Martin Luther King Jr. was a sensational speaker. He has a way with words. A way that can sway you and your view of things. In “ Letter From Birmingham Jail”, it is clear this effect is not sacrificed in his writing. King may not have known the specific literary actions he has taken, however, he did an excellent job of y]using rhetorical devices to get his point across. In “Letter From Birmingham Jail” by MLK, King uses rhetorical devices such as, rhetorical appeals, metaphors, and allusions to strengthen his argument in the letter. This letter was written to address the biggest issues of the south. King, through his use of rhetorical devices, to further support his argument. King’s most effective way of getting his point across was his appeal to emotion, credibility, and logic. This is also known as Ethos, Pathos and …show more content…
He also brings up how all of it can affect children and their mindset. MLK states, in paragraph 11,” ..when you suddenly find your tongue twisted …show more content…
One that stood out appeared in paragraph 11, King states “ It has been a tranquilizing thalidomide, relieving the emotional stress for a moment, only to give birth to an ill-formed infant of frustration”, comparing a mother being given a drug for morning sickness, thalidomide, that causes birth defects to the frustrations that African Americans endured. In a way it is also a case of Pathos. It causes sympathy and understanding from the audience. A second metaphor that also appeals to the reader’s emotion is also found in paragraph 11. King , in paragraph 11, claims, “...it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation…”, comparing, while also describing, the pain that segregation caused blacks to stinging darts. Blacks can relate to the physical pain and whites can grasp an understanding. It reveals to them the detriment of