Analysis of “I Have a Dream” and “Letter to Birmingham Jail” In the “Letter to Birmingham Jail” Martin Luther King addresses the criticisms and objections that the white clergymen had made towards his and his affiliated organization’s efforts in trying to end segregation and achieve his and his people’s birth right: the right to be free through nonviolent means. Through the “I Have a Dream Speech” King speaks to his supporters and as well as to the entire nation to make them be fully aware of the injustices they are facing and through this make them stand up to those injustices. Both “Letter to Birmingham Jail” and “I Have a Dream Speech” have the same underlying meaning however. That way too long have the black community been treated wrongly. That way too long have the black nation been “judged by the color of their skin rather than the content of their character (King 815)” and therefore it is time for them to rise and stand up for their rights.
The main goals for this paper is to compare and contrast the main ideas and views of the great pieces of literature: “Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King and “Civil Disobedience” by Henry David Thoreau. Both authors attempt to argue for the rights to disobey authority is there is social injustice. Both of these authors seem to have the same ideas and views, but Thoreau was writing during the mid 1800s during the time of slavery in America and King was writing in the 1960s during the time of severe racial discrimination in America. Because Thoreau came before King, he was a big influence for King and his writing. Although Thoreau was not the first to introduce these ideas, he may have been the first to bring it to the attention of many Americans.
Letter from Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Analysis In “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, Martin Luther King Jr. uses many different types of strategies to convince his reader bout his views on cultural segregation. King’s letter is a direct response to the eight white clergymen of Alabama. They believed that these civil rights movements should be fought in the courtrooms and not on the public streets of Birmingham. They referred to King’s action of protest as “’unwise and untimely’” ( qtd in King 289 ). Rather than writing a letter agreeing with the clergymen, King arouses his readers by bringing ethics, emotions, and logic to provoke thought and push his opinion about civil right protest.
Letter from Birmingham jell, was to put it in literary terms, thesis statement of his life. In this paper, he meticulously illustrate his reasoning, using all complaints of logic, emotion, and ethics. A logical appeal is an appeal that uses the reason facts and documentary evidence to make a point This Letter, designed as a response to the clergymen that opposed the way in which Dr King was protesting, Dr King’s letter actually addresses two audiences simultaneously; the limited and defined group of clergymen and a broader and less exactly defined group of intelligent and religious white moderates. Dr King's letter brings out the black history of violence, harsh treatment and prejudice that started long ago. Also mentioning that Birmingham is one of the worst cities to be so ugly and brutal to the colored people all through its history.
I brought a presentation about Malcom X and Martin Luther King both human right activist. Before starting the presentation, since I`m debating by myself I want to make sure to you guys that I`m on the side of Malcom X. Who is Malcom X? Normally, he is known as black supremacists, racists, violence seekers, segregationists. His civil rights strategy was intensive and extreme.
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. Unfortunately, these promises were broken and the signs were put up again. Furthermore, King later states: “As in so many past experiences, our hopes had been basted, and the shadow of disappointment settled upon us, we had no alternative except to prepare for direct action, whereby we would present our very bodies as a means of laying our case before the conscience of the local and the national community.” In this quotation, he refers to the unjust and ugly treatment towards Negroes such as in the courts, and unsolved bombings of Negro homes and churches to support his claim. The implied warrant here, is that most agree that one should not quickly resort to protests and such until they have exhausted all other steps beforehand such as negotiation. To back this, it’s said that these steps do not always work in every situation.
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
and his philosophy on non violence, Malcom X on the other hand had a completely different view on how to achieve people their rights by supporting violence. For many young African Americans, the need for greater sovereignty from the white majority was on full swing. They took inspiration from Malcom X who was the minister of the Nation of Islam. He captivated listeners with denunciations of whites and demands for black self respect. (Jacqueline Jones) To his admirers, he was a man who was an audacious advocate for the Civil Rights of African Americans who indicted white American in the harshest of terms (violence) for their crimes against blacks.
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).
Because he took a stand for a black man, he is forced to deal with the resentment of the racist white community. Jem's full name is Jeremy Atticus Finch and is Scout's four year older brother who gradually detaches himself from her games as he grows mature. However he remains her good buddy as well as her protector. He is crudely rattled by the evil injustice witnessed over the course of the trial of the black man. To kill a Mockingbird is about growing up and thus, the genre is a "coming-of-age story" blended with drama.