Bradley Raye College Prep English Critical Analysis 3 Letter From Birmingham Jail Martin Luther King Jr. Summary: Martin Luther King Jr. wrote this letter while he was incarcerated in a Birmingham prison for the peaceful protest of slavery, and the purpose of the paper was to appeal to people’s logic and finally convince others that everyone should be equal. He went on to explain that the only reason he felt he had to protest was because all negotiations with the government had failed. He goes on to explain that the only action people will now respond to is direct action. King then finishes by stating that he is disappointed that it has taken this long for people to realize that everyone should be treated equally, and how he doesn’t even have the support of other religious people despite the fact that he is a minister himself. Audience: The prime audience is the government but it was also made so it could be read by and appeal to anyone. He not only questioned the government’s methods behind hindering equality but also showed that he was disappointed in the general public for being so opposed to his movement. His audience was very broad and covered everyone from his supporters in the north to those opposed in the deep southern states. Tone: King was very understanding towards people’s views because even he could understand that some people had grown up with these ideas about equality rather than developing these views for themselves. Instead pf directly stating that people’s views are wrong and immoral he tries to find a middle ground that people can agree on and hopefully let people develop their own opinion. Purpose: The purpose of this letter was to appeal to those who had heard of his protest and knew that he had no reason ... ... middle of paper ... ...at speaker. It showed me diversity in today’s age is still so evident but in the diverse world we live in, this diversity will prove to be vital to our development and well-being as a whole. It is ridiculous to think that we can treat people differently on the basis of their skin color and expect the whole world to go along with it. I love that King shares his personal experiences with the audience in order to really make them see what is taking place. He uses logic, ethics and emotion to convince these clergymen and the opposition why civil rights should be granted to African Americans. What I learned from this piece is that by putting himself on the same level as those opposed, he finds a new level in which he really connects with them and they look at him as an equal. By doing this he really demonstrates the power or equality and makes his argument much stronger.
Martin Luther King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail", was written to answer a critical "Call For Unity" by a group of clergymen in Birmingham. The clergymen were critical of King for "interloping" in the activities of their city. Dr. King said that he had every right to fight unfairness in the country that he lived in. The letter he wrote, in response to the "Call for Unity", and a statement that he would battle racial inequality wherever it was. The "Letter from Birmingham Jail" was the main point in his life. In this letter, he perfectly described his reasons why he felt this way, appealing to logic, emotion, and ethics.
...lse. “We should never forget that everything Adolf Hitler did in Germany was ‘legal’ and everything the Hungarian freedom fighters did in Hungary was ‘illegal.’” Everything that Hitler did was legal, but immoral and wrong, and things that Hungarian Freedom Fighters were doing was illegal, but was the right thing. This alludes to King doing the right thing, but having it is illegal, and doing the right thing and doing the legal thing do not always go hand in hand. In addition to that, he also makes reference to the “Boston Tea Party” showing that civil disobedience as not a new idea.
The forceful subjugation of a people has been a common stain on 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 is just on its face and unjust in its application,” (King). Through King’s peaceful protest, he works to find his definition of good life in equality, where p...
After being arrested in downtown Birmingham on a Good Friday, Reverend Martian Luther King Jr. wrote his famous letter, “A Letter From Birmingham Jail” responding to the criticism demonstrated by eight prominent white clergymen. This letter has been found important through out history because it expresses King’s feelings towards the un-just event and it is an example of a well-written argument.
I believe the letter also sought to solidify his position on the injustice created by segregation and illustrate the lack of action not only of the white moderate, but also the complacent black citizens. In addition, it was important to make light of the single-minded comments of the white religious leaders when referring to their worry about the demonstrations; without focusing on why the demonstrations came about. They were looking at the effects and not the causes. Also, Martin Luther King says that “…freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.” Important distinctions to make for those that are not compelled by the injustice of segregation; mainly the complacent black citizens and the white moderate. Ultimately, the letter is a call to action; a call to the people of the American South to change their beliefs and change their society. Also, an example of how difficult it is to achieve change when resistance is demonstrated by individuals and society at large.
In 1963, Birmingham was one of the most segregated cities in the South, so civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. brought his campaign of nonviolent resistance to Birmingham. After leading a demonstration on April 12, 1963, King was arrested for violating demonstration ordinances. Shortly after, eight white clergymen in Birmingham sent out a public statement claiming that although they support desegregation, they advise against anymore protests advocated by King, stating that the “demonstrations are unwise and untimely” (Carpenter et al). While in jail, King took an opportunity to continue his campaign by responding to these eight white clergymen. In his “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” King uses religious and philosophical allusions to effectively convey his intellect and credibility to his audience: the clergymen and his followers.
