Analysis of Letter From Birmingham Jail - 773 Words

Every Individual comes to a point in their life when he or she must take a stand for what he or she believes in. For some, this may mean coming to the defense of other people, for others taking a stand could mean holding firm to beliefs or morals. In any case taking a stand is part of the human experience. Realizations, reformations, revelations, and revolutions have been brought forth in history because a dauntless individual stood firm for what he or she held to be true. Martin Luther King is famous for his daring counter-cultural beliefs and for being a man who truly made a stand in his struggle to gain civil rights for black people. A genius of the art of persuasion, King uses tremendously effective emotional†¦show more content†¦King states â€Å"Perhaps it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation to say wait. But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your brothers and sisters at whim...† For most people the bonds of family are among the most prized sentimental establishments, making it uncomfortable and even painful to imagine one’s own family members being lynched, mobbed, or drowned as haphazardly and unjustly as King describes it. By escorting his audience to a seat of suffering King engages his audience’s sympathies. By doing so he causes his audience to be more perceptive to his message. Though King pierces the heart of his audience by pinpointing their patriotism and value of family relations, he also provides his targets of persuasion with a more comfortable and enticing appeal. Throughout King’s letter there are numerous alliterations, each serves the same purpose of augmenting his argument. King states â€Å"When you have seen hate-filled policemen curse, kick, and even kill your black brothers and sisters. The hard â€Å"c† or â€Å"k† sound reinforces the idea of cursing, kicking or killing. The repetition of the hard consonants even makes it feel as though King himself is â€Å"kicking† his point into the readers mind. It almost causes one to wince at the sound of the three words. Alliteration stands as a highly effective element in emotional persuasion because the human brain enjoysShow MoreRelatedRhetorical Analysis Of Letter From Birmingham Jail1052 Words   |  5 Pagesdiscrimination is? A Rhetorical Analysis of Letter From Birmingham Jail It is known to all that Martin Luther King is a famous person in America, who strongly goes against the racial discrimination all the time. Here, in this letter, Letter from Birmingham Jail, it is easy for us to realize that racial discrimination appears and the non-violence action is still serious at that time. As a matter of fact, this letter is coming from the people in the Birmingham jail, stating their inner thoughts aboutRead MoreLetter From Birmingham Jail Analysis850 Words   |  4 Pagesfriends. (MLK)† This quote from the inspirational civil rights leader captures the motivation behind his â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail.† He wrote this letter in 1963--after he had been jailed--in response to southern white clergy who called his actions â€Å"unwise and untimely.† Although MLK utilizes many varying appeals and devices, Kairos and anaphora are the most forceful because they pressure the white clergy and stimulate guilt in them. MLK inserts kairos in his letter to pressure the white clergyRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Letter from Birmingham Jail1517 Words   |  7 PagesPonder Eng291-001 13 September 2013 Rhetorical Analysis Rhetorical Analysis of â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail,† by Martin Luther King, Jr., is a letter in which King is writing to his â€Å"fellow clergymen† in a response to their recent criticism of the actions he was leading in Birmingham at the time. The letter was written in April of 1963, a time when segregation was essentially at a peak in the south. Birmingham, in particular, is described by King as â€Å"probablyRead MoreAnalysis Of Letter From Birmingham Jail785 Words   |  4 PagesWhile imprisoned in Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King Jr. received a letter from the local clergymen that condemned his actions calling them rash and extreme, in response Dr. King wrote his own letter back defending his decisions. In his letter from Birmingham Jail, Dr. King introduces the idea of positive extremism as he attempts to convince the clergymen of the need for direct action in Birmingham, by showing the similarities in his own struggles and those faced by countless historical and biblicalR ead MoreCritical Analysis: Letter from Birmingham Jail1191 Words   |  5 PagesCritical Analysis Essay â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† In arguing, writers use different techniques to effectively convey their message to their intended audience. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s Letter from Birmingham Jail was a response to A Call for Unity by eight white clergymen in which King’s presence in Birmingham and his methods of public demonstration were questioned. King’s letter was not only a response to his presence in Birmingham, but he also used the opportunity to address theRead 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 MoreLetter From Birmingham Jail Analysis1617 Words   |  7 Pagespeaceful protests in Birmingham, Alabama, he was jailed on accounts of â€Å"parading without a permit† (King 3). While in jail, Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote a response to â€Å"A Call For Unity,† written by eight white clergymen of Birmingham, regarding King’s actions as â€Å"unwise and untimely† (King 1). This famous response soon came to be known as â€Å"Letter From Birmingham Jail,† and is currently regarded as one of the best pieces of rhetoric ever written. Dr. King’s â€Å"Letter From Birmingham Jail† is thoroughlyRead MoreAnalysis Of Letter From Birmingham Jail1058 Words   |  5 PagesLetters from Birmingham Jail, was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s response to an open letter from eight Caucasian clergymen in the state of Alabama who had condemned the actions of King Jr. and blac k civil rights leaders. Dr. King Jr. made an impassioned argument addressing the concerns of the clergymen and vigorously discussed shock at their response. His letter covered a multitude of factors clearly and succinctly in a stinging critique of the clergymen’s views. In his infamous letter, Dr. King JrRead MoreSummary and Rhetorical Analysis of â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail†1708 Words   |  7 PagesSummary and Rhetorical Analysis of â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested on April 12, 1963, in Birmingham, for protesting without a permit. The same day that King was arrested, a letter was written and signed by eight clergymen from Birmingham and titled â€Å"A Call for Unity†. The letter called for ending demonstrations and civil activities and indicated King as an â€Å"outsider†. On April 16, 1963, King responded to their letter with his own call, which has come toRead Moreâ€Å"Letters from a Birmingham Jail† Analysis of the Rhetorical Appeals1182 Words   |  5 Pagescreate a trustworthy bond with the audience, support his claim through reason, and create emotion in the audience that compels them to leap out of their seats and take action. Martin Luther King Jr. attempted to do this when he wrote an open letter while in his jail cell after a peaceful debate against segregation. His lettered response was guided at a statement by eight white Alabama clergymen saying that segregation should be fought in court and not on the streets. King uses a combination of three