Letter From Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Analysis
Nikolas Wahl
2 February 2014
Rhetorical Analysis MLK “Letter from Birmingham Jail” Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” was written in April 1963, during the African Americans fight for equality. Martin Luther King Jr.’s claim was not just to reply to the eight clergyman who had called his demonstrations “untimely and unwise”, but also aim his justifications at a bigger audience of religious and secular beliefs. An audience that is black and white; therefore King is able to justify his reasons and tactics of beginning immediate action using nonviolent protest to everyone. Throughout his letter Martin Luther King Jr. demonstrates the use of ethos, pathos, and logos to help support his claim while also consistently referring …show more content…
uses logos to help support his argument that “they had no alternative except to prepare for direct action.” King supports his claim using several logical examples, but also proves his points using historical evidence throughout his letter. When responding to being called an extremist in paragraph 30, King makes a logical appeal while citing many historical figures. “Was not Jesus an extremist for love:” “Love your enemies bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” Dr. King continues on naming historical figures such as Apostle Paul, Abraham Lincoln, John Bunyan, and Martin Luther who could be considered so called extremist. All of these men are considered honorable men in our history books, so by using such reason to appeal to his audience King is able to support his argument. Dr. King is brilliant in how he cites such honorable figures to show that if he is considered an extremist for campaigning equal rights then so should of they for all of their extreme ground breaking campaigns for things such as love, justice, and the Christian gospel. Martin Luther King Jr. does use some logical fallacies in his letter. King appeals to authority when he writes “Thomas Jefferson: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…” By citing words from one of our founding fathers King is appealing to authority because Thomas Jefferson was one of the most famous and respected Americans of all
2 February 2014
Rhetorical Analysis MLK “Letter from Birmingham Jail” Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” was written in April 1963, during the African Americans fight for equality. Martin Luther King Jr.’s claim was not just to reply to the eight clergyman who had called his demonstrations “untimely and unwise”, but also aim his justifications at a bigger audience of religious and secular beliefs. An audience that is black and white; therefore King is able to justify his reasons and tactics of beginning immediate action using nonviolent protest to everyone. Throughout his letter Martin Luther King Jr. demonstrates the use of ethos, pathos, and logos to help support his claim while also consistently referring …show more content…
uses logos to help support his argument that “they had no alternative except to prepare for direct action.” King supports his claim using several logical examples, but also proves his points using historical evidence throughout his letter. When responding to being called an extremist in paragraph 30, King makes a logical appeal while citing many historical figures. “Was not Jesus an extremist for love:” “Love your enemies bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” Dr. King continues on naming historical figures such as Apostle Paul, Abraham Lincoln, John Bunyan, and Martin Luther who could be considered so called extremist. All of these men are considered honorable men in our history books, so by using such reason to appeal to his audience King is able to support his argument. Dr. King is brilliant in how he cites such honorable figures to show that if he is considered an extremist for campaigning equal rights then so should of they for all of their extreme ground breaking campaigns for things such as love, justice, and the Christian gospel. Martin Luther King Jr. does use some logical fallacies in his letter. King appeals to authority when he writes “Thomas Jefferson: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…” By citing words from one of our founding fathers King is appealing to authority because Thomas Jefferson was one of the most famous and respected Americans of all