. He graduated from a segregated high school at the age of fifteen and earned a bachelor degree at a segregated institution in Atlanta in 1948. 1 Page. were arrested and torced ro try and make their cries heard once more, this time trom a jail cell. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave a speech called "I Have a Dream" at the Lincoln Memorial in . when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six-year-old daughter why she cannot go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her little eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children, and see the depressing clouds of inferiority begin to form in her little mental sky.". In "Letter from Birmingham City Jail," Martin Luther King, Jr., uses logos, pathos, and ethos to support his arguments. In the letter, King appeals for unity against racism in society, while he wants to fight for Human Rights, using ethos. Identify your study strength and weaknesses. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . King Jr. implements all three persuasive appeals, ethos, pathos, and logos, to reach his audience and counter his critics. It all started because one man believed that it was time for a change. His passionate demand for racial justice and an integrated society became popular throughout the Black community. During this letter, King then uses the time to unroot the occasion of nonviolent protests in BIrmingham and the disappointing leadership of the clergy. Free and expert-verified textbook solutions. Titled as the I Have a Dream Speech, he read this speech to the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. King Jr. used these points to create the foundation of his response by meticulously addressing and countering them. His words proved to give the nation a new vocabulary to express what was happening to them. He was a survivor of the Holocaust separated from his family through several concentration camps. 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. board with our, See It also gives a logos appeal. Dr. Martin Luther King Junior's greatest speech, "I Have a Dream" and his widely discussed letter, "Letter from Birmingham Jail", are the true pictures of his age and they portray the pathetic state of the black Americans under the whites. Letter From Birmingham Jail: Imagery Touch "When you take a cross country drive and find it necessary to sleep night after night in the uncomfortable corners of your automobile because no motel will accept you" You can imagine the times you've been in a full car trying to sleep and get along with anyone and feel the knots in your neck. This passage is a rather concise description of the call to arms that lies within the "Letter from Birmingham Jail." Arguing that time is "neutral," Dr. King illustrates the importance of individual action. "We still creep at horse-and-buggy pace.". All of this emotional, aggressive language King uses to express his feelings to rhe clergymen leads to a climax, In each heated point, in the letter. We can see that at the beginning of the letter, sentences are short and not as wordy. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust. They keep trying to obtain equal rights even with constant oppression and criticism from he mountain of disappointment. (LogOut/ But when you have seen vicious 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; when you see the vast majority of your twenty million Negro brothers smothering in an airtight cage of poverty in the midst of an affluent society". He begins the letter by establishing who he is and how he ended up in jail. Throughout King's letter, he used various ways of persuasive strategies: pathos, logos, and ethos. 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. Visual imagery appeals to the sense of sight. Letter from a Birmingham Jail is King Jr.s counterargument to those who criticized his actions, called him an outsider in Birmingham, accused him of illegal activity, and asserted that his actions incited violence. 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). 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. Who wrote the "Letter from a Birmingham Jail"? Aggressive diction is used flawlessly in the entirety of this paper to aid King in his argument. In this letter, King addresses eight white clergymen who had previously written to King regarding his demonstrations. Martin Luther King, also referred to MLK, uses both . His. 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. Letter from Birmingham Jail corydemarc022 Increasing Importance From Birmingham A Letter From A Birmingham Jail written by Dr Martin Luther King Jr. is an amazing piece of writing That Dr. King wrote in response to a statement made by eight white Alabama clergymen. He uses metaphorical imagery, powerful diction,and symbolism to create an impact on the audience. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote a very empowering speech in August 28, 1963 and an informative letter in the margins of a newspaper on April 16, 1963. Dr. King is very sophisocated in the way he designs this letter. Dr. King repeatedly appeals to logos (Ruszkiewicz) throughout the entire piece; particularly when he says he was initially disappointed at being categorized as an extremist then gradually gained a matter of satisfaction from the label. The "letter of Birmingham Jail" was written by Martin Luther King on April 16, 1963. Letter from Birmingham, Martin Luther King Jr. "If I have said anything in this letter that overstates the truth and indicates an unreasonable impatience, I beg you to forgive me. "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. 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. The use of figurative language in martin luther king, jr.'s letter from birmingham jail. Change). More about Letter From a Birmingham Jail, What We Talk About When We Talk About Love, Emancipation from British Dependence Poem, Poems on Various Subjects Religious and Moral. MLK used logos in his I Have a Dream speech and his Letter From Birmingham Jail. 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. The effectiveness that came from this letter is the examples used by. Why was "Letter From a Birmingham Jail" written? King Jr. also uses imagery to evoke pity and empathy from his audience. The Letter from a Birmingham Jail is a response to an open letter written by eight clergymen in Birmingham criticizing the actions and peaceful protests of Martin Luther King Jr. King Jr. used the points outlined in the letter to create the foundation of his response and to meticulously address and counter their assertions. He employs the use of pathos, ethos, and logos to support his argument that nonviolence resistance is definitive. When he discusses his dream that, Martin Luther King Jr used the Aristotelian persuasive method of ethos, pathos, and logos to persuade the clergymen to change their decisions of them stopping their non-violent protests. It is known that the Birmingham Letter was the most important letter documented in the civil rights era. He shows his authority by providing background information about himself, including his position as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Martin Luther King's 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. He cited many examples and then said, "There have been more unsolved bombings of Negro homes and churches in Birmingham than in any other city in this nation. His comparison would seem to indicate that he shares an affinity with them. A just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law, or the law of God. Martin Luther King Jr. used ethos by convincing his audience that he was an expert on the topic of civil rights. Throughout his letter, King uses many biblical references to make his readers see the inequality of their society, and what it would continue to be like without change. He used this information to tell the people how long they have been taking being discriminated against after being freed, Dr. Kings I Have a Dream speech shows powerful examples of logos and pathos. Fig. His letter which he directs to middle class citizens, otherwise known as white moderates, is very compelling because King is very in tune to his audience, making them imagine themselves under specific circumstances.