Perhaps one of the best pieces of evidence showing King’s ideology is found in his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” written in April of 1963. In it, King writes a response to other black civil rights leaders. He responds to the consensus that his current activities may be “unwise and untimely.” King rebukes this sentiment, outlining many important tenets of his belief structure, including the connection between all human beings, his non-violent civil disobedience strategies, his extremist love, and most import...
King writes the letter to defend his organization's actions and the letter is also an appeal to the people, both the white and black American society, the social, political, and religious community, and the whole of American society to encourage desegregation and encourage solidarity and equality among all Americans, with no stratifications according to racial differences. King's letter from Birmingham Jail addresses the American society, particularly the political and religious community of the American society.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote his famous “A Letter from the Birmingham Jail” on April 16, 1963 while he was imprisoned in the Birmingham Jail for being involved in nonviolent protests against segregation. The letter is directed at eight white clergymen from Alabama who were very cynical and critical towards African Americans in one of their statements. Throughout the letter, King maintains an understanding yet persistent tone by arguing the points of the clergymen and providing answers to any counterarguments they may have. In the letter, King outlines the goals of his movement and says that he will fight racial inequality wherever it may be. Dr. King uses the appeal three main rhetorical devices – ethos, logos, and pathos – in order to firmly, yet politely, argue the clergymen on the injustices spoken of in their statement.
Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" is a very effective letter. Through an intriguing opening, his ability to discredit his oppressor's words and create detailed yet clear responses, effectively integrate the quotes and examples of others to help illustrate his points, his descriptive logical and emotional appeals and his strong, confident closing, King created a letter that is powerful enough to provoke thoughts inside any person that reads it.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was a pastor, activist, and leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. Mr. King was a man of honor and respect even in the troubling situations of serving jail time. People who were supposed to support him questioned his actions, Dr. King still stood by what he believed in. In Birmingham, Alabama Dr. King hoped that the white religious leaders will come to his aid but instead found reluctance and opposition. In the “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, Martin Luther King, Jr. refutes his critics claims through the use of passionate tones, metaphors, and allusions.
In the “Letter from Birmingham Jail” (Jr., Letter from Birmingham Jail) written by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. the three artistic appeals of Aristotle are plainly apparent, especially logos. Dr. King repeatedly appeals to logos (Ruszkiewicz) throughout the entire piece; particularly when he says he was initially disappointed at being categorized as an extremist then gradually gained a matter of satisfaction from the label. He is very impassioned in his language and tone in this part of the letter, yet still makes a strong argument for logic. Despite the overwhelming emotional and personal investment involved Dr. King still allows logic to prevail thus lending him a huge amount of credibility. As a member of the community being persecuted in this case, he might have had trouble remaining objective but clearly he doesn’t let his own pathos take center stage. All in all the use of logic and concise reasoning make a strong argument for the effectiveness of the letter in general.
...s speech made an immense impact on the injustices of segregation and discrimination against people.
Martin Luther King Jr begins his essay with “My Dear Fellow Clergyman” in an attempt to form a sense of parity between himself and the men being addressed. More ever, he says that he believes that these criticisms are “sincerely set forth” and the men are “of genuine good”. Through this, he applies a Rogerian tactic, where the writer attempts to find a common ground as an alternative to further dividing the sides. His demonstration of equality due to the inter-connectedness of all people is a central idea of the entire letter. He notes that his “secretaries” can’t answer the amount of tedious “criticisms that cross [his] desk” since “constructive work” requires superior attention. In the informational second paragraph, King, “the president
Sending a letter to Martin Luther King Jr. was potentially the largest mistake the Eight White Clergymen could have made if they wanted to sustain segregation. They probably did not expect such an eloquent response from an African-American. The letter to King asks him to give up his demonstrations because it only hurts his cause by instigating further hatred and violence. The letter continues on and asks for “...our own Negro community to withdraw support from these demonstrations...” and to instead keep the fight for their rights to the court system and out of the streets. When King replies to this “Call for Unity” he strips the entire letter down and turns it against the authors, making his response over six times longer than the letter. The letter King wrote from Birmingham Jail was a vital turning point in the desegregation movement. If King wasn't arrested then perhaps the letter from the clergymen would have never been authored; however that would also prevent his reply written 24 days prior to the May 10th Birmingham agreement which ended segregation within the city.