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Pathos And Ethos In Mlk's Letter From The Birmingham Jail

501 Words3 Pages
In MLK’s letter from the Birmingham jail, he used pathos and ethos effectively to appeal to people’s hearts and minds. He was arrested for opposing a law that he found morally unjust which also allows for more sympathy and attention. Writing to the clergymen who thought he was causing untimely disruption in the community, he tried to reason with them using both emotional and ethical arguments. Whether or not they changed their minds because of his letter is uncertain, but MLK’s letter explained in detail his motives for pursuing societal reform. His proper use of both pathos and ethos made MLK’s argument more substantial and effective. A third of the way through his letter, MLK wrote a paragraph that conveys how horrible it could be to be
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