Quinton Richards Essays (1046 words) - Narratology, Rhetoric

Quinton Richards Professor Towe English 101 22 October 2017 Analysis Essay : " A Letter From Birmingham Jail " "A Letter from Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King Jr. was written on scraps of paper that he was allowed while serving time in Birmingham Jail after demonstrations. An article posted by the clergymen of this time sparked his interest and his entrapment in the cell allowed him time to respond to this group of white leaders in Alabama. King's letter addresses specific points presented in the Clergymen's and this direct response distinguishes King's strong points through his powerful writings. Many unethical mentions came to the attention of the Minister and because of this he expressed his differing views and defended his ideals and actions through Aristotle's three rhetorical devices, ethos, logos, pathos. First and foremost, King establishes his credibility to spark off his strong defense. Introducing himself as "The President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization operating in every southern state, with headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. [with] eighty-five affiliated organizations across the South, and one of them is the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights" ("Letter from Birmingham Jail" 1 ). This credential not only puts King into a position of power but also proves that he has seen enough of the south and the problems within it to create a strong argument against his opposition. Another point that establishes this is on Page Seven of "Letter from Birmingham Jail" where King states that he's traveled through the "length and breadth of Alabama, Mississippi, and all the other southern states. On sweltering summer da ys and crisp autumn mornings" ( "A Letter from Birmingham Jail" 9 ). This quote defends his credibility further because not only did King travel once through these states but multiple times in different seasons, and even deeper- in different trials that may have been presented. Moreover, throughout the letter, King references the Bible, presidents, and writers to establish not only his educated mind, but also his passion for righteousness and his stance as a minister. The flawless flow of his passionate response to the Clergymen also presents support for his intellect and knowledge due to keeping a reasonable head and developed grammar while writing in the margins of the Clergymen's letter while inhabiting a jail cell. Many of the rhetoric used that convinced King's credibility demonstrated the logic in his counterargument also. In a simple paragraph, he effectively proves his point that extremism for a proper cause isn't something to discredit and should not be looked upon as a negative thing, "Was not Jesus an extremist for LoveWas not Amos and Extremist of justice was not Paul an extremist for the Christian gospel and Abraham Lincolnand Thomas JeffersonThe Question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be" (" A Letter from Birmingham Jail" 7-8 ). After thoroughly tying in many influential figures in history, King then goes on to question the argument of the Clergymen stating that the demonstrations are at fault in Birmingham and not the social situation already simmering. "Throughout Alabama all sorts of devious methods are used to prevent Negroes from becoming registered voters, and there are some counties in whichnot a single Negro is registered" ("Letter from Birmingham Jail" 4) This direct attack on the truth of Alabama in this time brings a harsher light to what happens and what is overlooked to many. King then continues to state that it was hi s "parading without a permit" ("Letter from Birmingham Jail" 5 ), that landed him in the jail and while it is completely fine to have such an "ordinanceit becomes unjust when it is used to maintain segregation and to deny citizens the First Amendment privilege of peaceful assembly and protest" ("Letter from Birmingham Jail" 5) . This direct reference to the constitution of the United States and just and unjust laws and ordinances proves a strong point for King's Rebuttal, which helps to defend the equal rights movement even further. Throughout the passage, after King addresses his credentials and furthers I through his knowledgeable and strong rebuttals of logic, his argument plays further into the conscious of his audience through