Throughout his “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, Martin Luther King Jr. argues for equal civil rights and the methods he and his followers use to achieve such a simple human right. He mainly utilizes logos to build his argument to the clergymen to whom he is responding. However, in paragraphs thirteen and fourteen, he takes on a completely different approach. Paragraph fourteen, which is comprised mostly of one long sentence, attacks the reader’s emotions through appeals to pathos. Paragraph thirteen opens the following emotional buildup.
By the end of the letter King hopes to meet them “not as an inte-grationist or a civil rights leader but as a fellow clergyman and a Christian brother.” King uses ethos, the demonstration of character, to establish the fact that he is at the same educational level as the clergymen and that the only thing separating them is race. He also incorporates logos, the use of logic, in order to state the “hard, brutal facts.” King
The approach thrives on presenting reasons on a certain subject and then arguing out. In order to comprehensively exhibit each of the three approaches, this paper refers to. " The letter from Birmingham Jail" is an emotional letter addressing the issues and critics of white clergymen thrown at Martin Luther king Jr, about his non-violent demonstration actions against injustice and racial discrimination among black Americans in Birmingham. Injustice is the backbone of all the social evils taking place in Birmingham and Alabama cities. Injustice is the violation of another person's right with the satisfaction of the other individual.
This letter appeared in the Birmingham Newspaper. In response, Martin Luther King drafted a document that would mark the turning point of the Civil Rights movement and provide enduring inspiration to the struggle for racial equality. King's “Letter from Birmingham Jail” strives to justify the desperate need for nonviolent direct action, the absolute immorality of unjust laws together with what a just law is, as well as, the increasing probability of the “Negro” resorting to extreme disorder and bloodshed, in addition to his utter disappointment with the Church who, in his opinion, had not lived up to their responsibilities as people of God. King's justification to the eight clergymen for protesting segregation begins with a profound explanation of their actions, “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 actions of the African American people are overdue and very well planned as King had explained in the letter.
In Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” he constructs a persuasive argument in order to justify his actions and presence in Birmingham, moreover to gain support from fellow Alabama clergymen. His eloquent diction provides a sense of inclusion, while his suggestive application of connotation lures or entices the emotions and actions of the reader. King practices great diction to generate strong emotional effects. “We have waited for more than 340 years for our constitutional and God-given rights.” His repeated utilization of the word “we,” brings a sense of partnership and equality as he references his audience. The combination of the words “waited,” and the amount of time, “340 years,” stresses the urgency of change needed within our justice system.
Kennedy begins his speech by stating that we, as the United States are willing to help any friend or indifferent group in the pursuit of liberty. Using anaphora, he says that we must help our old allies, the new states, people in huts and villages, our sister republics South of the border, and the nations that would make themselves our adversary. He uses anaphora in order to emphasize the inclusion of any party that wants the support of America. He uses inversion in the sentence, “United, there is little we cannot do […] Divided, there is little we can do”, to support his plea for unity. Also, by stating the asyndeton, “pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of liberty,” he all but defines Americas wish for liberty.
In his prodigious letter, King creates a vigorous yet respectful response to a criticism made by eight Clergymen from Birmingham, Alabama. He strongly defends his position by strongly advocating racial equality, alluding to countless sources and employing several literary tools. King effectively and eloquently uses of allusions, dominating tone, ethos, pathos, logos, imagery, alliteration, and metaphors creates a brilliant argument, which relate to his audience to convey his passion for equality. Martin Luther King Jr., uses of allusions not only to display his intelligence, but also to connect with his audience and religious leaders. King mentions, St. Thomas Aquinas; a Christian philosopher and theologian, “Any law that degrades human personality is unjust.
In Clinton’s State of the Union address, he claims “The threat we face today as Americans respect no nation’s borders. We must not be isolationists.” This is a key example of how Clinton’s speech is Wilsonian. In this statement, Clinton is explaining that the problems the United States is facing affect not only the U.S., but have a sphere of influence that engulfs the entire globe. In Wilson’s speech, he says, “All the peoples of the world are in effect partners in this interest.” Looking between the two statements, it is evident that both men saw the problems they were facing as global. Clinton’s statement that the threats “respect no nation’s borders” is a Wilsonian claim; through this statement, he is encouraging the idea of a “global community” benefit of perimeters.
Paige Fisher Letters to Birmingham “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly” These words were spoken from Dr. Martin Luther King jr. a man whom believed all people are created equal in spite of there differences or the color of their skin. This quote from Letter from Birmingham Jail struck me because it speaks of how all humans are inevitably connected with one another. Dr. King points out that humans are of the same “classification” despite their color, and that color should not affect the way we view or treat others.
Argumentative Essay January 1, 2011 Argumentative Essay Comparison Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “A Letter From Birmingham Jail” and Henry Thoreau’s essay “On the Duty of Civil Disobedience” describe the situation that lead them to imprisonment for disobeying laws. According to his essay, Martin Luther King Jr. was imprisoned because he was parading without a permit. King discusses when should unjust laws be violated by the people. Another subject that King emphasizes on is the racial injustices that are taking place in the country during that time. Both King and Thoreau discuss civil disobedience and when it is just to break unfair laws.