Letter From Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Analysis

Logos:

1) “In any nonviolent campaign there are four basic steps: collection of the facts to determine whether injustices exist; negotiation; self purification; and direct action. We have gone through all these steps in Birmingham.” MLK Jr. then goes through and explains how they followed those steps, so it makes the nonviolent demonstration seem like the only available option.

2) “One of the basic points in your statement is that the action that I and my associates have taken in Birmingham is untimely. Some have asked: “Why didn’t you give the new city administration time to act?” The only answer that I can give to this query is that the new Birmingham administration must be prodded about as much as the outgoing one, before it will act. …groups tend to be more immoral than individuals.” He directly confronts the criticism posed to him, and thus knocks down logically all of their counterarguments.

3) “One may well ask: “How can you advocate breaking some laws and obeying others?” The answer lies in the fact that there are two types of laws: just and unjust. I would be the first to advocate obeying just laws. One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. I would agree with St. Augustine that ‘an unjust law is no law at all.'” This explanation clears the gray areas where people might call him a hypocrite.

Ethos:

1) “Was not Jesus an extremist for love…Was not Amos an extremist for justice…Was not Paul an extremist for the Christian gospel…Was not Martin Luther an extremist…And John Bunyan…And Abraham Lincoln…And Thomas Jefferson…So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. …We must never forget that all three were crucified for the same crime–the crime of extremism. Two were extremists for immorality, and thus fell below their environment. The other, Jesus Christ, was an extremist for love, truth and goodness, and thereby rose above his environment. Perhaps the South, the nation and the world are in dire need of creative extremists.” MLK Jr. cites several famous and respected “extremists” to make his own case more credible.

2) “I have the honor of serving as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization operating in every southern state, with headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. We have some eighty five affiliated organizations across the South, and one of them is the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights. Frequently we share staff, educational and financial resources with our affiliates.” This explanation makes MLK Jr. seem more professional and it eradicates the idea that he is just an angry protestor.

3) “But be assured that my tears have been tears of love. There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love. Yes, I love the church. How could I do otherwise? I am in the rather unique position of being the son, the grandson and the great grandson of preachers. Yes, I see the church as the body of Christ. But, oh! How we have blemished and scarred that body through social neglect and through fear of being nonconformists.” Before MLK criticizes the church for its failures, he reminds his audience that he is deeply attached to the church and cares about it very much.

Pathos:

1) “stinging darts of segregation” This phrase portrays segregation as physically painful.

2) “smothering in an airtight cage of poverty” This gives a clear mental image to disturb the audience.

3) “the dark depths of prejudice and racism to the majestic heights of understanding and brotherhood” This creates a contrast between prejudice and brotherhood with associated emotional ties.

Leave a Reply