The speeches and writings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., are among the most powerful and persuasive work in history. One notable example is the “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” King’s skillful use of appeal to emotion, authority, and logic effectively put forward his ethnics and ideals. By adopting words as his weapons, he proves that language is often more effective than that of violence in bringing about positive change. He brilliantly explains the reasons for his nonviolent protest with restraint and commitment. In essence, Martin Luther King’s creative use of rhetoric effectively portrays the emotional misery of the segregated families in his call for social equality.
Dr. King methodically finds fault with his opponents’ arguments calling for patience and conformity by using emotions. He utilizes the rhetorical appeal of pathos by piling emotional example upon emotional example in a consistent way. After the first clause, “But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will,” King then provides a long litany of heartbreaking episodes that end with “then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait” (2). In this paragraph, King delineate all of his sentences by starting with “when” and continues to do so for nine lines until the final statement using “then.” He structures each sentence creatively by building suspense, anxiety, and excitement. As the reader finally reaches the climax upon reading the final sentence, King breaks into a person’s conscience and suggest for unity and equality. In his argument, he does not reply on an appeal based on his own experience, but rather he does so with a pathos appeal that showcases the experiences of fellow segregated families, including children. He refers to a six-year-old child who cries upon being told that she cannot attend an amusement park because she is black. By mentioning the daughter, he appeals to the feelings of all parents, reinforcing the idea that all children as well as adults deserve the same rights. Without taking anything away from the experiences of these children and their parents, Dr. King paints a masterful picture that illustrates “the ominous clouds” that equate to the feelings of inferiority and downfall of tears. By doing this, Dr. King stabs at the …show more content…
He establishes credibility and character in the salutation of the letter, which reads “My Dear Fellow Clergymen.” He reminds the reader about his role as a religious leader, rather than another role that would have been equally valid. By calling them ‘fellow clergymen,’ he makes the connection that they are in fact equals, that they work in the same profession, and that they all share a common ground. At the beginning of the letter, he tells his “fellow clergymen” that he normally does not reply to his critics or even write at such length, but with nothing else to do during the confined period in jail, he would attempt to answer “sincere criticisms” coming from “men of genuine good will.” Even in providing background information, he uses the narration to convince the clergymen to perceive him as a patient and reasonable man. King then quickly turns from a basic recognition of the clergymen’s letter to an ethos appeal. His underlying message in this appeal to flattery is that he wants men who wish to be sincere and good intentioned to further listen to his words. Even though he spends a
Dr. King methodically finds fault with his opponents’ arguments calling for patience and conformity by using emotions. He utilizes the rhetorical appeal of pathos by piling emotional example upon emotional example in a consistent way. After the first clause, “But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will,” King then provides a long litany of heartbreaking episodes that end with “then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait” (2). In this paragraph, King delineate all of his sentences by starting with “when” and continues to do so for nine lines until the final statement using “then.” He structures each sentence creatively by building suspense, anxiety, and excitement. As the reader finally reaches the climax upon reading the final sentence, King breaks into a person’s conscience and suggest for unity and equality. In his argument, he does not reply on an appeal based on his own experience, but rather he does so with a pathos appeal that showcases the experiences of fellow segregated families, including children. He refers to a six-year-old child who cries upon being told that she cannot attend an amusement park because she is black. By mentioning the daughter, he appeals to the feelings of all parents, reinforcing the idea that all children as well as adults deserve the same rights. Without taking anything away from the experiences of these children and their parents, Dr. King paints a masterful picture that illustrates “the ominous clouds” that equate to the feelings of inferiority and downfall of tears. By doing this, Dr. King stabs at the …show more content…
He establishes credibility and character in the salutation of the letter, which reads “My Dear Fellow Clergymen.” He reminds the reader about his role as a religious leader, rather than another role that would have been equally valid. By calling them ‘fellow clergymen,’ he makes the connection that they are in fact equals, that they work in the same profession, and that they all share a common ground. At the beginning of the letter, he tells his “fellow clergymen” that he normally does not reply to his critics or even write at such length, but with nothing else to do during the confined period in jail, he would attempt to answer “sincere criticisms” coming from “men of genuine good will.” Even in providing background information, he uses the narration to convince the clergymen to perceive him as a patient and reasonable man. King then quickly turns from a basic recognition of the clergymen’s letter to an ethos appeal. His underlying message in this appeal to flattery is that he wants men who wish to be sincere and good intentioned to further listen to his words. Even though he spends a