...Consider the Lobster in Birmingham in Jail After reading Martin Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and David Foster Wallace's “Consider the Lobster” it became evident that the two pieces had completely different audiences. “Letter From Birmingham Jail” was written during the height of the Civil Rights Movement and directly responded to “A Call for Unity.” “Consider the Lobster” had an audience consisting of foodies. By just the audience itself for which the pieces are written, it becomes clear that the levels of importance vary. Although, the two pieces differ in importance, both Wallace and King use ethos and logos to appeal to the audience. King’s essay is historically significant in that it addresses the deprivation of human rights,...
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...The purpose of Martin Luther King’s words used in the letter from Birmingham Jail was to correct the misconceptions and to advocate the approach of nonviolent civil disobedience. Martin Luther King wanted to get rid of racial injustice by writing the letter. Therefore, the cause is the words he used in the letter, the effect is the civil rights act. First, the cause in the letter was to correct the misconceptions held by clergymen. He wanted to make his point clear in order to get the effect he was hoping for. For example, on page 187, paragraph 3, Martin Luther King states, “But more basically, I am here in Birmingham because injustice is here.” This means he is simply trying to gain justice, and not trying to start a rampage. The tactics...
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...You do not have to be black to understand the urgency and spirit in which Martin Luther King wrote his “Letter from Birmingham Jail”. He is an inspiration not only to his people but also to everyone fighting for equality and against social injustice. In his letter MLK gives an effective argument that uses ethos to build credibility, includes societal factors happening outside and around him at the time, and appeals to his audience using many special technics. The letter was written at a shameful time in history when people were fighting to end segregation in the United Sates. While non-violently protesting, MLK and other demonstrators were jailed. MLK “was jailed for 8 days but only because he asked his supporters not to bail him out so it would have more of an effect and make a bigger statement” (HISTORY.COM MARANZANI 2013) While in jail, “someone snuck a newspaper that had an open letter to King written by Christian and Jewish religious leaders criticizing demonstrators and king” (history.com Maranzani 2013). King’s rebuttal to that statement is now this famous letter....
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...Eng 101 Teresa Sweeney 6 November 2015 Letter from Birmingham Jail Throughout Martin Luther King Jr. life, he faced many hardships, one of the most known ones was facing the town of Birmingham. He went against the Clergymen to defend why he was allowed to speak in this town with a brilliant letter known as the “Letter from Birmingham Jail”. This letter of importance was so greatly recognized and understood for its attention to literature. The argument was created by classical appeals, figurative language, and rhetorical strategies. King wrote this letter responding to the criticism demonstrated by eight prominent white clergymen. King first develops his letter using appeals of logos, ethos, and pathos to explain how he is allowed...
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...In Martin Luther King Jr’s The Letter from a Birmingham Jail, Dr. King outlines four basic steps to any nonviolent campaign: “collection of facts to determine whether injustices exist; negotiation; self-purification; and direct action”. The direct action he calls for falls in line with Dr. King’s assertion of “We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right”. This is a call to action as much as a philosophical musing. An American diplomat working in the field of International Relations would undoubtedly benefit by adopting Martin Luther King’s steps and perspective. First, comes a collection of facts, which may seem like an obvious step, but should not be undervalued. Billions of dollars are assigned to help carry out U.S. foreign policy, so even a small percentage that is lost to fraud can account for substantially large losses. By following up on the contracts negotiated, allocations of resources and measuring the outcomes for specific projects, a...
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...methods of peaceful protesting. In his Letter from a Birmingham Jail, King talks about his struggles and explains his current situation. He gives a more basic reason for being in Birmingham which is “because injustice is here.” He justifies his presence by bringing in allusions which include saying how prophets of the 18th century left their hometowns and villages just to spread their beliefs. He then goes on to state that it is his job to carry the “gospel of freedom” beyond his own hometown. He compares communities and states, “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” So what King is saying is that no matter where we are we need to be aware what is happening elsewhere also. When King addresses the issue of the response of white clergymen who do not agree with nonviolent protesting, he responds with the fact that violent protest will only burn down the bridge to equality between all colored people. As soon as the protesting becomes violent, it loses its meaning and is seen as work done by anarchists. Because of the negative responses to violent protesting, the only way of seeking out equality would be negotiation. King explains that “Nonviolent direct action seeks to...
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...From 1963 to modern day, 2015, Martin Luther King serves as a monumental figure of justice, as he fought for the equality of men that defines our society today. His courageous actions sent him willingly to jail yet did not stop his ambition for equality. In his “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, King uses rhetorical devices of ethos, logos, and pathos to persuade the Clergymen and the American public that the severity of unjust treatment of blacks has reached its breaking point, and justice must come now. As King writes his piece from prison, he must establish himself credibility, proving himself worthy of the clergymen’s time and ears. Throughout the piece, King uses ethos to give himself credit on the topic of racial injustice. He begins...
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...In Martin Luther King Jr's popular Letter from Birmingham Jail, he uses tactics to persuade and inform all readers of what is wrong with the world from the view point of a denomination that is unfortunately, under appreciated. His letter is formally toward eight while religious leaders of the South, and his action of going to jail was where he had a peaceful protest but without a permit. He first opens up explaining his career of being a successful business man and sharing common work actions with the religious leaders. With this, King used ethos, showing his credibility that he can relate to the readers of his letter, in a respectable way. King (1963) stated "when you take a cross-country drive and find I necessary to sleep night after night...
