For example, Now is the time to make real the promise of democracy and transform our pending national elegy into a creative psalm of brotherhood. The eight clergy men called his present activity unwise and untimely and stated that racial matters should be properly pursued in the courts and not the streets. aimed at creating associations for the readers and to add further emphasis to the writer's views. His famous Letter from Birmingham offered a detailed response to the white moderate of his time, rebutting their claims that the direct actions of Kings cause, were untimely and unwise. These references are even more relevant because the letter is a reply to criticism coming from clergymen. King kept a serious but sincere voice getting straight to the point, but also persuading his audience. Kings target audience was the white moderate but at the same time, his letter was renowned nationwide. He explained how black Americans have waited over 300 years to acquire basic constitutional rights. Showing that his plan for direct action is not unwise and supposed to be untimely as they have waited to long for change and now its time to force negotiation. His letter gives the philosophical foundations of the civil rights movement of the 1960s and does a good job by giving specific examples that appeal to logos, pathos, and ethos. In Kings letter, you will notice that the writer sometimes draws parallels between his actions as a civil rights activist and the actions of religious or historical figures whochanged society. Just expressing his background as a minister goes towards the development of ethos. Hi! This letter is about ending indifference toward the subject of discrimination. I'm Amy, To get a custom and plagiarism-free essay. The clergy expresses unease at Kings willingness to break laws with his nonviolent protests. This passage in the letter shows the clergymen the two different sides. The text includes numerous instances when the writer uses descriptive and metaphorical language to make his arguments more dynamic and appealing. Kings message would not be well received if he did not have his background. This, and his use of appeals made his letter all the more credible. Rhetorical devices in Letter from Birmingham Jail After Martin Luther King looked over the clergymens unjust propositions he efficiently constructed his counter argument as he directly started his letter my dear fellow clergymen. Analogies are comparisons through which the writer uses one event or person to describe another, creating associations for the readers. He then addresses the clergymens anxiety over their willingness to break laws. Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. The Rhetorical Situation of Letter from Birmingham Jail He continues to go on and on about the things they go through every day. Not only did he bring those injustices forward, but his letter was the stepping stone for the civil rights movement of the 1960s, as justice was finally approaching. Logos is the appeal that refers to logic and facts. 467 students ordered this very topic and got His hope was that people would feel not just one emotion, but a plethora of emotions: sadness, anger, remorse, love, regret, empathy, etc. Why sit ins, marches and so forth? For any subject. A law is unjust if it is inflicted on a minority that, as a result of being denied the right to vote, had no part in enacting or devising the law. King organized the letter by stating each critique from the white moderate and then explaining why direct action was justified. He went on to say that extremists in history have had a profound impact on many societies across the world. In closing, he expresses his hope for a desegregated future of brotherhood and love. Unlock effective presentation skills (tips and best practices) March 2, 2023. He uses such intense words in this short sentence that really just leaves a picture in your mind. I'm Amy, MLK doesnt take time to justify these two groups of their rights and wrongs, but rather backs them up with facts that result in their actions. Rhetorical Analysis of The Letter of Birmingham Jail, This example was written and submitted by a fellow student. Another example of this appeal is when King is arguing the paradoxical nature of breaking laws. The 1954 Supreme Court ruling that outlawed segregation in public schools was disobeyed. Now is the time to lift our national policy from the quicksand of racial injustice to the solid rock of human dignity (King 279). How? King also uses a strong sense of logos when describing the two sides of the community one is a force of complacency, made up in part of negros who, as a result of long years of oppression, that have adjusted to segregation (King 279), and The other force is bitterness and hatred, and it comes perilously close to advocating violence (King 279). Sun Dec 02 2012. Martin Luther King first starts off his letter by using a strong ethos appeal, by establishing his credibility to the clergy men after they referenced him as an outsider coming in. He first addresses them by saying, My Dear Fellow Clergymen. By saying this MLK is considering him as one of them showing that he is no different and deserves the same respect as they would want to be given. Letter From Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Analysis. Martin Luther King also establishes ethos throughout his letter by outlining his own culture of religious ancestors and deliberating his own church leadership. King's primary rhetorical technique in "A Letter from Birmingham Jail," a characteristic of much of his writing, is the highly creative use of metaphorical language to make an abstract. Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/rhetorical-analysis-of-the-letter-of-birmingham-jail/. King cited several examples of how blacks have had to endure pain for much too long. King mentions several disappointments over the course of his letter. Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide. This essay is available online and might have been used by another student. Who is the audience? your personal assistant! King also squeezed in a couple uplifting pathos reminding us of the beautiful opportunitys that await them. An allusion is an indirect reference to people, events, literature, etc. It seeks so to dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored (King 274). He recognized that this was an effective way to bring further into the light the atrocities of racism and segregation. 273284.. This essay is available online and might have been used by another student. This piece incorporated a multitude of different techniques, which King synthesized into an extremely advanced message for the white moderate. One of these partnerships includes the esteemed Christian Movement for Human Rights. Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide. Martian Luther King was also good at incorporating strong pathos into his letter. The prejudices of the white moderate who say they agree with the goal they seek of freedom but cannot agree with their methods of direct actions. Each one of the arguments put onward by the clergymen MLK put down and refuted with facts that were undeniable. He talked about how black people have waited over 340 years to gain the same rights as white Americans. Rhetorical Devices used in "Letter from Birmingham Jail" BY: Vitoria Domingues What is Ethos? Be careful, this sample is accessible to everyone. He refutes each one of the clergymens statements, breaking it down and tearing it apart by intertwining the use of logos, pathos, and ethos. When there are women and children involved, being brutalized seems a lot more brutal. If you want a unique paper, order it from our professional writers. After stating the racial injustices that have been going on for too long he continues to logically reply to the question asked Why direct action? Even in closing, King says that his letter would have been much easier to compose, had he not been thrown in jail for peacefully protesting for the rights of people who he considers to be family. Pay the writer only for a finished, plagiarism-free essay that meets all your requirements. 2023 PapersOwl.com - All rights reserved. Ethos Convinces the audience that the speaker will be worth listening to and is a credible source. He uses logos to first bring forward the racial injustices that engulf Birmingham stating, Birmingham is probably the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States. MLK says I doubt that you would have so warmly commended the police force if you had seen its dogs sinking their teeth into unarmed, nonviolent Negroes (King 283). King had to use his platform to set it straight as there were only newspapers at the time to capture the major brutalitys if they were lucky. original papers. - Use specific language that is appropriate to the audience and topic (connect with audience) - Use correct grammar and syntax The unfairness as they are seen as extremists, the activism of taking extreme measures, for their nonviolent direct-action protest just because they want the same freedom as whites. He does this by describing just and unjust laws from multiple different angles, in ways the reader could relate to. Ethos is a useful technique in developing trustworthiness in a writer, but King uses logos as well.
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