Preview

Summary and Rhetorical Analysis of “Letter from Birmingham Jail”

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1697 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Summary and Rhetorical Analysis of “Letter from Birmingham Jail”
Summary and Rhetorical Analysis of “Letter from Birmingham Jail” Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested on April 12, 1963, in Birmingham, for protesting without a permit. The same day that King was arrested, a letter was written and signed by eight clergymen from Birmingham and titled “A Call for Unity”. The letter called for ending demonstrations and civil activities and indicated King as an “outsider”. On April 16, 1963, King responded to their letter with his own call, which has come to be known as his “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” King justified the nonviolent measures that sent him to jail and explained why the segregation laws against blacks in the south must be changed (356-371). At the beginning of this letter, King gives us the reason why he was in Birmingham. Not only was he invited there as president of the SCLC to launch and support the protests but also because injustice was in Birmingham. It was probably the most thoroughly segregated city (356). Then, King continues to refute that he was an "outsides" since they are all American and they are all “carry the gospel of freedom”(357). For instance, King tells of the failure in negotiation with the government. He describes the serious injustice facts among the black people to prove that there is no better timing for something that has been at conflict and “waiting” for 340 years (360). Furthermore, King explains why direct action is breaking the laws since it is an unjust law. He also justifies his nonviolent actions by comparing "just" and "unjust" laws with one example of Hitler (361). Continually, King addresses charges that the civil rights movement was "extreme" by quoting from the Bible. Then he points out the negative aspects of the white moderates. King states that they are not creating tension but only bringing hidden tension to the surface to protect themselves or isolate themselves within the bigger issue (363-365). Finally, he states that he is sad with the church because of the white
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Rhetorical Devices Used In Letter From Birmingham Jail
    • 279 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Rhetorical Devices Used In Letter From Birmingham Jail

    King’s use of rhetorical tools helps him convince the clergymen to take a second look at how African Americans are being treated. King utilizes emotive language to target his audience’s emotions. For example, he states, “if you would watch them push and curse old Negro women and young Negro” (3). He then goes on to give more examples, including, “I don’t believe you would have so warmly commended the police force if you had seen its angry and violent dogs literally biting six unarmed, nonviolent Negroes” (3). These help achieve his purpose because they are specific examples that make the clergymen feel guilty. Next, King utilizes questioning to make the clergymen reevaluate what they are doing. He says, “In this sense they have been rather publicly ‘nonviolent.’ But for what purpose? To preserve the evil system of segregation” (4).…

    • 279 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Analysis of "The letter from Birmingham Jail"
    • 1000 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Analysis of "The letter from Birmingham Jail"

    On April 3rd, 1963, the Birmingham campaign began and people were protesting against racism and injustice. The non-violent campaign was coordinated by King's Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights. However, King was roughly arrested with other main leaders of the campaign on April 12th for disobeying the rules of “no parading, demonstrating, boycotting, trespassing and picketing”. While jailed, King read a letter (“A call for unity”) written by eight white Alabama clergymen against King and his methods from the newspaper. In the letter, the clergymen stated that the campaign were "directed and led in part by outsiders," urging activists to use the courts if rights were being denied rather than to protest. The letter provoked King and “the Letter from Birmingham jail” was a written response to the white clergy men and to defend the strategy of non-violent protesting. Throughout the letter, King used many stylistic writing elements and effective emotional appealing to make people want to join his case.…

    • 1000 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Rhetorical Analysis Of Letter From A Birmingham Jail
    • 1142 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Rhetorical Analysis Of Letter From A Birmingham Jail

    Martin Luther King JR was an activist who took part as a leader in the Civil Rights movement. This whole movement of his is emphasized on the idea that nonviolent actions be taken. Although he was a leader for the Civil Rights movement, he was a Baptist minister too which played a critical role in his movement. The whole idea of taking nonviolent actions was due to his Christian beliefs, and it’s demonstrated all throughout the “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”. In his letter, Martin writes to a clergyman where he finds out that his nonviolent protest movements have been accused of being “extreme.” Whenever he responds back to the clergyman’s accusation, he employs rhetorical strategies. However, not only are these rhetorical strategies being employed when he’s responding to the accusation, but they can be seen throughout the letter.…

