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Analysis of martin luther king, jr speech
Martin luther king jr birmingham letter analysis 03.08
Martin luther king jr birmingham letter analysis 03.08
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1. Do you believe King would have been justified in arguing that he had no alternative other than protest? Would you accept this argument? I believe and accept his argument that he had no alternative other than protest. Birmingham is one of the most segregated city in the United States. There are many unsolved bombing Negro homes and churches in there. Besides, in last September, in the negotiations with leaders of Birmingham’s economic community, the merchants promised that they would remove the stores’ humiliating racial signs. However, a few signs removed in few day and then returned; others remained. Therefore, gentle negotiation could not finish the racist. It is obvious that “freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by oppressor”. 2. In paragraph 30, King says, “Oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever.” Do you think world events of the last few years confirm or contradict this statement? …show more content…
Throughout this letter, King uses elaborate diction and complex rhetorical strategies. He addresses his audience directly; makes frequent use of balance and parallelism, understatement, and metaphor; and makes many historical and religious allusions. What effect do you think King intended these rhetorical strategies to have on the letter’s original audience of clergymen? Does King’s elaborate style enhance his argument, or does it just get in the way? Due to the extent of King’s higher learning, he could easy in using elaborate diction and complex rhetorical strategies. He played a diplomat when King’s elaborate style enhanced his argument. Moreover, he touched his audiences with gentle point. Especially, King used many historical and religious allusions that reinforce the unsuspecting of his argument. By directing the text to many people from many background, he used their most celebrated figures to support his case. This was very difficult for the audiences who separated from him or his culture to controvert his
In any argument that you come across, you are going to show the audience (if it’s one person or a larger group of people) that you are right and try to change their mind or make then look at the subject of topic differently. If King did not have the reader on his side it would have been extremely difficult to get the outcome he was looking for. The way that king was able to get the clergymen to listen to him was making himself their equals by saying, “I have honor of serving as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization operating in every Southern state with headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia." (701). This was one of the strategies King was able to use. This allowed his audience and fellow clergymen to listen ...
He accomplishes in this statement, “We will reach the goal of freedom in Birmingham, here and all over the nation, because the goal in America is Freedom. Abused and scorned though we may be, our destiny is tied up with America’s destiny.” (Martin Luther King 35) This statement also reassured the reader that the black people are not from another country, but from America, and people who are from America gain freedom. Throughout his letter he continually reminds the reader about everything the black people have gone through. Whether tortured, segregated, or discriminated against, the black people continue to thrive and develop. This shows the reader black people are strong-minded people just like the white people, and having them on the same side will be
The largest rhetorical appeal used by King is logos, which basically deals with logic as well as the evidence offered to support it. In an attempt to persuade the audience, King utilizes facts and examples throughout the entire letter so that the audience can easily relate and comprehend. As the letter begins, King elaborates why he is jailed, as well as the reasoning for being in Birmingham to protest. He says: “Just as the eight century prophets left their little villages and carried their “thus saint the Lord” far beyond the boundaries of their hometowns and just as the Apostle Paul left his little village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to practically every hamlet and city of the Greco-Roman world, I too am compelled to carry the gospel of the freedom beyond my particular hometown” (King).
King uses stylistic writing elements such as such as logos, ethos, and pathos and also figurative languages such as allusion, metaphor and symbolism is why it is continue to be studied. His emotion appeals are strong and effective and his sentence structures are complex and thoughtful.
The forceful subjugation of a people has been a common stain in history; Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail was written during the cusp of the civil rights movement in the US on finding a good life above oppressive racism. Birmingham “is probably the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States. Its ugly record of brutality is widely known,” and King’s overall goal is to find equality for all people under this brutality (King). King states “I cannot sit idly. and not be concerned about what happens,” when people object to his means to garner attention and focus on his cause; justifying his search for the good life with “a law that is just on its face and unjust in its application,” (King).
Meant to be full of worship and goodness, the Church is represented as an emotionless and fearful institution. By doing this, King overall shames the clergymen for their lack of action which adds tension towards what is being addressing in the letter. The juxtaposition is used to induce guilt support towards King’s credibility as a leader in nonviolent direct action.
