Rhetorical Analysis Of Letter From Birmingham Jail

Dr. King’s well-known “Letter from Birmingham Jail," was published in The Atlantic as "The Negro Is Your Brother," and was written on 12 of April, 1963 it was in response to a public statement of concern and caution issued by eight white religious leaders of the South. Dr. King and 58 men had marched down into downtown Birmingham to protest against racism and racial segregation laws of the Jim Crow era. As a result, they were all arrested and put into prison by the police. In his letter, Dr. King tells the clergymen that he is upset about their criticisms, and that he has a good reason for his actions. Dr. King emphasizes that there is a need for justice for the black race because they have been oppressed for a long time, and

He was referring to the white American political community, white American religious community and the African American community. In his letter, Dr. King effectively uses different methods such as logical appeals, ethical appeals, and emotional values. Dr. King uses logos in the forms of reasoning, evidence, and definition in his letter to push his claims to the clergymen. Logos is a Greek word that refers to the use of logic and reasoning as an appeal. In his letter, Dr. King uses reasons to explain to the clergymen that the way the black people are being treated is very disheartening. Throughout his letter, he uses reasoning to point out that racism and segregation is unjust because have torn the country apart. Dr. King then states that the Declaration of Independence the true meaning was that everyman must be treated equally, but in the southern part of the country the blacks were treating the blacks poorly. He uses historical examples to bring his ideas to light. For example, In Letter from Birmingham

King then uses the appeal known as pathos. Pathos is a Greek word meaning 'suffering ' or 'experience, ' and it appeals to the reader 's emotions, utilizing story, sensory-based details and vivid language. Throughout Dr King’s letter then showed how the African American they were suffering in the hands of the Whites. An a good example is “...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 public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children.”(844) Dr. King then used a child because he knew that child is a child no matter the color or race they are innocent of their crimes and nobody wants to see a child cry. Dr. King then went on to talk about the how the African American are been tormented each day and night. “…you spend night after night in your car because no motel will accept you. Day and night you are humiliated by nagging signs; when your first name is “nigger” and middle name is “boy”….(845). He described cruel behaviors of police towards blacks in jails. He said that, “Hate-filled policemen curse, kick and even kill your black brother and sisters and vast majority of twenty million Negro brothers smothering in an airtight cage of poverty” (844). He went further to explain that there is the need for change to happen. This is a clear