Tone and Writing Technique of “Letter from Birmingham Jail” Many times, disagreements fail to bring an understanding to opposing sides because each side has different views on the subject at hand. In his “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. attempts to establish an adequate definition of “just” and “unjust” laws. King knew he could not directly argue his beliefs of segregation because the clergymen made clear they were not impressed with anti-segregationists breaking the law. He knew in order to make a valid rebuttal he could not cause confrontation. What is most interesting about the letter is the style of writing King uses to argue for righteousness which compels the reader to share his views of anti-segregation. In the beginning of the letter, King writes “My Dear Fellow Clergymen” to address them in a warm, welcoming way. Also, the use of the word “fellow” puts King and the clergymen together in a sense, making the letter less of an attack. Because of this, the letter is set up to be intimate instead of just an argument against the clergymen. King continues to say that the clergymen are “men of genuine good will” with criticisms “sincerely set forth.” By giving them this acknowledgement, King makes the reader understand he is not attacking the clergymen. Attacking these religious men in the beginning of the letter could have potentially lost him the respect of the readers. In paragraph three, King states “just as the Apostle Paul left his village…so am I compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own home town.” By comparing himself to the Apostle Paul, King furthers his claim that he is in jail because of an unjust law. With this in mind, the opening line of the letter, “while confined here in the Birmingham city jail,” is no longer just an introduction, but an important allusion that is kept throughout the letter. Having the