Martin Luther King Jr. was a social activist and Baptist clergyman who played a crucial role in the American civil rights movement. One of the most influential orators for the black civil rights struggle, Martin Luther King Jr., produced a number of outstanding works throughout his lifetime. Two of his pieces stand out as his greatest masterpieces. Both "I Have a Dream" and the letter from Birmingham had a significant influence on the future. In terms of tone, structure, appeal, and figurative language, the two pieces convey both similarities and distinctions. The letter from Birmingham jail and "I Have a Dream" have a lot in common. Whether it be pathos, logos, ethos, or repetition, both works have a number of appealing qualities. Since the purpose of the speech is to move the audience emotionally into the cause, pathos and ethos are emphasized most in the "I Have a Dream" speech. In the speech " I have a dream" an example of pathos was " I have a dream that my four tiny 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". ( King,18). While in the letter from Birmingham, an …show more content…
King primarily appeals to logic in the letter to present the facts concerning injustice in Birmingham and the rational, moral, and religious justifications for the need for freedom and justice, he also makes some emotional appeals in his speech to persuade and emotionally excite the audience. In his address, he criticizes the country for failing to uphold its promise made in the Emancipation Proclamation and its duty to its inhabitants of African descent by using an analogy. But in the letter, he contrasts the religious actions of the Apostle Paul when he strove to share the message of Christ with his rallies to win freedom for the black community. He explains his thinking behind each point in the letter, but in the speech, he uses a lot more metaphors and figurative language to emphasize each