1. In the salutation, King refers to himself as a “fellow” clergyman, building his ethos and credibility (1). By referring to himself as a member of the clergy, King asserts his equality and his stature in society. This statement is meant to evoke a sense of respect from the reader, and to force the reader to consider the ideas that will be explained. The immediate audience for this letter is the eight clergymen who issued a public statement of concern regarding his movement. However, the broad audience is the white moderates which he criticizes multiple times throughout the letter.
2. King builds his ethos on multiple occasions throughout his letter to the clergymen. He directly refers to the great philosopher Socrates, and repeats his idea that “it [is] necessary to create a tension” to enact direct action (10). By referencing an esteemed philosopher, King builds his ethos and gives his words credibility. King also builds his ethos when he uses himself as an example for differentiating between “unjust and just laws” (19). He …show more content…
King appeals to pathos as he describes the adversity and the effects of segregation on the Negro. By depicting the “vicious mobs lynch[ing] [] mothers and fathers at will” (14), King exposes the struggle of the Negro in a segregated society filled with racial hatred. He humanizes the plight of the Negro, evoking emotion from both black and white audiences. Furthermore, King also appeals to pathos when he describes the treatment of Negroes by the Birmingham police as “ugly and inhuman” (45) and how they “push and curse…slap and kick” (45) the Negroes in the city jail. This description of police brutality is meant to empathize with other Negroes, as well as to reveal the oppression and injustice they face. In addition, the imagery King produces elicits a sense of sympathy among the audience. Through his appeals to pathos, King further persuades his audience that the treatment of the Negro is unjust and the situation must be
2. King builds his ethos on multiple occasions throughout his letter to the clergymen. He directly refers to the great philosopher Socrates, and repeats his idea that “it [is] necessary to create a tension” to enact direct action (10). By referencing an esteemed philosopher, King builds his ethos and gives his words credibility. King also builds his ethos when he uses himself as an example for differentiating between “unjust and just laws” (19). He …show more content…
King appeals to pathos as he describes the adversity and the effects of segregation on the Negro. By depicting the “vicious mobs lynch[ing] [] mothers and fathers at will” (14), King exposes the struggle of the Negro in a segregated society filled with racial hatred. He humanizes the plight of the Negro, evoking emotion from both black and white audiences. Furthermore, King also appeals to pathos when he describes the treatment of Negroes by the Birmingham police as “ugly and inhuman” (45) and how they “push and curse…slap and kick” (45) the Negroes in the city jail. This description of police brutality is meant to empathize with other Negroes, as well as to reveal the oppression and injustice they face. In addition, the imagery King produces elicits a sense of sympathy among the audience. Through his appeals to pathos, King further persuades his audience that the treatment of the Negro is unjust and the situation must be