The Letter from Birmingham Jail Analysis Essay

On April 16, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. published the "Letter From a Birmingham Jail". This well-written and logical letter was written in response to a newspaper article written by clergymen. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote the letter to defend his nonviolent strategies. This essay examines the three principles of rhetoric found in Letter From Birmingham Jail: ethos, logos, and pathos.

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The first and second paragraphs of page 2 show examples of ethos found in letter from Birmingham Jail. It is clear that Martin Luther King used ethos in Letter From Birmingham Jail to defend the nonviolent resistance he uses. King is a prominent African American figure and well-educated. This gives him an automatic ethos. King was also a respected priest and is generally trusted. King maintains an ethos. King begins by talking about the events he and his readers share. They shared the participation in the mayoral elections. King said, "Then it occurred that Birmingham's mayoral elections were coming up in March. We quickly decided to postpone our action until after the election day." This was because the clergymen continued to argue that the timing was poor. The Letter from Birmingham Jail also shows ethos at the beginning of an argument. "Just like Socrates felt." King wants to show that his reasoning is not a faulty one and that he is credible when it comes to direct action. He is simply defending the nonviolent methods of his organization.

King uses pathos on page five to support his pacifist affiliation. King shows the South as it would look if it resorted to violence and how African Americans would continue to live if they adhered to segregation laws. After discussing the fact that they are nonviolent, King states, "If this philosophy[of] nonviolence hadn't emerged, by now many roads of the south would be, I am convinced. Beating bloody" is his way of convincing the reader that nonviolence is the best approach to the situation. King states that "marches" or "pilgrimages at city hall" are the best, nonviolent way for his group and other African Americans to release their "pent up frustrations and latent angers" and that his organization's nonviolent direct actions are the best. King does not want them becoming compliant or violent and believes that being a pacifist in this situation is the best thing.

King's letter uses pathos to describe the effects of segregation on people. When your tongue becomes twisted and your speech stops, as you try to explain to your six-year-old daughter why she cannot go to Fun town, you will see your emotions start to rise. King uses pathos to get the reader to feel empathy by showing how parents and children deal with injustice in human rights. The use of pathos makes the reader feel sorry for the Black Community.

King uses logos on page 2 to support his nonviolent strategies. King uses his examples to explain how nonviolent direct actions work. King begins by saying that nonviolent direct actions seek to create a crisis and foster tension so that a community...is forced confront the issue." This is how King defines the goal of nonviolent indirect action. This is to make the whites more aggressive until they give in to negotiation. King defends this position because he is aware that violence is not right and will only lead to more blood. King also explained that "nonviolence seeks to dramatize an issue so that it cannot be ignored." This is a logic statement that supports the ideals of nonviolence in his organization.

Conclusion

Martin Luther King has masterfully applied the ethos, pathos and logos to the Letter from Birmingham Jail. King takes up his cause in Birmingham and believes that direct nonviolent action is the best way for him to effect change. King illustrates this with many examples, including racial situations and factual and logical reasoning. He also makes allusions to Christianity. King writes the letter in order to draw the attention of those who desire change. King uses rhetorical strategies in order to reinforce his message to the people and bring about change in many people's lives.