Letter from a Birmingham Jail, by Martin Luther King Jr., is a response to a group of Alabama clergymen, who critique King’s actions in protesting racial segregation and injustice in Birmingham. I Lost My Talk, by Rita Joe, is a poem that uses an extended metaphor to highlight the identity crisis of many Aboriginal people who grew up within the residential school system. Both poems, through the use of the three persuasive appeals, logos, ethos, and pathos, and by addressing their opposition, seek to encourage racial reform. Logos, King’s most frequent persuasive appeal in the letter, is critical to establishing himself as a voice of reason. Throughout the article, he rationally explains the reasoning behind the need for action in Birmingham.…
Analysis of Letter From a Birmingham Jail In 1963 Martin Luther King Jr. was asked to go to Birmingham to engage in a nonviolent direct-action program and was arrested as a result of this protest. A letter from several clergymen arrived to him during his incarceration criticizing his work as untimely and unwise. Martin Luther King responded to their critique in a “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” and explained the necessity of his presence. He explains that his actions were thoroughly planned out.…
Patterns persuade. 1963, the United States of America was in turmoil. The tension was rising between black and white, bond and free, north and south. Turmoil was building up for the eventual Civil War, one of the most crucial events in the nation’s history. Martin Luther King, Jr., a pinnacle leader in the race for freedom of the Negro people and a key icon of the Civil War, had been arrested and imprisoned in Birmingham, Alabama for certain demonstrations.…
I am responding to the “Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The letter was a response addressed to eight white clergy members against their charges on the SCLC’s recent movements. He provides several arguments dealing with their concerns, such as their concern that the movement was “untimely”, wherein King notes that being too patience with change would result in none. Other specific arguments in the letter will be touched upon.…
The Constitution and the Declaration of Independence are some of the oldest documents that established freedom and are still in use today. It wouldn’t have been possible to write such an outstanding piece of Literature and law purely based on research. Well recognized ethical speakers and activist such as Martin Luther King Jr, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton experienced inequality in the “American dream and for the most sacred values” (King) in their time of living during segregation. With their personal experience of living during segregation, Martin Luther King Jr and Elizabeth Cady Stanton were able to imply authority, reputation, similarities and connection with audience into their speeches by use of ethos. Another “very worthy person, a true…
In the ¨Letter from Birmingham Jail¨, Martin Luther King Jr. uses ethical appeals in order to convince the Clergymen of his authority. King uses ethical appeals to influence his audience by making appropriate allusions. This is shown when King says, " I am in Birmingham because injustice is here...and just as the Apostle Paul left his village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus to the far corners of the Greco- Roman world. " King is comparing himself to the Apostle Paul, saying that he is fighting for equality, just like Paul traveled around trying to get people to become Christian.…
King also relates himself to Jesus Christ, who like King was an “extremist for love” and “creative extremist” Ibid., 13. By comparing himself to Jesus Christ, King negates the clergymen’s criticism of him as an extremist. These two emotional appeals to faith, show the reader that they must side with King, as they would have sided with Paul, an outsider, and Jesus Christ, an…
King realizes the clergymen are men of God; therefore, by informing them of his leadership role he demonstrations to them that he too shares the same knowledge, guidelines, and appreciation for Christianity. Furthermore, he shows a keen awareness of his audiences’ religious background when he uses the stylistic…
Luther’s understanding of spiritual and temporal authorities in 1523 is still prominent in the modern day government. Luther believed the bureaucratic leadership is a way to maintain order in a chaotic and sinful world even though Luther realized the state could also be dictatorial. Limits to the state are necessary for fear that the secular political power will persecute the faith. Luther stated the idea that Christian’s should not have temporal authority or law since they can rule themselves with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. However those who are not Christian’s must have temporal authorities so they do not implement their wicked deeds.…
He completely negates this point and states that the clergy are wrong. 10. In his letter, King uses many patterns of figurative language but I find the one about light and darkness to be the most effective. In paragraph 24 is starts with “like a boil that can never be cured so long as it is covered up but must be opened with all its ugliness to the natural medicines of air and light . . .”…
Luther’s two kingdoms model demarcates between temporal authority and spiritual. He works diligently to show that the two should never be confused with each other. In this model there are two categories that humans fall into, the kingdom of God, and the kingdom of this world. Those who have faith in Christ and his death, burial and resurrection accept him as King and therefore belong the Kingdom of God. Alongside this kingdom exists a temporary one which God created.…
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Henry David Thoreau were both great literary figures in the United States, yet they lived in different time periods. Thoreau’s “Civil Disobedience” and King’s Letter to Birmingham Jail”are quite similar, in addition obtain certain differences between the texts. Both writers demonstrate each other 's audience on ways of being civilly disobedient towards their corrupt government and how to have a relationship with them. On the other hand, certain differences, both texts possess are whom it was addressed to as well as the occasions and appeal. Both texts fractions in similarities and differences through their analysis, such as occasion, strategies used, and other figures used in their writings.…
On the seventh page, King alludes that the accusations of his extremisms are more akin to great leaders of history such than the Black Muslim movement. “Was not Jesus an extremist for love… not Amos an extremist for justice… Was not Paul an extremist for the Christian gospel” (King 7), he positions himself among the aforementioned figures, among others, to establish further credibility and essentially ensure his critics that while they may think his actions are wrong now, in the future they will be revered as extreme actions that brought peace. He asks them, as fellow religious leaders, to entrust faith into his cause, just as the supporters of Jesus did, and the supporters of Martin Luther, Lincoln, the forefathers, and others. This allusion makes for an emotionally compelling argument because it presents his critics with the option to support the status quo or participate in a revolution that is destine to change the world just as Jesus, Lincoln, and others have before him. While this may appear pretentious, it actually elevates his cause to a biblical level.…
Martin Luther King Jr. and Frederick Douglass are two African American activists who lived in different centuries. The former fought for African American civil rights in 20th century while the later strived for abolition of slavery in 19th century, but they both carried one single agenda or goal in common –fighting for the equality and integration of African-Americans. In the Letter from Birmingham Jail and the Narrative of an African American Slave, Martin Luther King and Frederick Douglass have similarities and differences in their views of Christianity’s role in the larger context. For example, both Martin Luther King and Frederick Douglass expressed their indignation and criticism towards the white Christian churches for their justification and permission of slavery and segregation, although the tone or the severity of such condemnation differs. Moreover, King also holds more optimism towards the role of Christianity in overcoming the legacies of slavery and segregation and takes a more progressive stance on such matter.…
Elie Wiesel, a writer and Holocaust survivor says during his Nobel Prize acceptance speech, “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” This idea states that the act of keeping quiet and not questioning an immoral authority only gives power to the oppressors. By speaking up for what is right, the power is given to the people to repair an unjust government.…