ipl-logo

How Did Martin Luther King Jr Use Ethos Pathos Logos

1104 Words5 Pages

A look into Eathos, Logos, and Pathos

“We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality”. In that quote Martin Luther King Junior uses an example of what African American ar asking for, people seem to think they are asking for too much. When talking about what African Americans want and rightfully deserve he uses Ethos, Logos and Pathos. Just in this one quote he uses all three, this is an ethical reason, it is also a Logical reason, no one deserves to be treated like that by people they are suppose to trust to protect them, and finally they have a Pathetic reason, police brutality is a horrible thing all around but the words he uses around it like: “victim”, “unspeakable horrors”. …show more content…

used ethos to encourage African Americans to overcome oppression,Martin Luther King Jr knew that any violence would ruin their chance at freedom, if this get violent it makes African Americans look bad and they will never receive the things they have been asking for, the most ethical thing for Martin Luther King Jr to do was to warn African Americans not to become violent, and explain to them that he knows that they have a taste for freedom, but being violent will not help them, and that exactly what he did; “ Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plain of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protests to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy, which has engulfed the Negro community, must not lead us to a distrust of all white people.” In saying this, he shows that he knows how emotional this situation is and that it's tempting to get bitter about it, he makes sure to remind African Amercans they need to be ethical about this. By being ethical he gets through to not only African American, but whites as …show more content…

In this Speech he talks about the oppression immigrant farm workers have to face, the things he talks about are completely heartbreaking, listening to him talk about the conditions they are forced to live in, “farm workers live under savage conditions–beneath trees and amid garbage and human excrement” “Vicious rats gnaw on them as they sleep. They walk miles to buy food at inflated prices. And they carry in water from irrigation pumps.” These conditions are not okay for anyone to live in, but you see Cesar does this on purpose, Cesar tugs on your heart strings for a good reason. In doing this he makes you feel emotional, Cesar Chavez wants you to feel bad for these farm workers, he wants this because making you feel bad will hopefully encourage you to make a change, and try to help. Another person who does this is John Lewis. In a podcast John Lewis talks about what it was like to grow up in a town full of segregation and racial discrimination. Rather than pulling on your heart strings John Lewis has a different approach, he wants to make you upset, he wants you to feel angry. He tells a story of how a peaceful walk turns brutal “started walking in an orderly, peaceful, nonviolent fashion through the streets of Selma.” , “I'm Major John Cloud of the Alabama state troopers. This is an unlawful march. You will not allowed to continue. I give you three minutes to disperse and

Show More
Related
704 Words | 3 Pages

He had seen firsthand how African Americans experienced brutality growing up. He had seen this when Jess Alexander Helms a police officer brutalized a black woman, and dragged her to the jail house. He had explained it as “the way a caveman would club and drag his sexual prey”. This shows how little rights African Americans had in these days because he was unable to do anything. All of this happened while other African American individuals walked away hurriedly.

Read More
651 Words | 3 Pages

He insists on the fact that inhumane vengeance will lead to injury and death, as well as “demoralization”. This argument is greatly supported by the death of Dr. King Jr; his view of nonviolence helped to grow and mature the farm worker’s movement. Civil workers are guilted into supporting their fallen hero in order to fulfill his dying wish. Chavez instructs them to “overcome… [their] frustrations” and support their causes through methods of peaceful protests. Chavez, appealing to their sense of emotion, manages to persuade a disconnected society by desperately wanting to avenge Dr. King’s untimely

Read More
624 Words | 3 Pages

Martin Luther King Jr is an incredible writer and speaker which did help him when he was in the civil rights act to end the segregation of African Americans and white people. In king’s famous works such as his “I Have A Dream” speech and his “Letter From Birmingham Jail” King discusses his want to the end of segregation through the means of persuasion. By doing this he uses two types of persuasive appeals, logos(using a clear line of reasoning supported by evidence, and pathos (using loaded or charged language and other devices to arouse emotions) in King’s coordination towards each texts targeted speech and audience. King uses both of these appeals excellently and is not exactly better at one than the other mainly because of the target audience and occasion these texts are represented by. Let the rest of essay explain to you as to why this is.

Read More
572 Words | 3 Pages

Imagine you were part of a society where you had no rights, freedom , and you were judged because of what color your skin was. Well there was time when society did judge and discriminate against you. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave a speech called “I Have a Dream” at the Lincoln Memorial in front of a crowd of protesters for civil rights and for freedom. He also wrote a response called “Letter From Birmingham Jail” to 8 white clergymen that were giving him a hard time. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. uses both logos and pathos to describe a point using facts and evidence and or a language that arouses your emotions.

