Toulmin Analysis In the “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, King he responds to a letter written by eight, white Alabama Clergymen to the editor of a newspaper in Birmingham. He wants the audience to believe that the clergymen fail to discuss the circumstances that brought about the demonstrations in Birmingham. In September 1962, King had the opportunity to talk with the leaders of Birmingham economic community. The merchants made many promise such as how they would remove the stores’ racial signs. Upon these agreements, Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth, the leader of the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights, (including Martin Luther King) had agreed to delay the peaceful demonstrations.
3. How does King balance the twin appeals to religion and patriotism throughout “Letter from Birmingham Jail”? Do you think he puts more emphasis on religion or patriotism? Why do you think he makes that choice? King balances the twin appeals to religion and patriotism throughout the letter by linking them together side by side.
Fighting for Freedom In a “Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King Jr., King explains why he was in Birmingham. In 1963 King guided fifty-three African-Americans through Birmingham to protest for Civil Rights. King wrote this letter to answer a letter he had received from eight clergymen saying that, “such demonstrations were unwise, untimely, and extreme”. King replies to their letter from a Birmingham jail explaining why he was there and why all the actions that have taken place were necessary. In this letter Martin Luther King Jr. shows that he is there for his fellow people and justice.
Just as blacks in the south, they wanted equal rights. However, there was one major difference: there were no laws in the north pertaining to the black community. There were no political figures to fight. In the south, civil rights protestors had a battle laid out for them: they had the Jim Crow laws to deem unjust; they had the numerous bombings directed toward important black icons to protest. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s “expose the evil” tactic worked so well in the south because so much of the evil was easily spotted.
Subject: The subject of this letter is to state the reason he is in Birmingham for trying to change segregation as social justice and his use of civil disobedience as an instrument of freedom. Occasion: Dr. King is writing this letter from inside Birmingham Jail for being accused of misuse of the law by performing in acts of civil disobedience to show his disappointment at the leadership of the clergy and laws that he and others of the black community deem as unjust. Audience: Although this letter was initially mailed to the eight white clergymen who publicly asked the black community to restrict their Birmingham demonstrations, King meant for his message to reach a much larger audience such as U.S. citizens. King used this letter as
Jennifer Smith Prof Franco 3/26/2011 Engl 1213 Standing up One of the most known advocates for equality is Martin Luther King Jr. He’s had some of the most moving, convincing and change inducing speeches of all time. His “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is no exception. King wrote the letter from a Birmingham jail cell in April on 1963 following his arrest for public demonstration. In the beginning of the letter, King describes his reason for writing the letter as a response to the Clergymen’s statement calling his “present activities unwise and untimely. ” (King).
Summary Response-Letter from the Birmingham Jail In this letter, Martin Luther King Jr. describes the current states of injustice and inequality that plague the Negro community during this time as he is writing from his jail cell. He writes to his fellow supporters and brothers and explains the reasons for being in Birmingham in the first place were because he felt it was necessary to protest injustice everywhere. Communities such as Birmingham were known to observe segregation laws that isolated black people from white people and in his opinion were classified as unjust laws. He claims to be a supporter of just laws and a non-violent protestor of unjust laws in which violate human morals and dignity. By citing references of protest such as Jesus Christ, St. Paul, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln, he justifies his current actions for the Negro community and states that he is willing to face the consequences when it comes to protesting for equal rights amongst all Americans.
An important element of this letter is that he achieves his appeal for nonviolent protest and unity. Martin Luther King, Jr. demonstrates the legitimacy of his claims and the legality of his fight by his rational appeal of evidence. King, Martin Luther Jr. "Letter from Birmingham Jail." Bloom, Lynn Z. and Louise Z. Smith. The Arlington Reader.
People wanted change. Yet, not all members wanted it. Christianity and its teachings did not always enlighten social rules and/or the Constitution (Teacher’s Curriculum Institute, 2004, p. 7,8). Still, young people and children in Birmingham, Alabama joined the nonviolent protests, marched and sang (p. 8). Although these efforts resulted in fire hoses being turned on them, police dogs set loose to attack them and even led to King being jailed in Birmingham, glimpses of these events, the harsh and inhumane treatment inflicted captured national attention.
3) King balances the twin appeals to religion and patriotism throughout “Letter from Birmingham Jail” by linking them together. When he is told that he is an extremist, he answers with “Was not Jesus an extremist for love… Was not Amos an extremist for justice… Was not Paul an extremist for the Christian gospel” (269). Here, Martin Luther King is linking both by saying that he can not be criticized for this since other did the same for different reasons. Therefore, Martin Luther King isn’t emphasizing religion nor patriotism more than the other since he wants his ideas to appeal to everyone. Questions on Rhetoric and Style 3) King’s allusions to biblical figures and events appeal to ethos because he is proving to have credibility in what he is saying since he is referring to the bible, which many people read.