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Rhetorical Analysis Of A Letter From Birmingham Jail

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“A Letter from Birmingham Jail” written by Martin Luther King was an extremely influential letter that was articulated and presented into a masterpiece. The most important understanding is the core meaning of the letter that King wrote was emotional, but most of all an argument. On April 12, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. was incarcerated in Birmingham, Alabama, for protesting against the racial segregation that was taking place at the time. Injustice was taking place in Birmingham, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was invited to help and support the protests of this segregated city. King was considered an “outsider” for doing such actions. Martin Luther King Jr. used the three rhetorical appeals logos, ethos, and pathos to try to persuade the city that he was neither an instigator nor an outsider. …show more content…

He also uses loaded language, metaphors, and alliteration to help get his point across to his audience. For example, at the beginning of his letter he states that the demonstrations of the clergymen’s claim were “unwise and untimely.” He showed that he had a plan of direct action regarding ways to solve the issues at hand. The phrasing of this statement indicated that Martin Luther King Jr. was sympathetic towards the “Negro community,” and that he believed that the “white power structure” was at fault. Direct action was argumentative and showed that King understood the suggestions that were being made. Throughout the letter, King established himself as one who is well versed in the happenings of the community. He showed that he was willing to proceed with respect and dignity, but because of the emotional appeals that he feels compelled to make for his cause, he will not remain

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Martin Luther King Jr. was able to transmit the oppression of African American from a jail cell through the “Letter from Birmingham Jail”. With more than 6500 words, Martin Luther King Jr. touched the subject of segregation and injustice of the African American. One cluster that stood out the most was cluster 30, where King was able to explain why the African American was forced to express their birth given right of freedom after endless promises of justice during the Civil Rights Movement. Through the use of Logos, Martin Luther King Jr. was able to connect with the reader by using logic to convince his audience and quoting passages from Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and Prophet Amos. Furthermore, by the use of pathos Dr. King was

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In his letter “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. writes in response, a public state of concern to his clergymen. The letter was written in April 1963 based on the racial segregation that took place in Birmingham, Alabama. Dr. King was in jail because he was protesting segregation against blacks in Birmingham. He also uses logos when giving logical reasoning to better explain current events to catch the reader’s attention. He also uses ethos to gain credibility on the matter of racial inequality and negligence, to get the audience’s attention.

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Michael Leff and Ebony A. Utley's article "Instrumental and Constitutive Rhetoric in Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail"" details how Martin Luther King Jr. used ethos to create two distinct messages for two different audiences in a single letter. The authors explain how the letter is more than a list of refutations aimed at the clergy of Birmingham, Alabama, it is about creating a persona that is relatable to moderate whites while also giving his African American "eavesdropping" audience an example of how to act and take action during this time of civil injustice. We will examine how Martin Luther King Jr. becomes relatable to moderate whites in America and how he uses ethos as a persuasive tool to have African Americans act like him.

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Seth Marshall Messersmith Comp 2 3/21/16 MLK Martin Luther King wrote “Letter from Birmingham Jail’ in 1963 while African Americans where fighting with the whites for equality. He was one of the most influential civil rights leader ever in America. He was also an American Baptist minister that had very strong Christian beliefs. What he was best known for is his acts with using nonviolent disobedience actions to lead his civil right movement due to his beliefs.

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On April 16th, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. responds to a newspaper that was written by the clergymen of that time. King wrote this letter to justify his actions and to answer the claim that his actions were "unwise and untimely." While writing this letter, King uses rhetorical devices and appeals to develop his argument that his actions were not untimely and unwise. When King starts out his letter, he has to make it clear that he is not an outsider by establishing credibility with the clergymen. King does this by juxtaposing statements about justice, he says "Injustice everywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

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“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character”. Several great documents are filled with methods of persuasion in order to effectively persuade the audience, one being the Letter From Birmingham Jail as well as The Truly Awe-Inspiring Accomplishments of Martin Luther King Jr. In the Letter From Birmingham Jail, King supports his view that the civil rights movement is necessary by using strategic organization to overthrow opposing arguments. He also engages the audience by captivating them emotionally, allowing him to have a better chance of getting them on his side.

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60 years ago Dr Martin Luther King wrote “Letter From a Birmingham Jail” in response to a criticism letter he received for his protesting for civil rights. Dr King was jailed for his peaceful protest in Birmingham on Easter weekend about equal rights for people of color. In doing this, he upset some clergymen who did not believe his protest was timely or wise. Dr King wrote this letter using different language devices to prove his protest was done in a timely manner and that it was a wise decision on his part. Dr King was originally criticized for not having a purpose being in Birmingham.

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Dr. King has some aggressive attacks/criticism throughout the letter, yet the tone remains polite and creates a friendly and ironic tone. Martin Luther King has a way about his writing that invites us to interpret what he is feeling. As one reads this letter we find ourself painting a picture in our head and almost placing ourselves in his shoes. He had the gift of portraying situations in vivid structure. For example in paragraph 14 he paints a picture about a six year old girl who can't go to the amusement park because it’s closed to colored children.

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"Letter from Birmingham Jail" reviews a dissent against Martin Luther King Jr. 's detainment for peaceful resistance to persecution. In the letter, he commands a unified front against racial bias in addition to communicating his craving to utilize ethos to battle for human rights. Similarly, he utilizes pathos to get close to home reaction from his readers and afterward seeks from them permission to make a move. King Jr. applies dissimilar consistent thinking to explain further his viewpoint and the justification for battling racial discrimination. The tone of the letter is pondering, expecting to capture the attention of both the individuals who are being taken advantage of and the people who are being mistreated.

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Martin Luther King used persuasive speech to get his points across. Throughout his letter, he presented an issue, restating opposers’ points of view and the value it holds, ending with a suggestion which appeals to all sides of the issue. He also countered these criticisms with honesty and equity,

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In Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, King uses multiple devices of persuasive rhetoric in order to fight injustice. King, a reverend, was a large advocate for civil rights in midst of the great movement calling for equality among all men and women. His letter is widely renowned for King’s proclamation that “in any nonviolent campaign there are four basic steps: collection of facts to determine whether injustice exists, negotiation, self-purification, and direct action” (par. 6). His usage of tone and carefully placed anaphora aid King in this persuasive essay by further providing insight and evidence that support King’s four points. From Critical Thinking to Argument defines tone as “attitude towards self, topic, and

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Throughout King’s argument, he appealed his own ethos to his opponents by saying “I feel that you are men of genuine good will and that your criticisms are sincerely set forth”. Dr.

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Upon being imprisoned for marching Dr Martin Luther King wrote a letter to the fellow clergymen of Birmingham, addressing his reasons as to why he committed his “crime”, This letter was widely known as “The Letter of Birmingham”. This letter was very influential and paramount to the cause of civil rights as it spurred up future events that would play essential roles in ending racial segregation in America. Throughout his whole letter, King used Ethos, logos, and pathos to firmly get his message across while adding rhetorical devices such as repetition, metaphors, and biblical references.

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King uses tone, literal and figurative language to establish structure and language in his letter. King’s use of tone in his letter was a great way to lay out the foundation of his letter and add structure. In paragraph 2 and 3, King explains in the “hard, brutal and unbelievable facts” of the actions taken toward blacks

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In “A Letter From A Birmingham Jail” Martin Luther King Jr defends his use of nonviolent protest in order to accomplish racial equality. In the letter, Dr. King uses ethos, diction, and allusions when defending nonviolent protest which makes his argument really strong. His goal is to make the clergymen help him fight racial equality. He uses ethos to build up credibility.

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