Analysis Of Martin Luther King Letter From Birmingham Jail
Analytical Essay
May 15th 2009
English 115
M L K – Letter from Birmingham Jail
On April 16, 1963, from the jail of Birmingham, Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote an extensive letter to eight clergymen who attacked his work for civil rights in a public statement released on April 12, 1963. Martin Luther King, Jr. aimed this letter at those eight leaders of the white Church of the South. However, the eight clergymen's letter and the response from Martin Luther King, Jr. were publicly published. Martin Luther King, Jr. wanted to convince of the utility of his commitment in this particular area at this specific moment. To persuade his readers, Martin Luther King, Jr. appeals to his own reputation and wisdom. Second, he tries to arouse sympathy in the readers to influence them emotionally. Finally, he appeals to logic, supported with evidence and citations from influential thinkers.
This paragraph starts with a delicate yet strong statement from King whom wants to say, "Honest confession that over the past few years has been gravely …show more content…
King states that the white moderates actions or inactions are guided "by a mythical concept of time," which leads the white moderate to believe that there is a "more convenient season," which must be on a later date. This argument also ties into an argument made in a later paragraph which starts by saying, "such an attitude stems from a tragic misconception of time, from the strangely irrational notion that there is something in the very flow of time that will inevitably cure all ills." It comes to King's attention that these members of the white moderate are not of ill will, but he argues that this in essence is worse than being of ill will because "Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill
May 15th 2009
English 115
M L K – Letter from Birmingham Jail
On April 16, 1963, from the jail of Birmingham, Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote an extensive letter to eight clergymen who attacked his work for civil rights in a public statement released on April 12, 1963. Martin Luther King, Jr. aimed this letter at those eight leaders of the white Church of the South. However, the eight clergymen's letter and the response from Martin Luther King, Jr. were publicly published. Martin Luther King, Jr. wanted to convince of the utility of his commitment in this particular area at this specific moment. To persuade his readers, Martin Luther King, Jr. appeals to his own reputation and wisdom. Second, he tries to arouse sympathy in the readers to influence them emotionally. Finally, he appeals to logic, supported with evidence and citations from influential thinkers.
This paragraph starts with a delicate yet strong statement from King whom wants to say, "Honest confession that over the past few years has been gravely …show more content…
King states that the white moderates actions or inactions are guided "by a mythical concept of time," which leads the white moderate to believe that there is a "more convenient season," which must be on a later date. This argument also ties into an argument made in a later paragraph which starts by saying, "such an attitude stems from a tragic misconception of time, from the strangely irrational notion that there is something in the very flow of time that will inevitably cure all ills." It comes to King's attention that these members of the white moderate are not of ill will, but he argues that this in essence is worse than being of ill will because "Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill