How Is Mlk Used In Letter To Birmingham Jail

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In his “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Martin Luther King Jr. addresses his fight for civil rights as an activist leader. After being arrested and imprisoned by Birmingham police during a non-violent protest against segregation, King wrote this letter. He used his letter to respond to a public statement made by eight white clergymen, who degraded King's use of peaceful protest. He used this opportunity to develop his credibility as a famous civil rights activist & illustrate the need for change. He utilized many methods and analogies to help the public grasp his viewpoints. In the “Letter from Birmingham Jail” King employs allusions, repetition, and epistols to emphasize his arguments throughout the letter. King highly relies on allusion to …show more content…

MLK used civil disobedience to oppose unjust laws and promote inequality and fairness. He thought individuals had a moral obligation to oppose unjust laws through peaceful protest and non-violent resistance. King emphasized the importance of civil disobedience, drawing inspiration from historical figures such as Socrates and early Christians. King is utilizing allusions to underline the importance of the civil rights movement. MLK states “Thus saith the Lord Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to practically every hamlet and city of the Greco-Roman world”. (King 1) By citing Paul's attempts to preach the Gospel of Christ throughout the Greco-Roman world, Martin equated himself with someone who faced disdain and suffering, yet remained faithful to his own beliefs. He emphasized the significance of challenging our judicial system. In “Letter from Birmingham Jail” Dr. King conjures his ethos and credibility through his job as a minister and his methodical approach to civil disobedience. He is not just a man who’s been arrested and is now behind bars, he’s a man of principles and morals, fighting for justice and