Syntax In Letter From Birmingham Jail

Originally drafted in the margins of the New York Times, Martin Luther King Jr.’s letter, “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” refutes the claims from eight white clergymen that his nonviolent protests against segregation within the city of Birmingham were “untimely” and “extreme.” King’s threefold purpose to defend himself and his organization, to call the civil rights movement to national attention, and to impact public policy is depicted to the audience of not only the clergymen, but the citizens of the United States, and finally of the world. King adopts a respectful and courteous tone in order to appeal to his audiences, especially the religious leaders the letter is primarily directed to. King immediately establishes his respect for his primary

In the first sentence, King employs simple syntax and diction to assert, “We have waited more than 340 years for our constitutional and God-given rights.” This concise point directly provides the point to the audience. This is followed by a periodic sentence, “But when you have seen the vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers...when you have seen hate-filled policemen curse...when you are harried by day and haunted by night…” King’s periodic sentence is 331 words long, conveying to the audience the sense of waiting. The massive length parallels the 340 years African-Americans waited for freedom, which is furthered by King’s use of semicolons. The audience is forced to read on, increasing the pace and by creating the ideal of time. Parallel stWithin the periodic sentence, King utilizes imagery. Using the pronoun “you” King frames stories where segregation and racism are depicted to inflict pain on African-American men, women and children. Most notably, King creates the metaphor, “Negro brothers smothering in the airtight cage of poverty…” This intense imagery forces the audience to recognize that their own mistreatment of African Americans limits their ability to rise socioeconomically and their ability to live. King bridges economics and ethics to appeal to the sympathy of the audience and to create a striking, memorable image. King equates poverty with imprisonment, which is situational irony as he writes

He begins by relating himself to biblical figures Amos and Paul in order to demonstrate to the clergymen that he wishes to follow the paths these men have paved in pursuit of his extreme goal to desegregate the United States. Moreover, King aligns himself with classic, beloved American heroes such as John Bunyan, Abraham Lincoln, and Thomas Jefferson. These men embody the American ideals of leadership and force the audience to recognize the characteristics King shares with these