Analysis Of Letter From A Birmingham Jail By Martin Luther King Jr.

On Wednesday, September 28th, I led a seminar analyzing two pieces of work from the Liberal Studies Reader for LIBS 7001. The first, To My Old Master, is a letter written from the point of view of an emancipated slave, Jourdon Anderson, in response to his old master from Big Spring, Tennessee asking Anderson to return to work for him. The second, Letter from a Birmingham Jail, written by Martin Luther King Jr., is a response to a letter from a group of Alabama clergymen, who critique King for being “unwise and untimely” (King, 1963) in his direct action approach protesting the racial segregation and discrimination that was prevalent in Birmingham. Kathy Dam, Romolo Ferrari, Mike Pendon, Alexey Skiba, and I focused our analysis and discussion

Anderson starkly compares his life as a freed slave, to his time working for his old master. It is through this comparison that the reader is able to understand the difference in treatment he is receiving, and helps to establish his credibility through his lived experiences. King, on the other hand, demands respect through his choice of examples and allusions. He refutes the idea that he is wrong in his actions through appealing to the moral beliefs held by both the clergymen and the American people. He alludes to the prophets of eighth century B.C, to Apostle Paul and Jesus Christ, and brings to example the social and political advancements occurring in other countries, to which America is falling behind. The whole group agreed that by aligning his beliefs with those of the clergymen and Americans, he was able to establish his credibility, and draw in his audience. Our group looked at several examples of deliberate language to evoke a reaction, one in which King states “now is the time to lift our national policy from the quicksand of racial injustice to the solid rock of human dignity” (King, 1963). This inspired the group to suggest that through equating the racial injustice to quicksand, King was able to add further urgency to the issue, adding more support from his

Several students argued that Anderson’s letter predominately used pathos, although others in the group argued that through his explanation of his life in the south, including the lack of pay, violent treatment, and violation of the young slave girls, Anderson was able to logically portray the reality of life as a slave. This strong imagery fed into the ethical argument that was prevalent throughout his letter, as he sarcastically focused on the abysmal treatment he received as a slave. The cultural belief now is that everyone deserves to be paid for the work they do, and to be treated equally. In speaking about his life now, the group agreed with him and his wife being paid and treated with respect, and his daughters receiving an education. In contrast, King’s use of logos was obvious and critical, as it helped to establish him as respected voice on the issue. By explaining the four steps of encouraging a social dialogue, he reasonably appeals to his readers. However, it was the ethos and pathos, we unanimously agreed, that was the strongest point in his argument. His inclusion of the fear and confusion his daughter felt surrounding her segregation and treatment appeals to the ethical beliefs and the emotions of the readers. We believed that his sparing use of pathos is what allowed for his argument to be strong, without losing his audience. As Ferrari suggests, “had King