Essay about Kings Argument in A Letter from Birmingham Jail

Kings Argument in A Letter from Birmingham Jail In Dr. Kings essay Letter from Birmingham Jail he addresses the claims made about his arrest by the eight clergymen. His responses are very long and detailed, giving a very compelling and moving point of view. His letter is directed to his audience, which consists of white middle class citizens who Dr. King refers to as the white moderates. Dr. Kings letter is very persuasive because his use of pathos makes the audience think or imagine themselves in the situation. It is very poignant of him to write his letter this way. He is in touch with the views of his audience, which makes a greater impact on his readers. Dr. King uses antecdotes to make his readers see the injustice†¦show more content†¦He addresses their feelings on the issues that are surrounding Birmingham, helping them to come to the realization that this was in fact what they were thinking and saying, and that they need to act on it for anything to change. He goes on to say ?We bring it out into the open, w here it can be seen and dealt with?(King 563). King uses irony, by giving examples of him using peaceful actions that were condemned anyway because they were said to ?precipitate violence?. He went on to say, ?Isn?t that like condemning a robbed man because his possession of money precipitated in the evil act of robbery(King 563). Dr. King also realizes that the white moderates are mostly religious. He reminds them ?Human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability, it comes through tireless efforts of men willing to be co-workers with God(King 563). Again, he urges the audience to get up and become active, and that there will be no change without their action. In paragraph 32, Dr. King again directly addresses his audience. He begins by saying, ?I had hoped the white moderate would see this need. Perhaps I was too optimistic; perhaps I expected too much?(King 565). He makes them take a look at what they are and are not contributing to the situation, and brings about a certain amount of guilt that they should do something to help. He continues with ?IShow MoreRelatedMartin Luther King’s (Mlk) â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† Argument Analysis1432 Words   |  6 PagesKyle McCrite Ms. Vaughn English 102-01 14 September 2009 Someone Else’s Shoes Martin Luther King’s (MLK) â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail,† was written in 1963 as a response to the Eight Alabama Clergymen’s public statement against King’s actions in April of that year. Martin Luther King Jr. was an activist for desegregation of the south in the early 1960s and overcame much adversity to attain incredible gains on the segregation issue in the United States. King uses effective persuasive appealsRead MoreLetter from a Birmingham Jail Analysis1025 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"A Letter from Birmingham Jail† by Martin Luther King Jr. was written in the margins of a letter posted by the clergymen of Alabama at this time that sparked his interest and while he inhabited the jail cell for parading around without a permit. This time allowed him the ability to respond wholeheartedly to this cynical oppressing. King’s letter addresses specific points presented in the Clergymen’s and this direct response distinguishes Kingà ¢â‚¬â„¢s strong points through his powerful writing.   UnethicalRead MoreAn Analysis of Letter from a Birmingham Jail Essay1090 Words   |  5 Pages Letter from a Birmingham Jail was written by Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. in April of 1963, as he sat, as the title states, in a Birmingham, Alabama jail. King had been jailed for his participation in a peaceful protest of segregation in public places such as lunch counters and public restrooms (Berkley, 2003). While jailed, King read a criticism of the protest by a group of white ministers, who felt such demonstrations â€Å"directed and in part led by outsiders† were â€Å"unwise and untimely†Read MoreRhetorical Analysis Of Letter From Birmingham Jail972 Words   |  4 PagesIn 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote Letter from Birmingham Jail that went on to become one of the most controversial and important pieces of work during the Civil Rights Movement. Like many other well written rhetorics, King alludes and uses Aristotle’s three main appeals: logos, pathos, and ethos. How does King uses these appeals in his rhetoric? King effectively uses these appeals to evoke his audience’s emotion to feel remorseful for the extremity that African Americans went through andRead MorePersuasive Speech : Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.1334 Words   |  6 Pagescertain situations. Together, the artistic proofs create an argument which is very difficult to disprove. Even if an argument such as this is disproved, it has been able to persuade its audience completely to agree with the author’s point of view. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. uses all three of these artistic proofs throughout his â€Å"Letter from a Birmingham City Jail†. The second paragraph in Dr. King’s â€Å"Letter from a Birmingham City Jail† is the strongest and most persuasive because is uses eachRead MoreWhy Kings Letter from a Birmingham Jail Resounds throughout American History?926 Words   |  4 PagesTest of Time: Why Kings Letter from Birmingham Jail Resounds Throughout American History Dr. Martin Luther Kings Letter from Birmingham Jail is a direct response to A Call for Unity, a letter penned by eight Alabama clergymen including one rabbi. In A Call for Unity, the eight clergymen decry the peaceful protests organized by Dr. King and his fellow civil rights activists. The clergymen claim that the protests are unwise and untimely. In his response written from jail, Dr. King outlinesRead MoreMlk Rhetorical Analysis Essay example1178 Words   |  5 PagesRhetorical Analysis on Martin Luther King Junior’s Letter from Birmingham Jail In Martin Luther King Junior’s Letter from Birmingham Jail, MLK uses ethos, logos, and pathos powerfully and effectively to present his argument that the discrimination of African Americans all over the country is unbearable and should be outlawed forever. King wrote the letter in Birmingham, Alabama after a peaceful protest against segregation which was King’s way of reinforcing his belief that without forceful, directRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of Letter From Birmingham Jail837 Words   |  4 PagesIn the midst of the Civil Rights movement, Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. found himself in a jail cell in Birmingham, Alabama, one of the most segregated cities in the United States at the time. While in that jail cell, King wrote Letter from Birmingham Jail in response to the city’s religious leaders. Through his use of ethos, pathos, and logos, King made a thought-provoking and powerful argument for the Civil Rights movement which continues to inspire change in the hearts of his audience, bothRead MoreAnalysis Of Martin Luther King s Letter From Birmingham Jail940 Words   |  4 Pagesthat their racial appearances differ from the others. A great example of this is the Civil Rights Movement period, which is the racial tension between the blacks and whites. The driving forces behind this tension were in the past, but they still exist in our advanced society nowadays or maybe still affecting in the future. In Martin Luther King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail essay, he uses the racial inequality as a significant factor to strengthen his arguments. By giving his ethos, logos, and pathosRead MoreEssay about Use of Rhetorical Devices in Letter from Birmingham Jail1105 Words   |  5 PagesLetter From Birmingham Jail In Kings essay, Letter From Birmingham Jail, King brilliantly employs the use of several rhetorical strategies that are pivotal in successfully influencing critics of his philosophical views on civil disobedience. Kings eloquent appeal to the logical, emotional, and most notably, moral and spiritual side of his audience, serves to make Letter From Birmingham Jail one of the most moving and persuasive literary pieces of the 20th century. In Birmingham