Letters from a Birmingham Jail Essay - 1534 Words

Letters from a Birmingham Jail Aristotle is a very citable man when it comes to the way we think today. His rhetoric techniques are still being used in todays society. The Neo-Aristotelian Criticism is three different appeals of persuasion. This is ethos, pathos and logos, which makes one heck of a convincing argument. Ethos gives credibility, pathos shows emotion and logos uses words. In the text, Letter from Birmingham Jail, we find many examples of the criticism. Martin Luther King Jr. is writing a letter from inside the jail of Birmingham in April of 1963. This letter King wrote was in response to a letter he received from the religious leaders after King is making a stand against the racial issues in Alabama. These leaders†¦show more content†¦has a sense of right and wrong under a religious point of view. King goes on to talk about how this affiliation is across the south and this goes to show the ethics, because these eighty-five groups who believe the same thing, cant be wrong for what they beli eve in. On the fifth page of the text, King gives an example of Adolf Hitler and what he did was legal in Germany. Hitler was the maker of his own rules for his country, and due to his status didnt make his actions correct. At that time Im sure there were those who came against Hitler and were punished for it, just as King was being punished for his stand. Ethics is based on societies views as right and wrong, not on what is written down in black and white. Today as we look at history we see that Hitler was wrong for what did, and we see King was right for wanting a better nation for everyone including African-Americans. Top of the seventh page is another great example of ethos in this letter. Martin Luther King Jr. makes reference to Jesus, Amos, Paul, Martin Luther, John Bunyan, Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson for all being an extremist. King views himself as an extremist for equality. I think King first makes note of naming Jesus to refer back to the bases of the clergymens religion. All these men that he names were men who stood alone in someway for what they believed in. They all stood for what was right according to what we see today, but not at the time they made a move.Show MoreRelatedA Letter From The Birmingham Jail1110 Words   |  5 Pagesstatement of the text’ which is often drawn directly from the Bible; (3) the ‘body of the sermon,’ which consists of repeated emotional climaxes; and (4) the ‘conclusion’ which resolves the emotional tension aroused by the sermon by drawing the sinners to God.† (Pipes 143). Based on these characteristics and King’s religious background and experience as a preacher, it is logical to argue that the structure of â€Å"A Letter from the Birmingham Jail† resembles that of a sermon which is aimed at an audienceRead MoreThe Letter From Birmingham Jail 1321 Words   |  6 Pages(King). Children ripped apart from their families, not being able to socialize with certain people, or even go to the local amusement park. It was a hard time to be a colored person, and there was one hope. Martin Luther King, Jr. believed that one day blacks and whites could one day come together peacefully. King tried to do what he believed was right with everything in his will to finally join forces and not be talked down on by whites. In the â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† he includes several eventsRead MoreLetter from Birmingham Jail1872 Words   |  8 Pages2015 Letter from Birmingham Jail-Rhetorical Analysis Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote the â€Å"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 â€Å"Letter from Birmingham JailRead MoreThe Letter From A Birmingham Jail809 Words   |  4 Pagesbut all human beings who were being treated unjustly. He is known for many speeches, but The Letter from a Birmingham Jail† written in 1963 was phenomenal in my opinion; this letter, written in response to â€Å"A Call for Unity,†(Carpenter et. el, 1963 ) an article written by eight, white, Alabama clergymen, was to serve as a response to those who believed that King acted inappropriately for coming to Birmingham, Alabama, as an outsider, for crea ting immense tension with his demonstrations, and for theRead MoreLetter from a Birmingham Jail759 Words   |  4 PagesLuther King’s â€Å"Letter from Birmingham jail† is a mix of emotional passion and logical precision that seeks to achieve meaningful cause. The letter was a response to white clergy who were critical of his intention in Birmingham naming him an â€Å"outsider†. King’s response to critics through a letter explains his arguments vividly and effectively. King wrote the letter in a way that he agreed with his critics, nonetheless still using their words against them in logic harmony. King’s letter illustratesRead MoreThe Letter From A Birmingham Jail1266 Words   |  6 PagesDr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a key figure in the civil rights movements that took place in the 1950s and 1960s. The â€Å"Letter from a Birmingham Jail† is an open letter written by King defending nonviolent resistance against racism. The letter arg ued that people have a moral responsibility to break unjust and unethical laws. The letter also stresses themes of unity among brothers in order to overcome racism. I will argue in support of King’s stance that citizens are morally justified in breakingRead MoreLetter From A Birmingham Jail1900 Words   |  8 PagesSummary and Response â€Å"Letter from a Birmingham Jail† John Hodgin English 111-54H Professor Bradford Ivy Tech Community College September 24, 2017 Cover Letter Professor Bradford, Obviously my primary motivation for writing my Summary and Response Draft is that it is a requirement for my English Composition Class. Having said that, I also have another heartfelt motivation for writing my Summary and Response about Martin Luther King’s â€Å"Letter from a Birmingham Jail†. I have studied aboutRead MoreEssay on A Letter From a Birmingham Jail717 Words   |  3 PagesA Letter From a Birmingham Jail In Martin Luther King, Jr.s Letter from a Birmingham Jail, his thoughts and ideas are directly stated, well expressed, explained, and illustrated. Kings style of writing gives the reader a clear glimpse into the world with which he struggled and allows his letter to be powerfully effective. In the introductory paragraph, King introduces his reason for writing the letter and details who the audience is to be. He explains that he rarely answers criticismsRead MoreLetter From Birmingham City Jail Essay1700 Words   |  7 PagesProfessor Ybarra Philosophy 1C 23 November 2015 Letter From Birmingham City Jail Martin Luther King Jr. wrote the Letter from Birmingham City Jail to the clergymen, saying that they criticized the actions and how they were targeting him. He explains in the letter how the city of Birmingham has gone through all the nonviolent campaigns and that it proves that their is serious racial injustice. Martin Luther King Jr. composed the letter to Birmingham in 1963. The reason why so many people were complainingRead MoreLetter From Birmingham Jail Act904 Words   |  4 Pages In April 1963, the city of Birmingham, Alabama, was caught in the midst of massive civil rights protests. Protestors advocating for desegregation brought the city to a halt with widespread disruptive yet peaceful protests. After a circuit court placed an injunction against protesting, parading and picketing King was arrested for his involvement. While in jail King received a letter written by eight Alabama clergymen criticizing King for his disruptive protests and the breaking of laws which lead