All of these factors influence each other to shape rhetoric, which Bitzer describes as, pragmatic; it comes into existence for the sake of something beyond itself (3), with Martin Luther Kings. In Letter From Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King responds to the subjectivity of law and the issue he paramounts by using precise and impactful rhetoric from inside of his jail cell. During the era of the civil rights movements in the 60s, among the segregation, racism, and injustice against the blacks, Martin Luther King Jr. stood at the Lincoln Memorial to deliver one of the greatest public speeches for freedom in that decade. He uses parallelism by repeating I had hoped to ironically accuse his attackers. The rhetorical choices referenced above are riddled with pathos, also known as language utilized to persuade the audience emotionally. Lastly, the exigence of a rhetorical piece is the external issue, situation, or event in which the rhetoric is responding to. Martin Luther King Jr.s Letter from Birmingham Jail. The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 29 Jan. 2021, https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/02/letter-from-a-birmingham-jail/552461/. African Americans have been waiting to have there civil rights of freedom, but the social courts has requested them not protest on the street but to take it to court. He wrote the letter in response to criticisms made by white clergymen. Another instance of parallelism in the letter is, We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the vitriolic words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people(Barnet and Bedau 745). It was during this time that Dr. King, refusing to sit idly by, wrote his Letter from a Birmingham Jail, one of the most inspiring documents in history. Specifically he targeted the clergymen who made laws at that time. In Martin Luther Kings Jr, Letter from Birmingham Jail the letter was a persuasive attempt to get Americans to finally see the inequality in the United States of America. In Letter from Birmingham Jail, King implements antithesis -- along with his background as a minister -- to demonstrate the hypocrisy of the Southern clergymen, as he attempts to further diverge the two diametric rationales; thus, he creates logos as he appeals to the audiences logical side and urges African-Americans to act punctual in their fight against injustice, prompted by the imprudent words of the clergy. There may have been advantages to broadcasting this message similarly to his I Have a Dream speech, which touched America deeply, due potentially to the accessible, instantaneous, and widespread coverage in American media. Recent flashcard sets. In any nonviolent campaign there are four basic steps: collection of the facts to determine whether injustices exist; negotiation; self-purification; and . the exigence is the continued condemnation, segregation, and prejudice afflicted against African Americans since the emancipation of the slaves in 1863. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust(Barnet and Bedau 742). These two techniques played a crucial role in furthering his purpose and in provoking a powerful response from the audience that made this speech memorable and awe-inspiring. King understood that if he gained support from the white American, the civil rights movement would reach its goals much faster. His use of diction and syntax would align his mission to Gods, and show that he was in the right and the clergymen were in the wrong. He deliberately tries to make the audience feel as if racial segregation is both wrong and against basic morals. King's main thesis in writing the Birmingham letter is that, racial segregation, or injustice to the black American society, is due to the continuous encouragement of the white American society, particularly the powerful communities in politics and religions. He wants the clergyman to realize that what they believe and think is wrong. King has explained this through many examples of racial situations, factual and logical reasoning, and . Initially, the eight Birmingham clergymen are the audience and while they were not overtly racist, King uses rhetoric meant to have them understand his urgency. This is the beginning of King's point-by-point rebuttal of the criticisms leveled against him. Martin Luther in Birmingham Jail, The Atlantic. Note: All essays placed on IvyMoose.com are written by students who kindly donate their papers to us. Choose one type of reason and cite an example from these lines. The "Letter from Birmingham Jail" was written by the African American hero Dr. Martin Luther King in Birmingham back in 1963, addressing the issues that the African Americans faced back in that time. Saying it that way magnifies the imperative difference between the two types of laws. " Any law that uplifts human personality is just." Constraints bring light to the obstacles this rhetoric may face, whether it be social, political, economical, etc. He is placing hope among the Negro community and assuring the white superiority that one day, they will share the same rights as their nation distinctively promised a hundred years earlier. Divided there is little we can dofor we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder." - John F. Kennedy, "1961 First Inaugural Address" Dr. King responded to criticism that was made by clergymen about calling Dr. King activities as "Unwise and Untimely". Despite his support, Martin Luthers audience is one of the largest constraints in his rhetorical situation. Dr. Kings goal of this letter was to draw attention to the injustice of segregation, and to defend his tactics for achieving justice. "Letter From a Birmingham Jail," written by Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963, describes a protest against his arrest for non-violent resistance to racism. Throughout the text, King utilized the values of his audience to gain sympathy and later on support. In his "Letter from Birmingham City Jail," Martin Luther King Jr. presents an argument through analogy by comparing his situation to Apostle Paul. "A Letter from Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King Analysis. In each writing, he uses the devices for many different