Martin Luther King Jr. uses many rhetorical strategies in his letter to Birmingham. While reading the letter I noticed he enjoys to show his knowledge of historical features and names mentioned in the Bible.
King starts off the letter (paragraph 2) with who he is and why he is in Birmingham. He then gives the comment that he is apart of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, showing he is a christian and later on finding out he is a minister. Doing what any minister would he tries to appeal to their faith. He then brought up many biblical characters like “Apostle Paul.” He also mentioned a greek philosopher by the name of Socrates. King’s goal was more of an example or comparison to give an idea of what he is wanting to happen. In paragraph …show more content…
I believe King thought they were important to include because they make you ask yourself the question. In some cases you even begin to think about it so deeply you have to put yourself in the other person’s shoes. “ Who can say that the legislature of Alabama which set up the segregation laws was democratically elected?”
In this letter I believe King had a big goal of appeal but also didn’t care to give his own opinion if he felt was necessary. King appeals to his audience by using pronouns like “us” to try and set everyone as a group almost as equals. As of giving his own opinion in paragraph 12 King gives reason that the mayor, Albert Boutwell, can not “ bring the millennium to Birmingham.” Metaphors and imagery is definitely Martin Luther King Jr’s specialties. “Nonviolent gadflies to create the kind of tension in society that will help men rise from the dark depths of prejudice and racism to the majestic heights of understanding and brotherhood.” Another metaphor that deals with the pain inflicted on African Americans reads, “ stringing darts of segregation.” There’s many others on the same subject like “hate-filled police”, “see her beginning to distort her personality”, and “ humiliated day in and day out.” One quote that really made me flabbergasted and stood out to me was “ harried by day and haunted by night by the fact that you are a Negro.” Can you imagine going out in public with the goal of just
King starts off the letter (paragraph 2) with who he is and why he is in Birmingham. He then gives the comment that he is apart of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, showing he is a christian and later on finding out he is a minister. Doing what any minister would he tries to appeal to their faith. He then brought up many biblical characters like “Apostle Paul.” He also mentioned a greek philosopher by the name of Socrates. King’s goal was more of an example or comparison to give an idea of what he is wanting to happen. In paragraph …show more content…
I believe King thought they were important to include because they make you ask yourself the question. In some cases you even begin to think about it so deeply you have to put yourself in the other person’s shoes. “ Who can say that the legislature of Alabama which set up the segregation laws was democratically elected?”
In this letter I believe King had a big goal of appeal but also didn’t care to give his own opinion if he felt was necessary. King appeals to his audience by using pronouns like “us” to try and set everyone as a group almost as equals. As of giving his own opinion in paragraph 12 King gives reason that the mayor, Albert Boutwell, can not “ bring the millennium to Birmingham.” Metaphors and imagery is definitely Martin Luther King Jr’s specialties. “Nonviolent gadflies to create the kind of tension in society that will help men rise from the dark depths of prejudice and racism to the majestic heights of understanding and brotherhood.” Another metaphor that deals with the pain inflicted on African Americans reads, “ stringing darts of segregation.” There’s many others on the same subject like “hate-filled police”, “see her beginning to distort her personality”, and “ humiliated day in and day out.” One quote that really made me flabbergasted and stood out to me was “ harried by day and haunted by night by the fact that you are a Negro.” Can you imagine going out in public with the goal of just