MLK’S Letter from Birmingham Jail
In Letter from Birmingham Jail, Dr. King displays his argumentative acumen and presents himself not only as an erudite person but also a credible one through the proper word choice, didactic examples and reference to history which he puts across in elegance and flair of a prolific writer. His spiritual leader ethos and not just a learned person become apparent through his discussion of St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Augustine and Jesus. And that of a trustworthy person is also brought out in his comparison of his situation to that of Paul. All this is done so as to gain credibility of the clergymen who accused him in their first letter. Dr. King also uses pathos effectively so as to enable the clergymen not just understand the situation but also feel emotionally what they are going through. The use of pathos allows him to tap into the emotions of the reader which makes his communication effective. By proper word choice, this technique is used to incite guilt and understanding among his readers (Ryley 1470).
Dr. King states the logic and reason behind his actions which has been questioned by the clergy. He makes use of logos to achieve this in important instances like the reason behind direct action which he explains it’s because of reneged promises on the removal of humiliating racial signs.
Ethos
Through the use of ethos, the writer qualities of writing are seen. Martin Luther King in his letter from Birmingham Jail, his choice of words, his tone, sentences length, consideration of others opinions and concerns stating depicts to the reader who he is as a person. He uses ethos in his speech to depict his credibility which he being an African-American understood well enough the discrimination and segregation experienced by his black brothers. This he effectively does when he say, “We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities…as long as the Negro’s basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one.” A spiritual leader ethos is created by Dr. King when he quotes St. Augustine, another spiritual leader, “an unjust law is no law at all.” By demonstrating the knowledge of the circumstances and conditions of the early Christian leaders, this ethos is further developed by him. Dr. King shows that he is also on a spiritual mission apart from just his knowledge of Paul’s response to Macedonian earlier on when he compares his situation to that of Paul by saying, “Like Paul, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid.” By stating certain facts, Dr. King incorporates his feelings in the speech, “Lamentably, it is an historical fact that privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily.” This effectively develops his ethos as a caring person and it changes the understanding and feelings of the reader. The reader is invited to be their own judges when his dissenters are quoted by Dr. King and a sense of fairness is created. For instance, he makes use of the quote, “Why didn’t you give the new city administration time to act?” The new administration is introduced as old and segregationists in his discussion through the use of this quote which is from the clergy. Immediate action is therefore demanded with the conditions under them (Lacroix).
Ethos is also purposely used by King to gain the clergymen’s respect. Famous people, respected well enough by the American white society, are quoted by King in his argument in order to gain trust. Ethos is obviously used when he refers to one member of his future audience. “I commend you, Reverend Stallings, for your Christian stand on this past Sunday, in welcoming Negroes to your worship service on a non-segregated basis. I commend the Catholic leaders of this state for integrating Spring Hill College several years ago.” Guilt is then incited by Dr. King in the audience by when they don’t follow the Christianity principals that these actions subscribe to logically. This particular ethos can also be regarded as pathos and logos.
Logos
Our reasoning or logic is appealed to by logos. Logos involves the presentation of the reasoning behind the action or position. Dr. King makes use of logos in various parts of his letter by supporting all his arguments and clarifying the reasoning behind them. For instance he responds to the clergymen’s claim of the demonstration being untimely and unwise by stating that there is no alternative left for the Negro community but to be ready for direct action. This claim is supported when he talks of the city fathers refusal of negotiating in good-faith when the Negro community wanted to negotiate. He further gives more support for this argument by describing an incident in September when in the negotiation of the Negro and leaders, promises to remove stores degrading racial signs. An agreement to all demonstrations moratorium was reached by the leaders of the Alabama Christian Movement and the Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth basing on these promises. However their promises were reneged since the signs were returned hence the resolution for direct action (King 32).
Our logic is appealed by Dr. King when he states the reasoning behind his statement, “I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen’s Councilor or the Klu Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to ‘order’ than to justice.” The reason given by King is that white moderate seems to show no sign of recognition of the fact that justice establishment is the principal purpose of the existence of law and order. Segregation is the cause of tension in the south and violence will erupt from the tension if it doesn’t resort to equality transition. He also says that the Negros is denied their human being worth and dignity by asking them to accept passively their segregation indignities. In another instant the reader is asked to perceive the presented facts which bring out the implicit logic. Dr. King makes this appeal when he quotes an elderly black woman who says, “My feets is tired but my soul is at rest.” The poor grammar of the statement is mentioned to indicate her lack of education. This is to show that the segregation and injustice is apparent even to the uneducated.
Pathos
Dr. King also makes use of pathos to appeal to the emotions of the reader. The reader is not only invited to experience the action with Dr. King but also to feel as he did in his situation. King’s use of pathos is the most obvious in this section of the letter, “But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate-filled policemen curse, kick and even kill your black brothers and sisters; when you see the vast majority of your twenty million Negro brothers smothering in an airtight cage of poverty in the midst of an affluent society; when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six-year-old daughter why she can’t go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children, and see ominous clouds of inferiority beginning to form in her little mental sky, and see her beginning to distort her personality by developing an unconscious bitterness toward white people…” the clergymen are placed in the black man’s situation here by King in an attempt to make them grasp the situation in entirety. In an aim of establishing connection of the clergymen and the black persons who have been isolated by the clergymen, this passage incites sympathy, guilt, sadness and understanding. The barrier built by the white society is broken down by this connection. Blind ignorance to the absence of equality has been an obstacle to social growth is created by this barrier.
He describes with great detail an emotional situation of the police force preventing violence and being commended for it. In the letter this is one of the greatest pathos. Some of the actions taken by the police are first described by Dr. King such as freeing the dogs to the people and how the people were treated. His witnessing of the dogs sinking their teeth into nonviolent, unarmed Negroes is also described by him. King says that if the clergymen had witnessed how the Negroes were being treated in an inhumane and ugly manner then they wouldn’t be quick to commend the police. He further adds if they were to see the police kicking and pushing the Negro boys and old men or see the demonstrators being denied food just then they would not commend them.
Conclusion
In response to “Public statement by Eight Alabama Clergymen” his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is effectively structured, organized and implemented with elegance that addresses the concerns and accusations raised by the clergymen. He clarifies his status i.e. A spiritual leader and a learned person by using well chosen ethos of St. Aquinas, Jesus and Paul therefore puts him forth as a trustworthy person. Also being an African-American makes him the right person to participate in this event because he understands the situation properly. By use of logos he explains the reason behind the actions of the black persons of which the clergymen claim to be improper. He also makes use of pathos where he plays with the emotions of the readers to subdue opposition and create the connection between the clergymen and the black person therefore allows him to effectively bolster his vision for equality. An appeal for unity and peace concludes the letter.
Works Cited
King, Luther M. Letter from the Birmingham Jail. NewYork: Harpercollins, 1963.
Lacroix, Laurel., ed. Martin Luther King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail. 16 April. 1963. 22
March. 2010.
Ryley, Thomas. “Oratorical Encounters: Selected Studies and Sources of Twentieth-Century
Political Accusations and Apologies,” the Journal of American History 77.4 (1991): 1470-1471.
Get Professional Assignment Help Cheaply
Are you busy and do not have time to handle your assignment? Are you scared that your paper will not make the grade? Do you have responsibilities that may hinder you from turning in your assignment on time? Are you tired and can barely handle your assignment? Are your grades inconsistent?
Whichever your reason is, it is valid! You can get professional academic help from our service at affordable rates. We have a team of professional academic writers who can handle all your assignments.
Why Choose Our Academic Writing Service?
- Plagiarism free papers
- Timely delivery
- Any deadline
- Skilled, Experienced Native English Writers
- Subject-relevant academic writer
- Adherence to paper instructions
- Ability to tackle bulk assignments
- Reasonable prices
- 24/7 Customer Support
- Get superb grades consistently
Online Academic Help With Different Subjects
Literature
Students barely have time to read. We got you! Have your literature essay or book review written without having the hassle of reading the book. You can get your literature paper custom-written for you by our literature specialists.
Finance
Do you struggle with finance? No need to torture yourself if finance is not your cup of tea. You can order your finance paper from our academic writing service and get 100% original work from competent finance experts.
Computer science
Computer science is a tough subject. Fortunately, our computer science experts are up to the match. No need to stress and have sleepless nights. Our academic writers will tackle all your computer science assignments and deliver them on time. Let us handle all your python, java, ruby, JavaScript, php , C+ assignments!
Psychology
While psychology may be an interesting subject, you may lack sufficient time to handle your assignments. Don’t despair; by using our academic writing service, you can be assured of perfect grades. Moreover, your grades will be consistent.
Engineering
Engineering is quite a demanding subject. Students face a lot of pressure and barely have enough time to do what they love to do. Our academic writing service got you covered! Our engineering specialists follow the paper instructions and ensure timely delivery of the paper.
Nursing
In the nursing course, you may have difficulties with literature reviews, annotated bibliographies, critical essays, and other assignments. Our nursing assignment writers will offer you professional nursing paper help at low prices.
Sociology
Truth be told, sociology papers can be quite exhausting. Our academic writing service relieves you of fatigue, pressure, and stress. You can relax and have peace of mind as our academic writers handle your sociology assignment.
Business
We take pride in having some of the best business writers in the industry. Our business writers have a lot of experience in the field. They are reliable, and you can be assured of a high-grade paper. They are able to handle business papers of any subject, length, deadline, and difficulty!
Statistics
We boast of having some of the most experienced statistics experts in the industry. Our statistics experts have diverse skills, expertise, and knowledge to handle any kind of assignment. They have access to all kinds of software to get your assignment done.
Law
Writing a law essay may prove to be an insurmountable obstacle, especially when you need to know the peculiarities of the legislative framework. Take advantage of our top-notch law specialists and get superb grades and 100% satisfaction.
What discipline/subjects do you deal in?
We have highlighted some of the most popular subjects we handle above. Those are just a tip of the iceberg. We deal in all academic disciplines since our writers are as diverse. They have been drawn from across all disciplines, and orders are assigned to those writers believed to be the best in the field. In a nutshell, there is no task we cannot handle; all you need to do is place your order with us. As long as your instructions are clear, just trust we shall deliver irrespective of the discipline.
Are your writers competent enough to handle my paper?
Our essay writers are graduates with bachelor's, masters, Ph.D., and doctorate degrees in various subjects. The minimum requirement to be an essay writer with our essay writing service is to have a college degree. All our academic writers have a minimum of two years of academic writing. We have a stringent recruitment process to ensure that we get only the most competent essay writers in the industry. We also ensure that the writers are handsomely compensated for their value. The majority of our writers are native English speakers. As such, the fluency of language and grammar is impeccable.
What if I don’t like the paper?
There is a very low likelihood that you won’t like the paper.
Reasons being:
- When assigning your order, we match the paper’s discipline with the writer’s field/specialization. Since all our writers are graduates, we match the paper’s subject with the field the writer studied. For instance, if it’s a nursing paper, only a nursing graduate and writer will handle it. Furthermore, all our writers have academic writing experience and top-notch research skills.
- We have a quality assurance that reviews the paper before it gets to you. As such, we ensure that you get a paper that meets the required standard and will most definitely make the grade.
In the event that you don’t like your paper:
- The writer will revise the paper up to your pleasing. You have unlimited revisions. You simply need to highlight what specifically you don’t like about the paper, and the writer will make the amendments. The paper will be revised until you are satisfied. Revisions are free of charge
- We will have a different writer write the paper from scratch.
- Last resort, if the above does not work, we will refund your money.
Will the professor find out I didn’t write the paper myself?
Not at all. All papers are written from scratch. There is no way your tutor or instructor will realize that you did not write the paper yourself. In fact, we recommend using our assignment help services for consistent results.
What if the paper is plagiarized?
We check all papers for plagiarism before we submit them. We use powerful plagiarism checking software such as SafeAssign, LopesWrite, and Turnitin. We also upload the plagiarism report so that you can review it. We understand that plagiarism is academic suicide. We would not take the risk of submitting plagiarized work and jeopardize your academic journey. Furthermore, we do not sell or use prewritten papers, and each paper is written from scratch.
When will I get my paper?
You determine when you get the paper by setting the deadline when placing the order. All papers are delivered within the deadline. We are well aware that we operate in a time-sensitive industry. As such, we have laid out strategies to ensure that the client receives the paper on time and they never miss the deadline. We understand that papers that are submitted late have some points deducted. We do not want you to miss any points due to late submission. We work on beating deadlines by huge margins in order to ensure that you have ample time to review the paper before you submit it.
Will anyone find out that I used your services?
We have a privacy and confidentiality policy that guides our work. We NEVER share any customer information with third parties. Noone will ever know that you used our assignment help services. It’s only between you and us. We are bound by our policies to protect the customer’s identity and information. All your information, such as your names, phone number, email, order information, and so on, are protected. We have robust security systems that ensure that your data is protected. Hacking our systems is close to impossible, and it has never happened.
How our Assignment Help Service Works
1. Place an order
You fill all the paper instructions in the order form. Make sure you include all the helpful materials so that our academic writers can deliver the perfect paper. It will also help to eliminate unnecessary revisions.
2. Pay for the order
Proceed to pay for the paper so that it can be assigned to one of our expert academic writers. The paper subject is matched with the writer’s area of specialization.
3. Track the progress
You communicate with the writer and know about the progress of the paper. The client can ask the writer for drafts of the paper. The client can upload extra material and include additional instructions from the lecturer. Receive a paper.
4. Download the paper
The paper is sent to your email and uploaded to your personal account. You also get a plagiarism report attached to your paper.
PLACE THIS ORDER OR A SIMILAR ORDER WITH US TODAY AND GET A PERFECT SCORE!!!