purposes. This protest, his subsequent arrest, and the clergymens public statement ostensibly make up the rhetorical exigence, but it truly stems from a much larger and dangerous situation at hand: the overwhelming state of anti-black prejudice spread socially, systematically, and legislatively in America since the countrys implementation of slavery in Jamestown, 1619. In this example, King employs antithesis to highlight the logical structure and urgency of his argument against inequity, which allows him to establish logos. Parallelism, in the way King uses it, connects what seems like small problems to a larger issue. , Atlantic Media Company, 29 Jan. 2021, https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/02/letter-from-a-birmingham-jail/552461/. He had a great impact on race relations in the U.S. and he made a great impact on many lives. Both works utilizes the persuasive techniques of pathos in Dream and logos in Birmingham. Both of the works had a powerful message that brought faith to many. Lastly he shows ethos by using authority in his speech by using quotes from two very famous documents. From the very beginning of it , King brings his crowd back to the origin of America when the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, that freed all slaves and gave hope to the former slaves. Get professional help and free up your time for more important things. While his letter was only addressed to the clergymen, it is safe to assume that King had intent on the public eventually reading his letter, considering his position within the Civil Rights movement, use of persuasive rhetorical language, and hard-hitting debates on the justification of law. He takes up for his cause in Birmingham, and his belief that nonviolent direct action is the best way to make changes happen. King organized various non-violent demonstrations in Birmingham, Alabama that resulted in his arrest. To achieve this, he used rhetorical strategies such as appeal to pathos and repetition. Yes he does criticize the white clergymen but basically he is trying to tell them that they should stop this segregation and that the black are not to be mistreated. MLK uses both ways to gain the attention and agreement of the audience but, he uses pathos not just more, but in a more relatable way in order to appeal to his audience. The concept of parallelism in letters from birmingham jail by martin luther king jr.. http://www.kibin.com/essay-examples/the-concept-of-parallelism-in-letters-from-birmingham-jail-by-martin-luther-king-jr-Q1aX8ugT Be sure to capitalize proper nouns (e.g. Because of his skill in creating such pieces of writing, as well as his influential role within the Civil Rights Movement, and the reminder that Letter from Birmingham Jail provides of these trying times, his letter should continue to be included within A World of Ideas. Furthermore, exterior events regarding the movement could ultimately reflect on his influence and polarize the audience further. Letter From Birmingham Jail and use of Parallel Structure and Anaphora Kirtan Patel Chapter 25 Chapter 24 Parallel Structure- repetition of the same pattern of words or phrases within a sentence or passage to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance. This exigence is rhetorical because it can be improved if enough people are socially cognizant, whether that be in legislature or the streets of Birmingham, through creation and enforcement of equitable laws and social attitudes. Parallelism In Letters From Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King Jr. uses pathos and parallelism frequently throughout Letters from Birmingham Jail, to persuade the clergyman to support his actions in the civil rights movement. King establishes his position supported by historical and biblical allusions, counterarguments, and the use of rhetorical devices such as ethos, pathos, and logos. 100% plagiarism free, Orders: 11 He approaches his argument with logic and appealing to the people of Birminghams emotions. Several clergy who negatively critiqued Kings approach of seeking justice, wrote A Call for Unity, arguing that his protests were senseless and improper. The continuous mistreatment of African Americans for over a century was, at last, deeply questioned and challenged nationwide with the growing popularity of the Civil Rights movement, and the topic of equality for all had divided the country. is undeniably effective at responding to the rhetorical situation at hand. His passionate tone flowed through these strategies, increasing their persuasive power on the people and encouraging them to follow/listen to his message on racial injustice. 114, http://www.jstor.org/stable/40236733. Overall, King is saying that we need to fight against injustice anywhere we see it,, In April of 1963, while incarcerated in Birmingham City jail, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote an influential letter defending his anti-segregation protests. This special lyrical and parallel structure helped get his main points across and allows a large audience to understand simple but powerful words (Layfield) . Here, King offers disparate hypotheticals to illustrate the necessity for brevity in his acts. MLKs use of pathos and repetition is an effective way to persuade his audience about his position on civil disobedience. Here are more examples of parallel structure within "Letter from Birmingham Jail" that I find especially powerful. This use of parallelism draws on the emotions of personal experiences to persuade that segregation is a problem in a myriad of ways. In Martin Luther King Jrs I Have a Dream speech he effectively uses ethos, diction and powerful metaphors to express the brutality endured by African American people. In response, King emphasized that justice is never timely, and the refusal to acknowledge equal rights was inhumane and regressive. Besides the use of pathos, King uses repetition to enhance the effectiveness of his argument. A seminal text of the Civil Rights Movement, King's, "Letter from Birmingham Jail," defends the strategy of nonviolent resistance to racism, justifies the measures that brought about his arrest, and asseverates that the segregation laws against blacks in the south must be