Rhetorical Devices In Letter From Birmingham Jail

Martin Luther King wrote the “Letter From Birmingham Jail” and the “I Have a Dream” speech in the midst of segregation to speak against racial injustice. The letter was written while he spent his time at Birmingham Jail pondering on things. He delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech during the March on Washington. In general, King often incorporates rhetorical devices to prove his points and give his pieces greater effects. The two pieces are similar because they use the same rhetorical devices to battle racial injustice.
In both the letter and his speech he uses metaphors to expose segregation as a negative concept. In the letter, he mentions that African Americans are in a “shadow of deep disappointment” (376). King uses this metaphor to illustrate

During the letter, he begins bringing up past events where people stood up for their freedom or rights. The first instance is alluding to the bible when he says, “Just as the prophets of the eighth-century b.c. left their villages” (375). Bringing up the prophets from the Bible further underlines his belief that blacks should stand up like the prophets and fight against the injustice. King then brings up the “Hungarian freedom fighters” (382) and their effort for freedom. The allusion conveys his point that freedom needs to be fought for, and segregation needs to be fought against. In his speech, King alludes to the constitution by bringing up our “unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” (26). In doing so, he proves a valid point that while segregation exists, it contradicts the words written in the American Constitution. King also mentions that “all men are created equal” (28). He alludes to “The Constitution” again to back his point that segregation does not belong. His use of allusion in both pieces is used to oppose racial

It can be seen how he uses alliteration in the letter as a way to support integration. For instance, King says that all “black brothers” (383) and “black and yellow brothers” (383) should live together with whites in harmony. The use of alliteration is meant to advocate peace between races instead of needless conflict. King uses the same technique in the other piece. In the speech, King speaks about how colored people are forced to go through many “trials and tribulations” (28). He continues to say that people should not be judged by the “color of their skin but by the content of their character” (28). King blends the alliteration in his speech in such a way to urge the unity of all races. The subtle use of alliteration in the pieces assists King in voicing the message that colors and whites should live together, not