In Martin Luther King’s famed “I Have A Dream” address, and his “Letter From Birmingham Jail” King makes use of bothe logos and pathos in his writing. It is because of these that his writings have risen to such prominence and stirred so many to action. But while he used both logos, the use of reasoning, and pathos, the use of emotions and charged language, a careful analysis shows that they are not equal. For King has a talent for dramatic, poignant resounding language, one which he uses to full effect and is much more powerful than logos. To demonstrate, take this passage “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of it’s creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.
On April 16, 1963 Martin Luther King Jr. wrote a letter to seven, white clergymen as a response to their criticisms of King’s approach to tackle segregation and other racial issues in Birmingham, Alabama. Coincidentally, King was also a clergyman—a clergyman with tons of influence as the president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization that has 85 affiliated groups. Throughout his letter, King’s use of allusions both of historical and religious significance supports King’s position as a highly influential and educated clergyman, provide the inspirations behind King’s strategy of nonviolence, and a strong ethos to criticize his fellow clergymen who act as bystanders. In the beginning of King’s letter, the first thing he does is to address his own credibility the seven clergymen questioned.
Patton analyzed King’s use of the name of god in “A Transforming Response: Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Letter From Birmingham Jail” Patton wrote that King extends his argument by continuing the rhetorical model of reflection and musing. When King write "the judgment of God is upon the Church as never before," (paragraph 20) Patton felt he did this to open a spiritual basis for civil rights action over and beyond the boundaries of institutionalized religion. He writes, “On the other hand, King gave audiences a view of the movement and his leadership as connected with the "inner spiritual church," at once validating the moral basis for civil rights and extending its claims to diverse secular audiences.” Edward Berry, also analyzed King’s use of god and religion in “Doing Time: Kings “Letter From Birmingham Jail.”
Justice should flow like water and righteousness roar like a mighty stream. Martin Luther King uses this to get people’s attention, as well as to explain and emphasize in a way that is easily
The force of God’s purpose, will, and capacity for new life is found all throughout the Bible. This is rather just an acknowledgement rather than an instinctual feeling, and while the reading of biblical text is not guaranteed to be inspiring to everyone, it does happen on occasion. The feeling of inspiration is all based off of how the text is being recognized. It is seen that through prayer and preachers, classes and songs, the Bible’s text gives a sense of something “strange and
MLK utilizes an immense amount of highly specific references to Western leaders and also to the Bible because he is speaking to clergymen and possibly a class of white moderates/ church-goers. The specific biblical allusions paint MLK’s mission to God’s authority by identifying with popular figures and also to compare the “supposed evil” that the clergy considers his movement, to moral causes of the past. With these terms, he creates a strong argument refuting their claims of him being an extremist for not tolerating injustice, specifically comparing his attitude to Jesus, because he was “an extremist of love” or Paul for being “an extremist for Justice” (MLK 4). These references and jargon are familiar to the clergymen, so utilizing them deepens the understanding of the racial injustice issue in terms that they can identify. Explicitly, calling out their pacifist attitudes that contribute to the persistence of brutal crimes against African Americans and their continued disparity in society.
Martin Luther King was also a baptist minister and would often make ties to god in his speeches.’’ ...may God hand me the tools to further my change. ”(Azbell) King was saying that he hopes God will give him the tools and strength to get through the adversities he was about to go through. King later said through this quote he wants to not just inflict change but to cause a mass revolution in african american and as long as God provides the tools then they shall be successful.
Sky screamed could possibly symbolize thunder, which one would assume could be the sound when two or more God’s clash. Mother Earth moaned, could be sadness, rain? Wind? Light disappearing and darkness are mentioned twice, which could represent the death of someone important or powerful. Then, “storm clouds raced nearby and swept all life away from out of the sky above out heads” This God’s death as well as the death can cause a crumbling of the world and all people surrounding the God.
Martin Luther rightly called the book of Psalms a “little Bible”. As we begin our journey into this book, we will find the full range of human emotions. We will find praise and lament; joy and agony. Moreover, we will discover two overarching themes. First, the righteous will live by faith in God as expressed in his Torah, and second, that the Righteous Messiah will overcome evil and reign as the sovereign of the universe that was created by him, and through him, and for him.
The intensity of King’s speech is built through bold statements and rhythmic repetition “We can never be satisfied’, ‘go back’ and ‘with this faith’. King uses the mood effectively, especially in the phrase ‘Let freedom ring’ where it is combined with repetition. Each repetition builds on the one before and is reinforced by Martin Luther King’s ever increasing passion. The use of the words ‘We’ and ‘Our’ help King create the sensation calm and grounded as he delivered his
Although many believe that the clergyman always do what is morally just for society, King refutes this belief as he points out the flaws in the religious positions that the clergyman take, “I have heard numerous southern religious leaders admonish their worshipers to comply with a desegregation decision because it is the law, but I have longed to hear white ministers declare: Follow this decree because integration is morally right and because the Negro is your brother.”. King does this purposefully to point out that church leaders should bring people together, yet these clergyman intend on bringing people apart. He cleverly accuses them of not listening to the church, but instead listening to the hateful mindset of the government. One way he does this is by mentioning how the voice of God and the church is weak. All the religious appeals he makes are to word it in a way that is relevant to the clergyman.
As an example, the beginning of the Psalm starts, "[y]ou have searched me, Lord, and you know me." (Psalms 139.1) while the end of the poem states, "[s]earch me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts" (Psalm s 139.23). This combines parallel with repetition and the words "search" and "know" and both found at the beginning of the chapter and at the end. Additionally, in between the parallels, contrast is used to amplify the omniscience of God. In verses two and three it says, "[y]ou know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
The writer is using first person personal pronoun to give a close relationship of the main character. For this instance, it would be the person worshipping the Lord which forms a meaning of showing the love the worshipper has with God. In conclusion, the Psalm’s purpose is to show us the compassion that the Lord towards his followers. The overall psalm talks about how the Lord is a person who shows compassion for
The pericope Psalm 92 is a genre of thanksgiving and at the same time is a psalm of worship. Verses 1-4 are also occasionally vied as “more of a testimony and an encouragement for others to praise God.” The psalm is useful for “individual or congregational use, especially on the Sabbath Day.” There are some scholars who believe the “original context was perhaps that of thanksgiving after victory or a festival occasion.”
God’s Word is much like a flashlight or a street lamp to the Believer. As the night traveler in a city park must depend on a street lamp to see his way or a man on a dark trail in the early morning needs a flashlight, so the Christian must use God’s Word to traverse in this life. (Psalm 119:105)