“In spite of my shattered dreams of the past, I came to Birmingham with the hope that the white religious leadership of this community would see the justice of our cause and with deep moral concern serve as the channel through which our just grievances could get to the power structure.” This appeal seems logical enough, the church is typically the first to offer aid and is usually quick to join a cause that benefits mankind. However in the case of Birmingham King said, “But again I have been disappointed.” This is because of the inaction of the southern white church who stood passively as their Christian brethren struggled, this is perhaps the greatest cause of King’s frustration. The idea that Christians would ignore the suffering of those around them was, perhaps, novel to King, who strongly believed in loving thy neighbor as thyself. For him this inaction was possibly similar to a slap in the face, to be ignored by other Christians whom he should have been able to rely on based on principle. King does mention a few noble white churches whom helped in the struggle such as “Reverend Stallings, for your Christian stand this past Sunday in welcoming Negroes to your Baptist Church worship service on a
King’s letter was influenced by “Apology”, The Bible, and The Tanakh, some of the most important pieces of philosophical literature in history. Socrates in “Apology” is known to be one of the founders of Western philosophy because he was successful in challenging and persuading his audience. And it is because of Socrates, the art of philosophy is so successful today. King used this source to justify disobedience and defend his reason for his actions as an advocate of desegregation. The Bible and The Tanakh were used as Christian references to justify the moral justification of his actions.
King's letter, written while in jail, is in direct response to a letter written by a group of "fellow clergymen". His letter clearly and effectively responds to each of the five examples given by the clergymen. He opens his letter by recognizing that he believes their complaints to be "sincere" and of "genuine goodwill". The respect given to these men in the first few sentences immediately present King as a man of equal standards and beliefs. It also has a subtle and maybe subconscious affect as he asks for the same respect in return. The letter is noticeably divided into 6 major components. The first five sections are in direct response to the letter from the clergymen, and the last is his final plea for justice. He opens each section by conceding to the clergymen, and uses direct quotes from their letter to support is argument. Following this opening, he uses a...
King begins his letter by establishing his credibility to the clergymen in order to assist in making his arguments stronger. His first words to the clergymen are “My Dear Fellow Clergymen.” By addressing the men in this way, King is implying that he is equal ...
Even though they both achieve their goal of captivating their audiences’ attention, they achieve it differently. Whereas X achieves it by using a conversational style, King achieves it by using a sophisticated style. King has respect to the audience to whom he is addressing; therefore, his rhetoric needs to reflect that respect; the respect that the people from God deserve. In order for him to be taken seriously by the clergymen, he must show them that he is one of them through his writing. We can see how King reflects his respect to them when he writes, “Since I feel that you are men of genuine good will and that your criticisms are sincerely set forth…” His respect is accompanied with a sophisticated tone which makes him stand out and shows his audience the type of person who he really is. As King writes: “On sweltering summer days and crisp autumn mornings I have looked at the South 's beautiful churches with their lofty spires pointing heavenward.” Over all, his rhetoric is focused, addressed, and specifically used towards his audience; to show the clergymen that they all held the same position and
King viewed civil disobedience as an obligation if laws were unjust, especially if the proponents of the unjust laws were not willing to negotiate as well as compromise the laws and situations. King states “You are quite right in calling for negotiation.
King employs numerous rhetorical devices weaved into “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” Apart from rhetorical questioning and metaphors Mr. King’s use of antithesis and polysyndeton are also noticeable. Polysyndeton is used many times, but is most evident in the following quote. “But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate-filled policemen curse, kick, and even kill your black brothers and sisters; when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six-year-old daughter why she can’t go to the amusement park that has just been advertised on television…” Yes, this is a long quote, but it is the perfect use of the rhetorical device called polysyndeton. Dr. King’s abnormal and frequent use of the phrases/words brother, sisters, when, and and add a strong dramatic effect to this quote. Antithesis is also practiced many a time in Dr. King’s letter to you. Antithesis is used when King constructs two sentences with contrasting meaning in a close proximity to each other. Phrases like “moving with jet like speed” and “creep at a horse and buggy pace” completely contradict one another, but instead of using this device once King uses it twice in the same quote. “The nations of Asia and Africa are moving with jet like speed toward gaining political independence, but we still creep at a horse and buggy pace toward gaining a cup of coffee at
This essay is very influential from the start to the very end. He uses terms that make oppression seem to terrible, to make them feel bad about what they let happen. King seems very successful in capturing the audience that he intended to capture through stating scripture to draw in the Christians, words that are used to describe things that would be so much worse; like using evil to describe oppression or unjust, to writing it down in an obvious form that everyone could understand. He left them with very powerful messages that will linger in their minds until they cannot take it anymore, until they see that it is actually wrong and do something to fix the justice system to which they are governed under. By leaving with that thought of mind, he was very successful in getting his point through to all he intended it for.
In this quote King explains that a law must not be followed unless it is morally sound. If people blindly follow immoral laws then it can lead to inequality. This quote is powerful in that King compares this understanding of law, to that of Nazi Germany. He is saying that Hitler abided by laws that did not account for moral responsibility, and therefore rationalized his actions. This compares to the laws in the United States, where individuals of color are treated unfair because the law allows it. Additionally, King is influential in the sense that he creates a call to action. He admits that if this was the case, he would not obey the law, and urges others to do the same. His goal is to persuade individuals to take responsibility.