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...Peaceful resistance to laws positively impacts a free society. It stresses our natural rights as written in the Consititution. By doing so, we are practicing the rights to protect, assemble peaceably, and oppose laws, as stated in the First Amendment. While to some, civil disobedience may seem as an idea that destroys a society, to others (including myself) is just another way to bring about awareness and change to a society. In Martin Luther King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail", civil disobedience is shown throughout King's actions. King's peaceful protest movements showed resistance to several negative impacts of injustice. In the essay, King states that although Alabama clergymen were criticizing his actions, his argument was...
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...Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a knowledgeable speaker, letter, “Letter from Birmingham Jail” (1963) defends himself against the eight clergymen in which he explains his motive towards civil rights and tries to justify the needs for nonviolent actions. Dr. King’s primary focus was to answer the criticism of the church leaders. His secondary audience was the white moderate and the religious population. Dr King’s letter addresses that the white attitudes towards African Americans were hostile as they were unable to accept the civil rights movement, especially in the South. Throughout the letter, he uses various literary and rhetorical devices to justify his actions and show why they should not be illegal. King creates an irritated tone in this letter, to proclaim his annoyance to the clergymen who were criticizing him. He feels he...
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...Kyle McCrite Ms. Vaughn English 102-01 14 September 2009 Someone Else’s Shoes Martin Luther King’s (MLK) “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” was written in 1963 as a response to the Eight Alabama Clergymen’s public statement against King’s actions in April of that year. Martin Luther King Jr. was an activist for desegregation of the south in the early 1960s and overcame much adversity to attain incredible gains on the segregation issue in the United States. King uses effective persuasive appeals of logical evidence, emotional appeal, and author credibility to win over his audience in “The Letter from Birmingham Jail.” MLK’s writing shows the effects of segregation in Birmingham with clear direct language and heart wrenching examples. Imagine being put in his position. If your family and friends were being treated cruelly and unjustly would you not help them in any way possible, especially if included in the mistreated group? After reading MLK’s letter, maybe you would see things in a different way with his convincing examples of logical and emotional appeal. Martin Luther King proves his credibility by several factors. The first way King proves he is a credible author is the fact that he is in the Birmingham jail. He is arrested while protesting in the city. The reader can believe that MLK is writing about something that he is well versed in because he shows that he has experienced it firsthand. Another way that Martin Luther King shows he’s plausible is by stating “I have...
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...From 1963 to modern day, 2015, Martin Luther King serves as a monumental figure of justice, as he fought for the equality of men that defines our society today. His courageous actions sent him willingly to jail yet did not stop his ambition for equality. In his “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, King uses rhetorical devices of ethos, logos, and pathos to persuade the Clergymen and the American public that the severity of unjust treatment of blacks has reached its breaking point, and justice must come now. As King write his piece from prison, he must establish himself credibility, proving himself worthy of the clergymen’s time and ears. Throughout the piece, King uses ethos to give himself credit on the topic of racial injustice. He begins...
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...Logos in “Letter from Birmingham Jail” In his “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. states his argument against racial injustices and responds to accusations made by eight white clergy men against him and his fellow Negroes that their non-violent direct action protest was “unwise and untimely” (739). One of the ways that Dr. King responds is with the use of the rhetorical appeal, logos. He presents logical reasoning along with citing specific examples, facts, and evidence for his actions. The information he presents is truth and therefore convincing. In paragraph six, King points out that the actions of his organization were well-planned out and justified by listing the four basic steps that were taken leading...
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...Nick Genaris Professor Ngoh Protest Literature 21th October 2015 Letter from Birmingham Jail-Rhetorical Analysis Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote the “Letter from Birmingham Jail” in order to address the biggest issue in Birmingham and the United States at the time (racism) and to also address the critics he received from the clergymen. The letter discusses the great injustices happening toward the Black community in Birmingham and although it is primarily aimed at the clergymen King writes the letter for all to read. In his “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Martin Luther King Jr. uses logos, alliteration/repetition, and ethos to back up his belief that nonviolent protesting and disobedience is the most effective means to protest anything that needs to be changed, in this case segregation. After reading King’s letter I, and almost anyone, would come to the conclusion that King is deeply motivated to help against any injustice in the US. Who else would go to such lengths if they didn’t? He knows how persuasive he can be by using his knowledge of the English language, and he uses this to speak out against people who doubt him (clergymen) and to incite a different way of thinking into the people in hopes of change. Dr. King’s letter is extremely effective because it provides an enormous amount of evidence to the reader that he and his company are being treated unjustly and also that King truly cares about making a change for the good of the city. It also re-directs attention...
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...Engl. 1213-009 29 November 2010 Letter from Birmingham Jail In Martin Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, Dr. King expresses his grief for his fellow black people, after seeing and hearing about the injustice that was taking place in Birmingham, Alabama. Dr. King is very explicit in the letter; he makes a very obvious argument on the immeasurable amount of injustice taking place. A reader experiences firsthand that it was about time for necessary action to take place, considering how long the black people had waited for equality through nonviolent protest. “Letter from Birmingham Jail” was a response to eight clergymen’s letter called “A Call for Unity”. In the letter, Dr. King addresses his critics that believed his actions were “unwise and untimely” (King 204). To achieve his personal proposal, King uses ethos, pathos and logos to convey a sense of understanding a reason for equality and sympathy. The main point in Dr. King’s letter is that black people have patiently waited long enough for their God-given rights; “We have waited for more than 340 years for our constitutional and God-given rights” (King 207). And despite what anyone might have said, it time for change to take place. He starts his counterargument towards the clergymen, ministers and civil leaders of Birmingham adequately; he wrote “You deplore the demonstrations taking place in Birmingham, but your statement, I am sorry to say, fails to express a similar concern for the conditions that brought...
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