Jonathan Edwards, one of the most influential leaders for the puritan religion, delivered a speech on July 8th, 1741 titled “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” which informed his audience that God is the only thing holding them up over the pits of Hell. While on the other hand, Martin Luther King Jr, an American civil rights activist and author, writes a letter, “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” while held prisoner in Birmingham City Jail addressing eight Clergyman who condemned his protests throughout the city. Both Edwards and King use different variations of rhetorical devices to convey their messages to each of their audiences. Edwards uses negative imagery and metaphors to convince his audience that God is the only thing holding them up over the pits of Hell, and King uses metaphors and allusions to convey his message that the clergymen need to get on board with the civil rights movements or they will be left behind. Both methods are effective, but one has a greater effect. In order to determine which piece is more effective, there must first be an understanding of what the term effective means. The word effective can be defined as success in producing a desired or intended result. This definition will serve as a reflection of how the corresponding authors convey their messages. In Jonathan Edward's piece, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, he uses rhetorical devices, such as metaphors and negative imagery. Edwards uses several metaphors throughout his piece. For example, “There are the black clouds of God’s wrath now hanging directly over your heads, full of the dreadful storm, and big with thunder; and were it not for the restraining hand of God, it would immediately burst forth upon you.” (Edwards) The metaphor Edwards uses here, is used to strike fear into his audience’s heart. Edwards exclaims that if you do not follow the footsteps of God’s path, he will strike you down into Hell. Edwards also uses, many times in fact, negative imagery in his piece. He says, “[...] and if God should let you go, you would immediately sink and swiftly descend and plunge into the bottomless gulf, [...]” (Edwards). The negative imagery used here has the effect on the audience as the metaphor used earlier. It's purpose is to scare the audience so that they will listen to Edwards and obey God. But, what Edwards does not realize is that this fear he is attempting to
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One of the rhetorical devices King uses in his letter is metaphors, King asserts, “[...] Funtown is closed to colored children, and see ominous clouds of inferiority beginning to form in her little mental sky[...]”(King) The metaphor used here also contains pathos, making his audience, the clergymen, feel bad for the little girl. And at the same time, they start to understand why the civil rights is needed. King’s other strategy is allusions. He claims,”But though I was initially disappointed for being categorized as an extremist [...] was not Jesus an extremist for love:” (King) Here, King compares himself to Jesus. And the clergymen, being men of God, will see what King is doing is similar what Jesus was put in jail for. Then the clergymen will start to understand why King’s protests for the civil rights movement are a good
One of the rhetorical devices King uses in his letter is metaphors, King asserts, “[...] Funtown is closed to colored children, and see ominous clouds of inferiority beginning to form in her little mental sky[...]”(King) The metaphor used here also contains pathos, making his audience, the clergymen, feel bad for the little girl. And at the same time, they start to understand why the civil rights is needed. King’s other strategy is allusions. He claims,”But though I was initially disappointed for being categorized as an extremist [...] was not Jesus an extremist for love:” (King) Here, King compares himself to Jesus. And the clergymen, being men of God, will see what King is doing is similar what Jesus was put in jail for. Then the clergymen will start to understand why King’s protests for the civil rights movement are a good