In Letter from Birmingham Jail, King implements antithesis -- along with his background as a minister -- to demonstrate the hypocrisy of the Southern clergymen, as he attempts to further diverge the two diametric rationales; thus, he creates logos as he appeals to the audiences logical side and urges African-Americans to act punctual in their fight against injustice, prompted by the imprudent words of the clergy. King goes on to explain how this right has not been kept, making it appear to be similar to a laid-back rule. This exigence is rhetorical because it can be improved if enough people are socially cognizant, whether that be in legislature or the streets of Birmingham, through creation and enforcement of equitable laws and social attitudes. 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. "Letter From a Birmingham Jail," written by Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963, describes a protest against his arrest for non-violent resistance to racism. He died in 1968. King uses parallelism to add balance and rhythm to his rhetoric. In the same manner, King believed that people could unite to combat oppression. He begins strongly by explaining why he is in Birmingham in the first place, stating, So I am herebecause we were invited here. Through powerful, emotionally-loaded diction, syntax, and figurative language, King adopts a disheartened tone later shifts into a determined tone in order to express and reflect on his disappointment with the churchs inaction and his goals for the future. Mistreatment of this kind is labeled as racial discrimination. Letter from Birmingham Jail: Repetition BACK NEXT This guy knew how to write a speech. King is not speaking only of racism; he is speaking of injustice in general. Therefore this makes people see racism in a whole new light; racism has not been justified because the United States have failed to uphold their promises. The eight clergymen in Birmingham released a public statement of caution regarding the protesters actions as unwise and untimely (King 1), to which Martins letter is a direct response. 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. King concludes with optimism about the future of the relationship between the currently segregated blacks and whites. King understood that if he gained support from the white American, the civil rights movement would reach its goals much faster. 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. His expressive language and use of argumentation make his case strong and convincing. Martin Luther Kings Letter From Birmingham Jail is undeniably effective at responding to the rhetorical situation at hand. Furthermore, good usage of these rhetorical device . . Besides the use of pathos, King uses repetition to enhance the effectiveness of his argument. Martin Luther Kings "letter from Birmingham Jail" strives to justify the desperate need for nonviolent direct action, the absolute immorality of unjust laws together with what a just law is. IvyMoose is the largest stock of essay samples on lots of topics and for any discipline. 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. Not only was this a social division, but those who opposed King were reinforced by the respective legislature that sought to burden him. 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. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. King implies that one day, all, I Have a Dream, however, played a major step into changing it. Constraints bring light to the obstacles this rhetoric may face, whether it be social, political, economical, etc. 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. Jr., Martin Luther King. It is rather for us to be here, As it may do that, it also seems to serve more of a logical appeal because he mentions the evidence of white brotherhood. Martin Luther leading peaceful Birmingham protest, AP News. 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. Found a perfect sample but need a unique one? To get a high-quality original essay, click here. 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. Both their speeches, I Have a Dream and The Ballot or the Bullet may have shared some common traits, but at the same time, differed greatly in various aspects. King through this letter tries to express his, "Martin Luther King Jr.'s letter from Birmingham Jail, which was written in April 16, 1963, is a passionate letter that addresses and responds to the issue and criticism that a group of white clergymen had thrown at him and his pro- black American organization about his and his organization's non- violent demonstrative actions against racial prejudice and injustice among black Americans in Birmingham. Parallelism In Letters From Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King Jr. uses pathos and parallelism frequently throughout Letters from Birmingham Jail, to persuade the clergyman to support his actions in the civil rights movement. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from a Birmingham Jail is a letter that illustrates oppression being a large battle fought in this generation and location. 