    • 1142 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Letter From Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Analysis
    • 997 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Letter From Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Analysis

    Thomas Jefferson and Martin Luther King, Jr. were brilliant men. The Declaration of Independence, written primarily by Jefferson, and the Letter From Birmingham Jail, written by King, are perfect examples of their intellect. Looking at these documents and observing the tactics they use while attempting to move their audience toward their ultimate goal, one can see the finesse that both Jefferson and King possessed. The Declaration of Independence had aspirations of obtaining a new form of government, away from the King of England, while the Letter From Birmingham Jail was intended to help move America toward a desegregated future. Jefferson was charged with moving the Colonists to armed revolution, as well as not alienating the King of England…

    • 997 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Letter From Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Analysis Essay
    • 1359 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Letter From Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Analysis Essay

    Martin Luther King Jr., born on January 15, 1929, fought for the injustices of his brothers and sisters throughout his life. While being an active activist, Martin Luther King was imprisoned to Birmingham jail due to his participation in a nonviolent demonstration against segregation and discrimination in Alabama. During his sentence, he wrote a letter, “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” to counter the criticisms of his actions from the clergymen by claiming that “An unjust law is no law at all”(par. 12), “Injustice everywhere is a threat to justice…

    • 1359 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Letter To A Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Analysis
    • 2233 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Letter To A Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Analysis

    In two shining examples of rhetorical power “A letter to a Birmingham Jail” and “Malcom X’s debate at the Oxford Union” The two great leaders of the civil rights movement outline their platforms and justify their philosophies in regards to how the movement should go about achieving societal change. Although the civil rights movement was brought to national attention by the combined work of MLK and Malcom X, the rhetorical strategies employed by the two are quite different and hold varying degrees of effectiveness. These social justice warriors did not receive an equal amount of respect nor did their ideas have an equal amount of impact because…

    • 2233 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Rhetorical Analysis Letter From Birmingham Jail
    • 449 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Rhetorical Analysis Letter From Birmingham Jail

    This long complex quote came from the well-known letter of Birmingham jail written by Martin Luther king. Through this letter, he uses a lot of different writing techniques to reach out to his audience. This writing technique has not only made me look at his writing but also feel connected to his writing. He was an American Baptist minister, social activist, humanitarian, and leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He led the Civil Rights Movement in the United States from the mid-1950s until his death by assassination in 1968. He is a strong, well known powerful figure from America’s history.…

    • 449 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Letters From Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Analysis
    • 673 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Letters From Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Analysis

    In the article “Letters from Birmingham Jail” by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who was a participant in a non-violent demonstration against segregation, subjects a response to a public settlement of concern and caution issued by eight white religious leaders of the South. The occasion of the letter was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s sentence to jail due to a non-violent participation in racial segregation. The letter was for people who were against him which were the eight white religious leaders. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wanted the…

    • 673 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Rhetorical Analysis Of Letter From Birmingham Jail
    • 685 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Rhetorical Analysis Of Letter From Birmingham Jail

    In Martin Luther King Jr's. letter, composed to the Clergymen from Birmingham Prison, he utilizes the expository interest of ethos to build up his credibility regarding the matter of racial segregation and shamefulness. He begins off the letter with "My Dear Fellow Clergymen". By him saying this, he is putting himself on the same "level" as the ministers, sending the message that he is no short of what them and they are no superior to him. He at that point goes ahead to state, "I am here on the grounds that I have hierarchical ties here. Be that as it may, all the more essentially, I am in Birmingham since bad form is here". He is disclosing to them that he has believability on the matter of shamefulness, not on the grounds that he is the…

    • 685 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Annotated Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Speech
    • 1154 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Annotated Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Speech

