Letter From Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Analysis

Words: 1295
Pages: 6
Open Document
Andres F Carmona
10/16/16
Daniel Moyer
COM 1103
Dr. King's Relentless Effort From the day our nation was established, America has always been ruled by the white man. With that power, racism over African Americans has been a key factor in the United States for the past 100 years. The period when racism was at its highest point was when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr was at his reign. During that time, Dr King strived for a change in how Americans viewed each other. He believed segregation between blacks and whites must be stopped and for everyone to view each other as brothers and sisters. At one point King found himself locked up for no reason. While King was sitting in jail, a number of white clergymen from Alabama wrote to the black community …show more content…
King goes on to question the argument of the Clergymen stating that the demonstrations are at fault in Birmingham and not the social situation itself. “Throughout Alabama all sorts of devious methods are used to prevent Negroes from becoming registered voters, and there are some counties in which…not a single Negro is registered” (“Letter from Birmingham Jail” 4) This attack on the truth of Alabama brings a harsh light to what happens and what is overlooked too many. King then continues to state that it was his “parading without a permit” (4), that landed him in the jail and while it is completely fine to have such an “ordinance…it becomes unjust when it is used to maintain segregation and to deny citizens the First Amendment privilege of peaceful assembly and protest” (“Letter from Birmingham Jail” 4). This direct reference to the constitution of the United States and just and unjust laws proves a strong point for King's proposition of which helps to defend the equal rights African Americans are legally supposed to have. In the History Channel article “Civil Right Movement”, it is outlined that many white officials tried to find any possible way of targeting African Americans for just being black. And the reasons for them being targeted was just nonsense. In one …show more content…
King hits his point of persuasion when he uses loaded language. The element of pathos is used strongly when King describes the way the white community treats colored people. In the end of his letter, King states that the police brutality in Birmingham is at an all time high and government officials look the other way when wrong is done. “I doubt that you would have so warmly commended the police force if you had seen its dogs sinking their teeth into unarmed, nonviolent Negroes. I doubt you would commend the police force...if you were to watch them push and curse...kick and slap...and refuse to give food to negro individuals” (Letter from Birmingham Jail” 10). With this critical statement King sets a shadow over the police force. He proves a point to the clergy that the police have been mistreating these innocent individuals for no apparent reason. With King's statement comes a similar one done by History Channel. Outlining how inhumane police officers were with black protestors, officials used many actions to disperse large crowds of protesters. Those actions being the use of police dogs to intimidate and or physically harm people which is similar to MLK’s statement, fire hoses were used to disperse people from a certain area. These hoses sprayed at a fast speed, leaving behind red streaks on people's
Show More

Related Documents: Letter From Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Analysis

Rhetorical Analysis Letter From Birmingham Jail

Letter from Birmingham Jail – MLK: Rhetorical Analysis During the 50’s and 60’s there were “separate but equal laws” and the “Jim Crow laws” that caused nothing but discrimination towards people of color. Since these laws separated, people of color but get the crappy left overs, from the white people and would get harassed through name calling and even beat up until almost killed. Tired of getting mistreated MLK along with other activist stepped up to make a change through nonviolence protesting…

Words 620 - Pages 3

Rhetorical Analysis Of Letter From A Birmingham Jail

In “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” the Southern Church’s negligence to the exclusion of Negros within the community leads Martin Luther King to be in “deep disappointment.” King argues that the church lacks morality when removing themselves from the protest for segregation. The church was to stand for King’s protest because together, they are all brothers and sisters. Their choice to neglecting the issue leads to King’s disappointment. Religious leaders have yet to understand that the acceptance…

Words 442 - Pages 2

Rhetorical Analysis Of Letter From Birmingham Jail

Dr.Martin Luther King Jr.,one of the most well known african americans.He was a famous African American Civil Rights Activists.He wrote the well-know piece “The Letter from Birmingham Jail”. In his letter King states all the injustice that happened in Birmingham.How society let the wrong doings happen.And how injustice was everywhere. Martin Luther King effectively uses ethos ,pathos,and logos to persuade his audience. Dr.martin Luther King Jr. didn’t approve of how some of the whites were treating…

Words 354 - Pages 2

Rhetorical Analysis Of Letter From Birmingham Jail

"Beyond this, I am in Birmingham because injustice is here," states Martin Luther King Junior in his famous "Letter from a Birmingham Jail". He is in jail for participating in nonviolent resistance to segregation in Birmingham, Alabama after being summoned there by local activists. In the letter, he responds and justifies his actions to a group of white clergymen, who express a concern toward his protests against racism in Birmingham. King explains why he is breaking certain laws that degrade human…

Words 722 - Pages 3

Letter From Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Analysis

A rhetorical highlight of this essay happens when King unexpectedly launches into an extremely long sentence with use of anaphora. The sentence, which emphasizes numerous kinds of discrimination to which blacks have been exposed to begins as follows: “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… when you see…” This sentence, which contains 316 words altogether, is extremely influential. It catches us by…

Words 354 - Pages 2

Letter From Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Analysis

Rhetorical devices are often used to persuade someone into believing something, and to convey feelings or a deeper meaning to what someone is saying or writing. These devices aid people in persuasion. Many people have mastered the art of persuasion, and among them is Martin Luther King Jr. His usage of pathos throughout “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” demonstrates his ability in persuading people. First of all, King’s purpose in consistently applying pathos within the contents of his letter is to…

Words 238 - Pages 1

Rhetorical Analysis Of Letter From Birmingham Jail

“Letter from Birmingham Jail” is letter written by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. King read letter written by Eight Alabama Clergymen, which criticized the discrimination protests in Alabama and King himself. In this letter, King writes about racial problems in Alabama. In order to make this an effective response, King writes his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and applies a variety of rhetoric strategies such as ethos, pathos, and logos to prove his arguments valid on his letter. At this time, King was…

Words 623 - Pages 3

Letter From Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Analysis

The Epitome of Rhetorical Appeals by Martin Luther King, Jr. During the 239-year history of the United States, many citizens fought and raised their voices for the rights and justice of racial minorities in the society. Although the United States became known for equal justice through the efforts of citizens’ active civil rights movement, it also had a dark history of racial discrimination up until the 1970s. For example, African Americans suffered from Jim Crow laws, which inhumanly discriminated…

Words 780 - Pages 4

Letter From Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Analysis

documentation in so the reader knows both sides in my argument essay. Dr King uses some strong word and a lot of quotes in his stories, In both “I have a dream” and the Letter From Birmingham Jail. let's start with “I have a Dream” In this story he gets all of his followers from being strong with speaking and unspoken signal from his or hers listeners…

Words 342 - Pages 2

Rhetorical Analysis Of The Letter From Birmingham Jail

issue during the 1960s, definitely for African Americans in Birmingham Alabama. The leader of the civil rights leader ,Martin Luther King Jr, Came to Birmingham to push for African American rights. His audience of course was those who oppose it it, which was white people. In the letter, The Letter from Birmingham Jail,Martin Luther King Jr, who is the African American leader of SCLC, describes that he is protesting non-violently in Birmingham in order to prove how determined and tenable the African…

Words 784 - Pages 4