“Letters from a Birmingham Jail” Analysis of the...

In order to successfully write rhetorically, an author must persuade an audience as if to win a debate. To do this, the author must create a trustworthy bond with the audience, support his claim through reason, and create emotion in the audience that compels them to leap out of their seats and take action. Martin Luther King Jr. attempted to do this when he wrote an open letter while in his jail cell after a peaceful debate against segregation. His lettered response was guided at a statement by eight white Alabama clergymen saying that segregation should be fought in court and not on the streets. King uses a combination of three rhetorical appeals to accomplish his rhetor; ethical, logical and emotional. The three appeals used together†¦show more content†¦King understands where blacks are coming from in wanted equal rights. King sees the injustices of the black communities and is very involved in black movements which what what put him in jail. By being African American a s well as witnessing injustices, King has firsthand knowledge which establishes his authority to speak on this issue of racial equality. King shows the audience that he is competent by stating that he is the President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. This helps show his strength of leadership in the religious community. This also again shows his competency to speak on the issue of equal rights. He continues to establish empathy by stating how he normally doesn’t respond to criticism; however he chose to respond this time due to the â€Å"genuine good will† of the clergymen. That response in itself tells the clergymen that he and the clergyman are on the same playing field, one pastor to another. King showed the clergymen’s â€Å"good will† deserved a response which established trust. Creating an ethical appeal in a rhetorical piece is essential in persuading the audience to believe an authors argument. In order for King to persuade the aud ience of his purpose, justifying direct action, he must explain logically to the audience his claims about the issue. â€Å"Logos† also known as logical appeal is argument based on facts and reason. Once King has the intended respect from the clergyman, he begins to prove to the clergyman about theShow MoreRelatedRhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther Kings Letter From A Birmingham Jail1488 Words   |  6 Pages Obviously, again my primary motivation for writing my Rhetorical Analysis of Martin Luther King’s â€Å"Letter from a Birmingham Jail† is that this is a requirement for my English Composition Class. My heartfelt motivation for writing my Rhetorical Analysis is the respect I have for Martin Luther King’s intelligence and commitment that he displayed for the equality of the African American population. 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He claims that the protestRead MoreEssay on Letter from Birmingham Jail Brief Analysis850 Words   |  4 Pages‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’ Rhetorical Analysis Martin Luther King Jr., the leader of the Civil Rights Movement, was arrested and placed in Birmingham jail after leading a non-violent march to protest racism in the streets of Alabama- a highly segregated state at the time. There he received a newspaper containing â€Å"A Call for Unity,† which was written by eight white Alabama clergymen criticizing King and his movement’s methods; this prompted King to write a letter in response to the criticsRead MoreSummary and Rhetorical Analysis of â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail†1708 Words   |  7 PagesSummary and Rhetorical Analysis of â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested on April 12, 1963, in Birmingham, for protesting without a permit. The same day that King was arrested, a letter was written and signed by eight clergymen from Birmingham and titled â€Å"A Call for Unity†. The letter called for ending demonstrations and civil activities and indicated King as an â€Å"outsider†. On April 16, 1963, King responded to their letter with his own call, which has come to