    Martin Luther King Jr. commences his speech by alluding to the speech, The Gettysburg Address given by Abraham Lincoln in the year 1863. When stating “Five score years ago...,” he refers to the renowned introduction Abraham Lincoln preached. King proceeds to state, “…a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today.” He and his audience stood in Lincoln’s shadow metaphorically and figuratively. He orated his speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, where the statue of Lincoln is situated. King utilizes imagery and diction from the metaphor, “This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice.” The “momentous decree” he refers to is the…

    • 1154 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Letter From Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Analysis
    • 1801 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Letter From Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Analysis

    To fully understand Dr. King 's “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” you must understand what times were like when King wrote his letter, who Dr. King was, and the criticism that Dr. King faced. The 1950 's and 1960 's were turbulent times for African Americans as they fought for equal rights as Americans. Jim Crow laws in the South dictated where blacks could sit in a restaurant or on a bus, they excluded blacks from certain jobs and neighborhoods, they segregated schools and prohibited blacks from voting in elections. There were 4,730 known lynchings of black men and women. There were hangings, burnings, beatings, and even house bombings or arson (Pilgrim 2012). There were also many landmark events during this time period. In 1954, the Supreme Court of the United States of America ruled in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka that racial segregation in schools was unlawful.…

    • 1801 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Rhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther King's 'Letter From Birmingham Jail'
    • 756 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Rhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther King's 'Letter From Birmingham Jail'

    Martin Luther King Jr. presents a compelling argument against segregation of the black and white community in his “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” He informs Birmingham’s eight religious leaders that he does not wish to cause violence but to promote equality among mankind, which has been disturbed by segregation laws and practices in Birmingham. King’s counter arguments signify the flawed claims made by the clergymen, forcing them to question their unjust actions and consider the benefits of non-violent protest. His elaborate justification of his perspective effectively ignites the power within his argument.…

    • 756 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Letter From Birmingham Jail Quote Analysis
    • 1088 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Letter From Birmingham Jail Quote Analysis

    All throughout American history, various cultures such as Native Americans and African Americans have arguably been inferior to the dominant white culture. Both Native Americans and African Americans share their own rich values and ways of living that have at some point in history been ignored or disregarded upon by a society of superiority. In "Letter From Birmingham Jail" written by Martin Luther King Jr., and "Team Names and Mascots" written by Robert Schmidt, both King and Schmidt argue the concept that society has dehumanized these cultures, leaving them to fight for their rights within a just society. Both King and Schmidt present their ideas and thoughts on the topic through persuasion and analogies. Although in "Letter From Birmingham…

    • 1088 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Martin Luther King's Letter From A Birmingham Jail
    • 1019 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Martin Luther King's Letter From A Birmingham Jail

    In April of 1963 Martin Luther King Jr. was jailed for a non-violent campaign of marches and sit-ins which had been organized to end racism and segregation in Alabama. While incarcerated a newspaper was smuggled in. This newspaper contained a statement made by various white clergy men of Alabama. Motivated, King responded to the clergy men with the now famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail”. In this letter King argues against segregation laws using the tenets of…

    • 1019 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Civil Rights Movement Research Paper
    • 1287 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Civil Rights Movement Research Paper

    Martin Luther King, Jr. emerged as a pivotal leader in the Civil Rights Movement. Dr. King was an advocate for civil disobedience and peaceful protest. In 1963, following his arrest during a protest in Birmingham, Alabama, Dr. King wrote “Letter from Birmingham Jail” where various sources of oppression were described along with how to combat such oppression. In the letter, Martin Luther King, Jr. explained promises made to the African Community for equality that were never met. As a result of the broken promises, Dr. King called for pressure to be put on the authority figures who instigated such oppression. Dr. King described the pressure as a “direct action” and that the pressure would force negotiation to occur. Negative emotions were in the African American Community. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote that these emotions could manifest themselves a violence, if not expressed. However, Dr. King warned against acts of violence to achieve the desired end of equality. In the letter, Martin Luther King, Jr. revealed to white leaders the racism faced by African Americans and the difficulties faced by the children of this…

    • 1287 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics