A Rhetorical Analysis Of Dr. King's Letter From Birmingham Jail

“ I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear” - Martin Luther King Jr. (Garland). We all know and learn about the famous Dr. King and what he did, but do we actually follow up his role in our own lives? Martin Luther King Jr. is famous for his non-violent protests and teachings inspired by Ghandi.

In his letter from Birmingham jail, written in August of 1963, King outlined the four steps, “In any nonviolent campaign there are four basic steps: collection of facts to determine whether injustices are alive, negotiation, self-purification, and direct action” (Letter from Birmingham Jail, 1). He knew injustices were evident from the accounts of abuse endured by African Americans. He tried to negotiate with the political leaders, but they refused so King had to move on to the last two steps. Self-purification was the hardest, but most important step of the process in starting a nonviolent campaign. It was a workshop, teaching supporters of the cause how to suffer abuse without retaliating.

The main conflict between Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X was violence or nonviolence. Malcolm X 's violent approach towards equality came from his childhood and Islamic religion. Martin Luther King Jr. 's nonviolent principals came from his religion and childhood as well. There were many other smaller conflicts between the two. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X always had a common goal.

These two remarkable pieces of writing share common themes of rights and Freedom such as injustice, tone, and allusion in America. To begin with, in both Letter from Birmingham and Four freedom dr. King and Roosevelt use similar tones. In Letter from Birmingham jail, Dr. King tone comes off as noble and slightly angry.

“..I shall proceed with such co-workers of the Ashram [Community] as I can take, to disregard the provisions of the Salt Laws.” (Document A, Gandhi). Gandhi knew he had people to back him and fight, (nonviolently speaking), with him. Even before the Salt March truly began people lined up behind Gandhi and joined him in his march for freedom. The loyalty of these people is what really kept the movement alive.

Campaign repressed harmful demonstrations and pointless violence. In America even today, Martin Luther King day (the day that recognises the life and achievements of Martin Luther King) remembers how Martin Luther King used a political form of non-violent civil protesting. Although he set about his campaign in a non-violent way, the racial tension was building from both his protests and the history of Black inequality. In a letter titled “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, Martin Luther King explains that “he has always opposed violent tension”, throughout his campaigns and messages. And he further states that “there is a type of constructive, nonviolent tension which is necessary for growth”.

The speech is quite optimistic as the author hopes that poverty and racism are vices that can easily be overcome. He points out alternative ways of dealing with injustice, violence, and social oppressions. This way, the author appeals to people’s rational judgment to choose peaceful ways of handling social issues. The value of peace dominates the author’s speech. He recognizes that the Nobel Prize is an honor to many other leaders that are spearheading the struggle to end “man’s inhumanity to man.”

Then states that the protest be conducted was the reason he was in Birmingham jail. All of these things he says show that fighting for equality was hard because he ended up in jail because

The “Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King Jr. is about the unfair, brutal, and racist treatment the black community has been receiving from white people. This letter was written when he was arrested after peacefully protesting about segregation and how the black people didn’t agree with the law. In the letter, Martin Luther King Jr.’s feelings are being expressed toward the unfair events and it is an example of a well-written argument. In the letter are three claims pointed from King, it states he has a valid reason for being in Birmingham, the black community has no alternative, but to demonstrate and the need for justice is urgent. Also, it discusses king’s intentions during the civil rights movements.

Courage is all about not having fear and acting upon how it can benefit the future. Similar the

On April 16th, 1963, after being thrown in jail for protesting segregation in the height of the American Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King Jr., a civil rights activist and pastor, in his letter entitled Letter from Birmingham City Jail, urges for social equality in America and justifies his use of nonviolent protest. He supports these claims by first stating his people will gain freedom because freedom is an American right as well as a God-given right, then explicates how the methods of law enforcement are unjust because any protection of segregation is immoral, and finally claims all of the people who have made sacrifices on the path to a segregation-free America will be the people to unify the country. Through King’s use of tone,

Pelaki Foliaki Mrs. Keithley ELA 9 November 2015 Martin Luther King Jr. According to dictionary.com the definition of nonviolence is “ the policy, practice, or technique of refraining from the use of violence, especially when reacting to or protesting against oppression, injustice, discrimination, or the like.” (dictionary.com) Throughout the years of human history, people have used nonviolence to solve problems in their lives. Activists like Mahatma Gandhi, Rosa Parks, and Caesar Chavez are incredible examples of fighting against racism to better theirs and others lives.

On April 16, 1963 Martin Luther King, Jr. while confined in the Birmingham City Jail wrote a letter to the clergymen whom disapproved of his actions by calling him and other nonconformists “outsiders coming in”. During the civil rights movement the city of Birmingham was known to be one of the most segregated city in the United States. The City of Birmingham was known for its police brutality against blacks. They’re where also many unsolved cases such as bombing of homes and churches occupied by blacks. Kings letter was an opportunity for him to express the purpose behind the nonviolent campaign.

changed the world he helped communicate that there were huge problems going in society, he was able to change laws to make racial segregation not happen and help welcome people of every skin color. Today years later he is still someone that people can look up to. The Second article I choose was Philosophy, Happiness, and the meaning of life By Robert C. Solomon. This article was really good I was able to learn a lot from what Robert Solomon wrote.

Also the video of the President helped to show George Wallace that he needed to let the people march no matter what he believed (Selma Video). Knowing that there were people supporting the marchers helped them to stay true to what they believed in and not to give up. Lastly, the government helped to get the complaints and opinions of the marches