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. What King discloses in his essay, Letter From Birmingham Jail, displays how the laws of segregation have affected African-Americans. By clicking Receive Essay, you agree to our, Essay Sample on The Effects of the Atomic Bomb, Essay Sample: The Development of the Braille System in Nineteenth-Century France, Constitution of The United StatesResearch Paper Example, Hippies In The 1960's (Free Essay Sample), Positive And Negative Impacts Of The Columbian Exchange, Essay Sample on Early River Civilizations. Your email address will not be published. Martin Luther King Jr. twists the perspective of his audience -- Southern clergymen -- to create antithetic parallelism in Letter from Birmingham Jail. Who had criticize Martin Luther King because he was simply doing something that was right and violence was not needed for King. If your first two elements are verbs, the third element is usually a verb, too. As campaigning, King uses it in his speech in order to express all his points. The eight clergymen in Birmingham released a public statement of caution regarding the protesters actions as unwise and untimely (King 1), to which Martins letter is a direct response. Letter from Birmingham Jail is addressed to clergymen who had written an open letter criticizing the actions of Martin Luther King, Jr. during several protest in, Letter from Birmingham Jail is a letter written by Martin Luther King, Jr. while he was in jail for participating in peaceful protest against segregation. These circumstances lead us to our next rhetorical focus: audience. Dr. King often used repetition and parallel construction to great emotional effect when he spoke. Throughout the letter critics are disproved through Kings effective use of diction and selection of detail. Lastly, the exigence of a rhetorical piece is the external issue, situation, or event in which the rhetoric is responding to. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with moral law. Magnifying the differences between two things and repeating statements with similar structure brings about emotion to realize the wrongness of the injustice of civil. While his supporters nation-wide were avid, determined, and hopeful, they were challenged by the opposing, vastly white population, comfortable in their segregated establishments and racist ideologies who would certainly weaponize his viewpoints. Since Kings arrest he had time to think deeply about the situation; therefore, he decides to reply back to the Alabama clergymen. 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). Any deadline. Yes he does criticize the white clergymen but basically he is trying to tell them that they should stop this segregation and that the black are not to be mistreated. In his "Letter from Birmingham City Jail," Martin Luther King Jr. presents an argument through analogy by comparing his situation to Apostle Paul. In 1963, while Martin Luther King was in Birmingham Jail, King delivered a powerful letter to his Clergymen in order to take time and respond to the criticism he had received over his work in Birmingham. 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. Despite his support, Martin Luthers audience is one of the largest constraints in his rhetorical situation. His Letter from Birmingham Jail was the match. Another instance of parallelism in the letter is, We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the vitriolic words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people(Barnet and Bedau 745). Additionally, as he confesses to the clergy, King employs antithesis to create a rational structure that fosters logos: I agree I cant agree; small in quantity big in quality and shattered dreams hope (521 & 524-525). "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice anywhere!" Being nearly symbolic, King being held prisoner in Birmingham, the most polar racial arena of the United States, made his rhetoric more effective. However, the racial divide was legislated in 1877 with the implementation of Jim Crow laws, which lasted until 1950. They were arrested and held in . On the other hand, logical appeals helps to grasp the concept better and provides facts that prove it to be true. However, this constraint did not ultimately halt the spread of Kings message nation-wide, as it became a persuasive landmark of the civil rights movement, likely due to both his impactful position and persuasive use of rhetoric. African Americans have been waiting to have there civil rights of freedom, but the social courts has requested them not protest on the street but to take it to court. 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. The following well-known adage is an example of parallelism: "Give a . While in jail, King received a letter from eight Alabama clergyman explaining their concern and opposition to King and his non-violent actions. Order can only be held for so long whilst injustice is around. King was jailed along with large numbers of his supporters, including hundreds of schoolchildren. Martin Luther King then goes on to make an analogy to the Bible, portraying Apostle Pauls proliferation of the gospel of Jesus Christ in parallel to his own efforts, stating, I too am compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my particular hometown (1). 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. