However, the racial divide was legislated in 1877 with the implementation of Jim Crow laws, which lasted until 1950. It was during this time that Dr. King, refusing to sit idly by, wrote his Letter from a Birmingham Jail, one of the most inspiring documents in history. In sum, all rhetoric has an external situation in which it is responding to. Throughout the letter critics are disproved through Kings effective use of diction and selection of detail. Being nearly symbolic, King being held prisoner in Birmingham, the most polar racial arena of the United States, made his rhetoric more effective. Martin Luther Kings Letter from Birmingham Jail addresses his fellow clergymen and others who critiqued him for his actions during this time. In Kings speech he. The law was written in 1962, but the powerful response pushed the courts to finalize their decision. In the "Letter from Birmingham Jail", written by Martin Luther King Jr., King delivers a well structured response to eight clergymen who had accused him of misuse of the law. In the Letter from Birmingham Jail written by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., King addressed the concerns of the white clergy and gave support to the direct action committed by African Americans. "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice anywhere!" Furthermore, as King attests to the significance of the Birmingham injustices, he utilizes antithesis to foster logos: Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere; Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly (515). Read these passages aloud, and as you do so, feel their undeniable passion and power. While pathos elicits an emotional response from the audience to make them more accepting of Kings ideas, repetition structures the speech and emphasizes key ideas for the audience to take away from listening. Using emotional appeals captures an audience's attention and makes them think about what the narrator is saying. We believe that King states in the first sentence himself that he does not usually comment upon the criticism of his work. Throughout the Letter from Birmingham Jail, ethos, pathos, and logos are masterfully applied by Martin Luther King. The following well-known adage is an example of parallelism: "Give a . In his letter King effectively manipulates language and tone to strengthen his argument against the complaints of the clergyman and successfully address the white people. You can order a custom paper by our expert writers. The topic of Dr. Kings letters from a Birmingham prison is the nonviolent protest being done in Birmingham, Alabama in the fight for African Americans civil rights. Analysing a rhetorical situation clarifies why a text was created, the purpose in which it was written, and why the author made specific choices while writing it. In Letter From Birmingham Jail, the exigence is the continued condemnation, segregation, and prejudice afflicted against African Americans since the emancipation of the slaves in 1863. Both influential speeches rely heavily on rhetorical devices to convey their purpose. IvyMoose is the largest stock of essay samples on lots of topics and for any discipline. King organized various non-violent demonstrations in Birmingham, Alabama that resulted in his arrest. It managed to inspire a generation of blacks to never give up and made thousands of white Americans bitterly ashamed of their actions, forging a new start for society. Dr. King goes on to say that laws that do not match what the Bible says are unjust. Kings decision to compare his efforts to those of biblical figures with shared intent was a deliberate attempt to find common ground with his initial readers, the eight religious Birmingham clergymen, through the faith of a shared religion. King's main thesis in writing the Birmingham letter is that, racial segregation, or injustice to the black American society, is due to the continuous encouragement of the white American society, particularly the powerful communities in politics and religions. Here are more examples of parallel structure within "Letter from Birmingham Jail" that I find especially powerful. In paragraph 15 of his "Letter from Birmingham Jail", Martin Luther King uses. Divided there is little we can dofor we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder." - John F. Kennedy, "1961 First Inaugural Address" Martin Luther King Jr. uses both logical and emotional appeals in order for all his listeners to be able to relate and contemplate his speeches. 114, http://www.jstor.org/stable/40236733. He uses a large number of rhetorical devices in his letter to reach his goal, including point of view, imagery, and rhetorical questions. While the Civil Rights movement superseded the dismantling of Jim Crow, the social ideologies and lackadaisical legislature behind anti-black prejudice continued to rack the country far into the 1960s. Finally, King uses antithesis one more time at the end of his speech, when he writes when all of Gods children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands. The pairs he mentions are all the direct opposites of each other, yet he says that they will all join hands together and be friends. Martin Luther found himself arrested on the twelfth of April 1963 after leading a peaceful protest throughout Birmingham, Alabama after he defied a state courts injunction and led a march of black protesters without a permit, urging an Easter boycott of white-owned stores (Jr., Martin Luther King). In addition, King is also in Birmingham because he feels compelled to respond to injustice wherever he finds it. Therefore, as King fabricates antithetic parallelism, he constructs logos and persuades the audience to take prompt action against injustice through the careful juxtaposition of inverse statements. Who was he truly writing for? Dr. 262). It elucidated the exigence behind his letter as his presented rationale behind his arrest only made unjust laws appear more asinine and questionable by relation. Identify the parallel structures in the following sentence from Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail," and explain their effect. I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. In the Gettysburg Address Lincoln talks about how people fought the war and how people should honor their soldiers. Lloyd Bitzer describes rhetorical situation as, a complex of persons, events, objects, and relations presenting an actual or potential exigence which can be completely or partially removed if discourse, introduced into the situation, can so constrain human decision or action to bring about the significant modification of the exigence (6). The "Letter from Birmingham Jail" was written by the African American hero