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Extremism In Martin Luther King's Letter

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Martin Luther King's purpose of the letter is to persuade his audience that segregation is immoral, and deprives them of their equal freedoms. In paragraph 24, he emphasizes the greatness of many individuals who sought out their beliefs such as he does. He portrays the use of many rhetorical devices to create a deeper interpretation and understanding for the word “extremist.” The individuals who he describes each have their belief that leads them to being an “extremist.” Firstly, just by reading the paragraph, you can notice the repetition of “extremist” and “we will be”, they evoke that it's important to fight for that you know is fair. “Was not John Bunyan an extremist? … Was not Abraham Lincoln an extremist?” not only repetition but ad verecundiam because Martin Luther King uses significant figures who stood up for important matters, which creates an ethos to his point of being an extremist. Also, “Will we be extremist for hate, or will we be extremists for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice, or will we be extremists for the cause of justice?”, this influences the importance …show more content…

It provokes proof of what these people believed in, and argued for. Including, the use of a simile, “let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream” conveys that justice should be something that flows easily and given to everyone because it is for everyone and people should not be denied of

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Historical And Biblical Allusions In Martin Luther King's Letter From Birmingham Jail

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does use historical and biblical allusions through out his whole letter, there are two allusions that really stand out. On page 289 paragraph 31 Martin Luther King Jr. is referring to the clergymen letter of calling himself an “extremist” King proclaims “ But although I was initially disappointed at being categorized as an extremist......... Was not Jesus an extremist for love: “your enemies, bless the, that cure you, do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use and persecute you”. In this biblical allusions Marting Luther King Jr. talks about God being an extremist he does this because does it not just create common ground for everyone who knows those are Gods words but is use effectively to his power. When Marting Luther King calls God an extremist he goes on saying “ the question is not whether we will be an extremist, but what kind of extremist” these two follow after one another because some not all people think it is insane to love your enemies, to bless them because they are bringing you down but people go by it because it is the right thing to do so with that being said Martin Luther King Jr. is claiming he might be considered an “extremist” now for doing something out of the ordinary

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Martin Luther King Jr. was a strong leader in the Civil Rights movement, the son and grandson of a minister, and one heck of a letter writer. As he sits in a cell of Birmingham Jail in 1963, he responds to criticism from eight white clergymen. Though this letter was intended for the judgemental and condescending men of high faith, his response touched the hearts and minds of the entire U.S. population, then, and for years to come. In his tear-jerking, mind-opening letter, King manages to completely discredit every claim made by the clergymen while keeping a polite and formal tone. Metaphors, allusions, and rhetorical questions are used in the most skillful way to support his argument and ultimately convince his audience of the credibility behind his emotional, yet factual, claims.

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In a “Letter From Birmingham Jail”, Martin Luther King Jr. uses rhetorical devices. For example, MLK uses repetition in his letter. In paragraph 31, he repeats the word “extremists” several times to redefine the word so it's less negative. MLK also uses an analogy in his letter, by comparing himself to the Apostle Paul.

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Rhetorical Strategies: Letter from Birmingham In 1963, Birmingham Alabama was a place where African Americans struggled for equal rights. From segregation to discrimination, Birmingham consisted of all many injustice activities which involved civil rights. In 1963, Martin Luther King was arrested from protesting the treatment of African Americans.

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