Read More
1268 Words | 6 Pages

In “Letter from Birmingham Jail” pathos was used throughout the letter. King gives his audience a chance to experience what is happening to him and his fellow African Americans by inserting emotional events. Such as the treatment from the Birmingham police when they “pushed and cursed young Negro females and slapped and kicked young Negro males.” ( King’s letter page 3) Yet after the mistreatment from the Birmingham police, King still didn’t insult them and preached to keep peacefully protest for their rights.

Read More
1081 Words | 5 Pages

A goal to eliminate segregation and make African Americans equal. Dr king could not have rallied people to his cause if it was not for his expert persuasion. With his masterful execution of Pathos, ethos and logos, he connected to people, allowing them to see the bigger picture, seeing the path to humanity and pulling people away from the harsh status quo. Pathos refers to the emotional appeal of the speaker, and King uses it effectively

Read More
2399 Words | 10 Pages

Even after all the injustices done to the black population of the United Sates, Dr. King is calling for them to set aside violence, bitterness, and hatred. He wants them to fight for their equality peacefully. According to Dr. King, this is the best way to stop violence. One side must step up and act peacefully in order for violence to end.

Read More
623 Words | 3 Pages

King uses pathos to tap into his audience’s mind to think about the importance of promoting action now rather than waiting for others to promote it first. He ends his letter by stating that he “hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away and the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation”. (King Jr., p. 658) Dr. King is a man of great integrity and love. He wanted to bring his fellow brother and sister together as a nation strong and not divided.

Read More
251 Words | 2 Pages

We live in a world with currently many conflicts from the racial disparity in high incarceration rates to gun violence and the war over gun rights. In his letter, King describes that Black Americans have no identity and that the oppressed cannot remain oppressed forever. King implies that they cannot be told to “wait for justice” because if they simply

Read More
602 Words | 3 Pages

During the days of segregation Martin Luther King was trying to make changes in society. He would use different things such as pathos, logos, and ethos to persuade the people of America to stop violence and start non-violent resistance. King also shows the difference of being the oppressed and the oppressor by explaining how not doing anything to make a change is being the oppressor and is still wrong in every way. Martin Luther King explains himself through ethos, logos, and pathos to show right from wrong and oppressed and the oppressor to make a difference in America during the Civil RIghts Movement. He used ethos the most in his speeches such as relating to bible verses or explaining the struggle that the black american has to go through every single day.

Read More
595 Words | 3 Pages

“And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.” (MLK, 264).  Martin Luther King Jr. was a recognized activist in terms of supporting complete freedom for African Americans.   He was a well known author and public speaker who served as a shred of hope for many during the dark times in which racial prejudice was exercised.

Read More
1013 Words | 5 Pages

During the era of the civil rights movements in the 60s, among the segregation, racism, and injustice against the blacks, Martin Luther King Jr. stood at the Lincoln Memorial to deliver one of the greatest public speeches for freedom in that decade. In Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech he effectively uses ethos, diction and powerful metaphors to express the brutality endured by African American people. Yet his most important method of reaching his audience, and conveying his enduring message of equality and freedom for the whole nation was his appeal to pathos. With these devices, King was able to move thousands of hearts and inspire the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Opening his speech Martin Luther King Jr. sets up his credibility with his use of ethos, referring to the Declaration of Independence saying, “This note was a promise that all men… would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life.”

Read More
709 Words | 3 Pages

First he shows his professionalism,”I have the honor of serving as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference” This shows how he knows what he is doing and that he is reliable. It shows his leadership skills and the trust his people have for him. Once he has established a professional background he goes on to show how he is a black man and knows how the black community suffers. He makes his connections by stating,”For years now I have heard the word "wait." It rings in the ear of every Negro with a

Read More
961 Words | 4 Pages

The Civil Rights Movement was a big thing for the United states and we as Americans will always remember Martin Luther King Jr. for helping lead the people and inspire change and bring hope. The speech “ I Have a Dream” by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was an important gathering of people at the Lincoln Memorial. A huge crowd gathered to listen to his powerful speech which helped to inspire change. Martin Luther King also wrote a letter to eight white clergymen named “Letter From Birmingham Jail” the letter was written in in his jail cell which he was in for marching and protests. In both of these texts Dr. King used pathos and logos to inspire change and reach out to the people during the civil rights movements.

Read More
853 Words | 4 Pages

Martin Luther King Jr. was an important figure in gaining civil rights throughout the 1960’s and he’s very deserving of that title as seen in both his “I Have a Dream” speech and his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” letter. 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. Although King was arrested for a nonviolent protest, he still found a way to justify his actions with the use of logos and pathos. 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.

Read More

More about How Did Martin Luther King Jr Use Ethos Pathos Logos

Related Topics

Open Document