repealed. While his letter was only addressed to the clergymen, it is safe to assume that King had intent on the public eventually reading his letter, considering his position within the Civil Rights movement, use of persuasive rhetorical language, and hard-hitting debates on the justification of law. This website uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Identify the parallel structures in the following sentence from Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail," and explain their effect. Although the letter was addressed to the eight clergymen, the Letter from Birmingham Jail speaks to a national audience. Martin Luther King responds to the subjectivity of law and the issue he paramounts by using precise and impactful rhetoric from inside of his jail cell. MarkAHA. On April 12, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and nearly 50 other protestors and civil rights leaders were arrested after leading a Good Friday demonstration as part of the . Consequently, Birmingham became the core of the Civil Rights movement, pumping the life-blood of social change into the rest of the country. In this example, King implements logos to create a cohesive argument that appeals to the rational side of his audience: Southern clergymen. Martin Luther King Jr. displays pathos by targeting the audiences emotion by talking about his American dream that could also be other peoples too. By addressing his respect for the clergymen, feigned or not, he is acknowledging the effectiveness of respect to those in power, whether they may or may not deserve it. Repetition in "The Letter from a Birmingham Jail" Ethos Example "A just law is a man made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God. He displays a great amount of pathos, logos, and ethos in his speech. The use of pathos is effective because it appeals to emotions and the issue of civil rights and civil disobedience. Dr. King was the foremost civil rights leader in America in the 1950s and 1960s who was ordained minister and held a doctorate in theology. With his respectful nature, humility, compassion, optimism, and determination, King responded to a group of white Alabama clergymen who had condemned the civil rights protests as extreme in their open letter, A Call for Unity. Although his letter was directed towards a small group of eight men, his words eventually reached the minds and hearts of the entire country. The way Dr. King constructs his argument is as if he was preaching his argument to his congregation. Laws should build up society to be better so that a law is not need to be enforced and people will still follow it. Explain why the examples fit your chosen reason. These circumstances lead us to our next rhetorical focus: audience. He uses a large number of rhetorical devices in his letter to reach his goal, including point of view, imagery, and rhetorical questions. Martin Luther King then goes on to make an analogy to the Bible, portraying Apostle Pauls proliferation of the gospel of Jesus Christ in parallel to his own efforts, stating, I too am compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my particular hometown (1). To get a high-quality original essay, click here. King's letter from Birmingham Jail addresses the American society, particularly the political and religious community of the American society. This comes to endanger our entire society. This essay was written by a fellow student. After reading "Letter from a Birmingham Jail", ask your students to do a scavenger hunt using the storyboard creator. With these devices, King was able to move thousands of hearts and inspire the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It is rather for us to be here, As it may do that, it also seems to serve more of a logical appeal because he mentions the evidence of white brotherhood. In sum, all rhetoric has an external situation in which it is responding to. Yet his most important method of reaching his audience, and conveying his enduring message of equality and freedom for the whole nation was his appeal to pathos. His writing is respectful and educated, if not naturally, to invalidate the use of his race against him by the largely prejudiced audience. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. Martin Luther King Jr., with the Rev. samples are real essays written by real students who kindly donate their papers to us so that Found a perfect sample but need a unique one? : "There can be no gainsaying the fact that racial injustice engulfs this community." . SophAbs. Though this letter was intended for the judgemental and condescending men of high faith, his response touched the hearts and minds of the entire U.S. population, then, and for years to come. The amount of original essays that we did for our clients, The amount of original essays that we did for our clients. During a civil resistance campaign in Birmingham, Alabama, Dr. King was arrested. King through this letter tries to express his, "Martin Luther King Jr.'s letter from Birmingham Jail, which was written in April 16, 1963, is a passionate letter that addresses and responds to the issue and criticism that a group of white clergymen had thrown at him and his pro- black American organization about his and his organization's non- violent demonstrative actions against racial prejudice and injustice among black Americans in Birmingham. The law was written in 1962, but the powerful response pushed the courts to finalize their decision. While in his cell, he composed the famous Letter from Birmingham Jail. When teaching speeches and letters, it's helpful to refresh or introduce students to literary elements that enhance rhetorical strategies. Any deadline. 1, no. Martin Luther King Jr.s Letter from Birmingham Jail.. At this time, he is representative of the Black American population and the Civil Rights Movement as a whole he is Martin Luther King Jr., and while this is a powerful position to occupy, the constraints imposed are just as dominant. In this example, King manufactures logos through the creation of antithetic parallelism, as the structure of his essay provides justification for his argument against the postponement of justice. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved.