Rhetorical Analysis: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Words: 319
Pages: 2

On April 16th, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. responds to a newspaper that was written by the clergymen of that time. King wrote this letter to justify his actions and to answer the claim that his actions were "unwise and untimely." While writing this letter, King uses rhetorical devices and appeals to develop his argument that his actions were not untimely and unwise. When King starts out his letter, he has to make it clear that he is not an outsider by establishing credibility with the clergymen. King does this by juxtaposing statements about justice, he says "Injustice everywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." This means that even if there is a shred of injustice somewhere in America, it is a threat to all the justice everywhere else.