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law." All of this accumulates into an unwavering social constraint placed on Martin Luther Kings rhetorical text. Black Americans were forced to sit behind buses and kids were to use old books and uniforms of White Americans. In this way, King asserts that African-Americans must act with jet-like speed to gain their independence. The letter is a plea to both white and black Americans to encourage desegregation and to encourage equality among all Americans, both black and white, along all social, political and religious ranks, clearly stating that there should be no levels of equality based upon racial differences., In Letter from Birmingham Jail, author Martin Luther King Jr. confirms the fact that human rights must take precedence over unjust laws. Within the article, the clergymen provide nine different critiques that asserted how Kings protest are invalid, uneffective, and simply unintelligent in the fight for obtaining justice and equity for individuals of color. Dr. King was arrested, and put in jail in Birmingham where he wrote a letter to the clergymen telling them how long Blacks were supposed to wait for their God giving rights and not to be force and treated differently after, In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote Letter from Birmingham Jail from jail in Birmingham, Alabama in response to a public statement issued by eight white clergyman calling his actions unwise and untimely. Parallelism is a figure of speech in which two or more elements of a sentence (or series of sentences) have the same grammatical structure. Furthermore, exterior events regarding the movement could ultimately reflect on his influence and polarize the audience further. An unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and The letter goes on to explain his choice to act directly and nonviolently, stating, For years now I have heard the word wait. It rings in the ear of every Negro with a piercing familiarity. 1963, a letter was written to the clergy to alert them of what great injustices were taking place in Birmingham, Alabama. During a civil resistance campaign in Birmingham, Alabama, Dr. King was arrested. Martin Luther King Jr. was an American baptist minister and activist who became the most visible spokesperson and leader in the Civil Rights Movement in 1954. 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. This letter is a prime example of Kings expertise in constructing persuasive rhetoric that appealed to the masses at large. 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. This exigence is rhetorical because it can be improved if enough people are socially cognizant, whether that be in legislature or the streets of Birmingham, through creation and enforcement of equitable laws and social attitudes. In the beginning of the speech, King goes back to the Constitution and Declaration of Independence stating that .all men, black or white, were to be granted the same rights (Declaration of Independence). 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. 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). 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. Both works utilizes the persuasive techniques of pathos in Dream and logos in Birmingham. Both of the works had a powerful message that brought faith to many. The use of pathos is effective because it appeals to emotions and the issue of civil rights and civil disobedience. He approaches his argument with logic and appealing to the people of Birminghams emotions. These purposes can be similar, or different. In short, Martin Luther King Jr. includes rhetorical devices in his writing. In the letter, Dr. King uses ethos, diction, and allusions when defending nonviolent protest which makes his argument really strong. As the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s unfolded, Martin Luther King Jr. had, perhaps, the most encompassing and personal rhetorical situation to face in American history. Through the masterful use of analogies and undeniable examples of injustice, Kings disgruntled response to the clergies proves the justification for direct action taking place to establish equality for African Americans., Martin Luther Kings letter from Birmingham Jail was written to respond to white religious leaders who criticized his organizations actions against racial prejudice and injustice among black society in Birmingham. Here, King concedes that the clergy acts with the virtuous goal of justice in mind, which allows him to establish his argument against the manner in which they seek equality. Malcolm X, on the other hand, grew up in a rather hostile environment with barely enough schooling. Metaphors, allusions, and rhetorical questions are used in the most skillful way to support his argument and ultimately convince his audience of the credibility behind his emotional, yet factual, claims. The audience of a rhetorical piece will shape the rhetoric the author uses in order to appeal, brazen, or educate whoever is exposed. Dr. King brought people up and gave them hope that one day everything will be taken care of and we 'll all be happy, he said that one day we 'll have peace and love among each other. Example: Is not segregation an existential expression of man's tragic separation, his awful estrangement, his terrible sinfulness? MarkAHA. While his letter was only addressed to the clergymen, it is safe to assume that King had intent on the public eventually reading his letter, considering his position within the Civil Rights movement, use of persuasive rhetorical language, and hard-hitting debates on the justification of law. This use of parallelism draws on the emotions of personal experiences to persuade that segregation is a problem in a myriad of ways. The rhetorical choices referenced above are riddled with pathos, also known as language utilized to persuade the audience emotionally. Just as well, King uses his aspirations to create ideas within the listeners. Dr. King wrote 2 famous works, Dream and Birmingham and each had a different audience and purpose. Required fields are marked *. 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 displays a great amount of pathos, logos, and ethos in his speech. While in his cell, he composed the famous Letter from Birmingham Jail. He uses a large number of rhetorical devices in his letter to reach his goal, including point of view, imagery, and rhetorical questions.