Dr. Martin Luther King in Birmingham back in 1963, addressing the issues that the African Americans faced back in that time. Civil rights leader and social activist Martin Luther King Jr. wrote a world renown correspondence, Letter From Birmingham Jail, in April of 1963, during a time when segregation was at its peak in the South. Specifically, King's letter addresses three important groups in the American society: the white American political community, white American religious community, and the black American society. With the use of King's rhetorical devices, he described the ways of the Birmingham community and their beliefs, connected to the reader on an emotional level, and brought to light the overall issues dealing with segregation., The letter was ostensibly conceived in response to a letter that had recently run in a local newspaper which had claimed that the protest were "unwise and untimely." He uses the rhetorical appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos numerous times throughout his essay to relay his argument about the laws of segregation and the African-Americans that are being cruelly treated.. With this addressed, his audience was truly the population of the United States, especially Birmingham, with a focus on those who withheld and complied with the oppression of African American citizens, even if not intentionally. This audience is rhetorical as the social and political ideologies of the American people fuel democracy and are able to change the system around them through collective effort. His audience ranged between those who his message empowered, a radical positive force, and those who disagreed, made up of southern states, extremist groups, and the majority of American citizens stuck in their racial prejudices. Although King was arrested for a nonviolent protest, he still found a way to justify his actions with the use of logos and pathos. Read along here: https://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.htmlop audio here: https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/lett. Ralph Abernathy (center) and the Rev. Specifically he targeted the clergymen who made laws at that time. Martin Luther King Jr.s Letter from Birmingham Jail.. These "parallel" elements can be used to intensify the rhythm of language, or to draw a comparison, emphasize, or elaborate on an idea. "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." - Martin Luther King Jr., "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" "United there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Throughout the letter, Dr. King does a tremendous job of supporting his argument with the three elements of Aristotles rhetorical appeal. King says on page. He uses parallelism by repeating I had hoped to ironically accuse his attackers. MarkAHA. The problem is that this kind of thinking can spread and infect other people to believe this is acceptable. King wants to bring to the readers realization the fact that laws are only to be followed when they are rightfully just and correct. Good uses of similes, metaphors, and imagery will act on the reader's senses creating a false sense of perception. Furthermore, Dr. King had four steps to achieve his goals by collecting facts, negotiation, self-purification, and direct, Dr. Martin Luther King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail" is a response to Dr. King's follow clergymen criticism. In sum, all rhetoric has an external situation in which it is responding to. During this letter, King then uses the time to unroot the occasion of nonviolent protests in BIrmingham and the disappointing leadership of the clergy. He deliberately tries to make the audience feel as if racial segregation is both wrong and against basic morals. These two techniques played a crucial role in furthering his purpose and in provoking a powerful response from the audience that made this speech memorable and awe-inspiring. MLKs use of pathos and repetition is an effective way to persuade his audience about his position on civil disobedience. Letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr. Martin Luther King, Jr. a civil rights activist that fought for the rights of African Americans in 1963. In terms of legacies, Martin Luther King Jr. is an example of someone whose legacy has left an impact on a great many fields. The letter was written April third, 1963, it was published for the public in June of the same year, a slower spread than a nationwide address on television or radio. But the strongest influential device King used was pathos. His goal is to make the clergymen help him fight racial equality. As campaigning, King uses it in his speech in order to express all his points. for only $11.00 $9.35/page. Choose one type of reason and cite an example from these lines. Constraints bring light to the obstacles this rhetoric may face, whether it be social, political, economical, etc. Though this letter was intended for the judgemental and condescending men of high faith, his response touched the hearts and minds of the entire U.S. population, then, and for years to come. Order original paper now and save your time! In the letter "Letter from Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King Jr. writes to the Clergyman to express his idea on the racial discrimination and injustice going on in Birmingham Alabama. : "There can be no gainsaying the fact that racial injustice engulfs this community." . King uses pathos to invoke anger, sympathy and empathy, his impeccable use of logos makes his argument rational to everyone, and his use of ethos, especially the use of biblical references, makes his opinions more reliable. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. the exigence is the continued condemnation, segregation, and prejudice afflicted against African Americans since the emancipation of the slaves in 1863. Laws should build up society to be better so that a law is not need to be enforced and people will still follow it. The continuous mistreatment of African Americans for over a century was, at last, deeply questioned and challenged nationwide with the growing popularity of the Civil Rights movement, and the topic of equality for all had divided the country. This period of quiet speculation over the law illuminates the national divide in opinion over the matter, one which King helped persuade positively. Because of his skill in creating such pieces of writing, as well as his influential role within the Civil Rights Movement, and the reminder that Letter from Birmingham Jail provides of these trying times, his letter should continue to be included within A World of Ideas. In this essay, King also brings up why he is justified in his preaching about the separation