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Pathos In Letter From Birmingham Jail

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In the “letter from Birmingham Jail” by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he uses pathos, logos and rhetorical devices such as imagery, sarcasm and biblical allusions to show how his work of nonviolent protests are smart and how Birmingham has violated their civil rights. He expresses himself in his letter by explaining why he can not wait any longer because of the countless murders, the unsolved bombing, lynching, and violence towards the black community. MLK Jr. came across a statement which was a call for unity by eight Clergymen while being in the Birmingham city jail because of him not having a license to protest. In response to the eight Clergymen, Dr. king decided to write a historical letter letting them know that freedom was not an option because of the false promise and the continued violence. The letter is written to inform the people who are against, neutral and with segregation that it is time to take action and prove to the clergymen why he will stand up for what is right.
MLK Jr. uses pathos and imagery in paragraph 12 as stated “when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six year old daughter …show more content…

Martin Luther King Jr. answers every issue that the clergymen bring up in a detailed and calm way. As a legal American of the United States, MLK had the right to be where every he pleased. According to the Kings legacy after 7 days in jail he was released on bond and because of his letter, everybody who was neutral changed their mind to fight for desegregation. The protesters were mainly high school students who were arrested, hoses down and bitten by dogs from police brutality. On May tenth, 1963 Birmingham made a public announcement that all segregation would end in every school or job. “Kennedy is the first U.S. president to say publicly that segregation is legally and morally wrong” (n.pag Charles Johnson) This was one of the true moments where we see segregation take a turn for the best in the

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