Dr King Rhetorical Analysis

In his writing piece from paragraphs 15-22, Dr. King attempts to impress on the reader that he was righteous in his method of civil disobedience to bring around change. Dr. King uses juxtaposition and rhetorical questions as a means to help “shine a light” on his justification for his methods, and then really lay emphasis on his reasoning. Furthermore, in his use of pronouns and his gentle yet rigid, unmoving tone he helps to transport the reader into “Dr. King’s world” where everyone is the same, so as these laws is hindering some of the community, the civil disobedience underway is necessary. Finally and most prominently Dr. King really tries to reason with the reader through logos, and helps use morality to help convey how his methods …show more content…
King has a very particular use of his words to help immerse the reader into his world, and help show how these unjust laws affect everyone, not just one person, therefore making civil disobedience necessary. Dr. King has a imposing, profound use of pronouns to really address the reader directly. Specifically he uses “you” to address the reader directly and showcase his beliefs to the reader. This rhetorical strategy of addressing his audience directly, allows Dr. King to keep the audience engaged and active so that he can directly question their views of contradiction and influence the reader. As seen in paragraph twenty when King says he hopes the audience can make the distinction he is making, he is able to make sure the reader comprehends the idea that civil disobedience is justified for unjust laws. He also uses pronouns like “us” and “we” as another rhetorical strategy as in the beginning of paragraph seventeen to help exhibit the idea that everyone is equal and in one community during this section and that these unjust laws should be disobeyed. By using I, he also makes it seem more conversational and he creates a mother like tone, being gentle and firm, and slowly but politely explaining why he believes his views are justified allowing a more intricate connection to his audience. His use of pronouns really brings a one on one basis with the reader, so that he can reason further through his use of …show more content…
King in these seven paragraphs is the use of logos. He uses this to logically reason with the reader to demonstrate how his views are righteous. One the strongest examples of this is paragraph eighteen, as he explains to the reader how if African Americans had no voice in the laws that affect them then how can that law be just. This depicts a logical fallacy helping Dr. King to reason with the reader. Furthermore in paragraphs twenty two by using extreme examples of Hitler’s persecution and the freedom fighters, Dr. King uses history in order to depict the fact that sometimes what is legal is unjust and what is illegal is actually just. In that way he reasons with the reader and points out the fallacies in the clergymen’s argument once again. His logos appeal allows him to take a slow approach by gently providing example to convince them of his ideas. Through his logos appeal, he also does build ethos as he shows he is knowledgeable in this cause and justified to speak of the manner, furthermore the cause has directly affected him as he has been included in the segregation, and put in jail due to civil disobedience showing how he can speak on this matter. By using icons from the bible as examples, he also builds pathos as many people are Christians who can relate to icons, and as a result Dr. King is able to appeal to the reader through pathos, ethos, and most prominently logos so show how civil disobedience is