Rhetorical Devices In Letter From Birmingham Jail

In “Letters From Birmingham Jail”, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. appeals to his audience by the use of antithesis throughout the text. In response to King’s protest in Birmingham, Alabama, several clergymen wrote a letter condemning the King’s actions during the protest as “unwise and untimely”. Because King held on to an inexorable message, the walls of confinement did not blockade his writing of “Letters From Birmingham Jail” as a retort to the clergymen’s letter. As a civil rights leader, it was crucial for King to appeal to his audience in order to help rid the country of racial injustice. Antitheses are employed as a rhetorical maneuver in this text to induce critical thinking and reduce the consequences of unexamined acceptance among his audience. Dr. King Jr. outlines the path from racial injustice to justice in the society by the use of nonviolent campaigns. These campaigners “dramatize the issue until it can no longer be ignored” (King) by the eyes of those with the power of

On page 1 of “Letters From Birmingham Jail”, King appeals to his audience by stating, “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”. The words “injustice” and “justice” provide contrasting ideas to emphasize its prevalence. This maneuver is used to appeal to the emotions of those that are not regularly met with injustice. The purpose of this is to induce a sense of guilt and fear to those who float comfortably and quietly amidst the recurring acts of injustice victimizing the black community of Birmingham and across the country. This rhetorical maneuver is aimed at to those who “sit idly” and turn the other cheek when injustice occurs to others. Those who sit idly are encouraged to feel a sense of dutifulness to unite all who reside in the United States as one, regardless of race. Once these powerful feelings are sensed, it is difficult to forget it due to its sentimental