of African-Americans and white people. Martin Luther King Jr. was an important figure in gaining civil rights throughout the 1960s and hes very deserving of that title as seen in both his I Have a Dream speech and his Letter from Birmingham Jail letter. While there were consistent and impactful efforts made by various groups for equality throughout the civil rights era, the proximity between the public release of the letter, found nation-wide by late 1963, and the passing of the Civil Rights Act in early July 1964 shows the direct impact the letter had on social attitudes following its publicization. This evidence, revealing MLKs use of pathos, was used to reach out to the emotional citizens who have either experienced or watched police brutality. How does this comparison appropriately justify. and may encompass the audience, as seen while analysing Letter From Birmingham Jail. He takes up for his cause in Birmingham, and his belief that nonviolent direct action is the best way to make changes happen. Although the letter was addressed to the eight clergymen, the Letter from Birmingham Jail speaks to a national audience. Ultimately, he effectively tackles societal constraints, whether it be audience bias, historical racism, or how he is viewed by using the power of his rhetoric to his advantage. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. King uses parallelism to add balance and rhythm to his rhetoric. Letter From Birmingham Jail One of the most famous documents in American history is the 1963 letter written by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from his jail cell in Birmingham, Alabama. As King disproves the arguments of the white clergymen, he utilizes antithesis to create logos; furthermore, he calls the reader to take action against injustice across the nation. This letter occasioned his reply and caused King to write a persuasive letter "Letter from Birmingham Jail," justifying his actions and presence in Birmingham. In addressing and confronting the problem of injustices among the black Americans in the American society, particularly the violence that had happened in Birmingham, and, Martin Luther King Jr. faced many challenges during his life. Martin Luther King responds to the subjectivity of law and the issue he paramounts by using precise and impactful rhetoric from inside of his jail cell. Dr. King wrote 2 famous works, Dream and Birmingham and each had a different audience and purpose. you can use them for inspiration and simplify your student life. After reading "Letter from a Birmingham Jail", ask your students to do a scavenger hunt using the storyboard creator. Parallelism is a literary device in itself, but it is also a category under which other figures of speech fall, such as those mentioned previously. King addressed these communities as the primary groups wherein racial segregation is continuously proliferated (the white American political and religious community) and points much of his arguments to and for his fellow black Americans in the society. There are people in the white community that are already standing hand-in-hand with them and their dreams. King gives a singular, eloquent voice to a massive, jumbled movement. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Dr. King was considered the most prominent and persuasive man of The Civil Rights Movement. Abused and scorned through we may be, our destiny is tied with the destiny of America. (Page 9) The sureness King presents in this quote both instills hope in the reader and allows them to relate to Kings passion. Any deadline. King organized various non-violent demonstrations in Birmingham, Alabama that resulted in his arrest. In response to Kings peaceful protesting, the white community viewed [his] nonviolent efforts as those of an extremist, and subsequently imprisoned the pastor (para 27). Consequently, King fabricates logos as he urges African-Americans to demand justice from their oppressors, an issue that directly affects everyone across the nation: not just those in specific areas. Even now, it continues to make generations of people, not just Americans, to give up their racist beliefs and advocate social colorblindness. Order can only be held for so long whilst injustice is around. To this day, Kings speech remains one of the most famous and influential speeches in. King is saying that if we allow injustice to happen in some places, we risk it happening to everyone. On April 12, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and nearly 50 other protestors and civil rights leaders were arrested after leading a Good Friday demonstration as part of the . These encompass his exigence, at its most simple and precise, and validify the importance behind transforming the country in a positive way. Parallelism is a figure of speech in which two or more elements of a sentence (or series of sentences) have the same grammatical structure. The amount of original essays that we did for our clients, The amount of original essays that we did for our clients. But immediately after Dr. King speaks out on how after 100 years Blacks still do not have the free will that is deserved. However King also deliberately wrote his letter for a national audience. Your email address will not be published. Additionally, personable elements such as tone, inflection, and overall vindication behind the letter are left to be determined by the rhetorical language. 1963, a letter was written to the clergy to alert them of what great injustices were taking place in Birmingham, Alabama. In each writing, he uses the devices for many different purposes. This letter serves as a purpose to apply the need for love and brotherhood towards one another and avoid all the unjust laws. Who had criticize Martin Luther King because he was simply doing something that was right and violence was not needed for King. Martin Luther King, more than any other figure, shaped American life from the mid-"'"50s to the late "'"60s. First, King writes that the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. This antithesis makes the audience realize that the Negroes have been left behind and ignored while the rest of modern society has charged forward into prosperity and fortune. The answer is found in the fact that there are two types of laws: there are just laws, and there are unjust laws Any law that uplifts human personality is just. As mentioned before, the social and political ideologies in America surrounding racial equity at this time, specifically in Birmingham, were extremely poor. Prior to the mid 20th century, social injustice, by means of the Jim Crow laws, gave way to a disparity in the treatment of minorities, especially African Americans, when compared to Caucasians.