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Rhetorical Devices In Letter From Birmingham Jail

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OUTLINE Every citizen is entitled to equal rights, no matter what their skin color may be. In the letter, "Letter From Birmingham Jail," Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. responds to a newspaper article in which they described his non-violent activities as "unwise and untimely." Birmingham, Alabama was known to be the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States. African Americans were not able to use the same bathrooms or water fountains as white people. There were even some cases where black people's houses and churches got bombed. As a result of this, Dr. King led a peaceful protest in hopes of change. Instead of change, Dr. King gets scolded by clergymen for being “unwise and untimely,” and this led him to write a letter while he was in jail. While writing his letter, King uses various …show more content…

Dr. King expressed the beauty of all the churches in the south, but Dr. King wondered why the African Americans in these churches didn't use their voices to stand up against injustice. Dr. Kings wonders, "what kind of people worship here?" Who is their God? Where were their voices when the lips of Governor Barnett dripped with words of interposition and nullification? Where were they when Governor Wallace gave a clarion call for[to] defiance and hatred? Where were their voices of support when bruised and weary Negro men and women decided to rise from the dark dungeons of complacency to the bright hills of creative protest?" Dr. King adds these rhetorical questions to express the lack of action African Americans had as they were treated unfairly. This is significant because it shows African Americans the lack of effort put in to help fight for equality. Dr. King shows that action speaks louder than words, and he wants all the African Americans to work together to build a more equitable society for people of all

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Dr. King was one of the greatest public protesters to ever live by for his unique perspective on peaceful protest. In the letter "Letter from Birmingham Jail" by MLK (Martin Luther King Jr.) While writing his letter, King uses rhetorical devices and appeals to develop his argument that there is racial injustice in Birmingham. Dr. King establishes credibility by arguing and making the claim that he is not an outsider. One way that he does this is through establishing his organizational ties and he gives specific locations as well.

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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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These clergymen deemed his organized group activities as “unwise and untimely.” (King, 1963). These men, who at the time had higher power over King due to their race, were unwelcoming and racist, which caused King to need firm and calm but strongly expressed arguments. King’s speech, on the other hand, is positive and powerful with a direct audience to speak to instead of a letter. His speech has an optimistic tone towards his audience as he quickly claims his happiness towards the gathering and his certainty of the impact he would make with “…the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.”

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