Letter from Birmingham Jail
Dr. Martin Luther King Junior wrote the “Letter From Birmingham Jail” with the primary purpose of addressing the problem in the United States and Birmingham during that time. The letter elaborates the massive injustice that occurred in the community of Black people in the Birmingham. For the purpose of justifying his urge for racial equality as well as justice Martin Luther Jr. employ ethical appeals, emotional appeals, and logical appeals to articulate his thesis and in the sentence structure.
The thesis of the letter is suited in the second as well as the third paragraph. It states that despite the fact that he was not from the Birmingham, Dr. Martin Luther King Junior wanted to be there due to the huge number of injustices whites were doing toward the Blacks. Through helping to the Birmingham people, he will assist people from anywhere since the “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” (718). He discusses the thesis’s reason for his undertaking in the direct action and non-violent protest. The thesis provided a good reason for the Black community to desire to have same and equal rights.
One approach that he uses to back his thesis is using emotional appeal. In the article, he writes all the horrible elements that the White had done to the blacks. He explains about how hard it was for the kids to learn the prejudices black went through. The application of the emotional appeal in the sentences gives his audience an issue in which they can relate. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
The letter has powerful sentences because of the application of appeal. Its appeal to logo, pathos, and ethos through explicit patriotism as well as such honored terms as “great” and “sacred.” The mention of “the” founding fathers makes an emotion of reverence in the audience, and he employs it to convince the clergymen that the founders could have seconded his idea. Therefore, if the clergymen had loyalty to the founding fathers and the “American Dream “the clergymen would support his side.
Dr. Martin Luther King Junior varies the structure syntax in the article by distinguishing the application of rhetorical devices to defend his action against the arguments the eight clergymen made. Throughout the article is the syntax-based rhetorical mechanism. He makes repletion of words at the starting of a successive clause. The beginning of the successive phrase entails term “unfortunate” to stress on his argument of the unfortunate situation that has led to protest as well as a demonstration to be wanted in the first place.
He uses parallel words structure in an inverted manner to emphasize the contrast. This mechanism gives the reader clarity of a notable difference between two clauses that be may overview in another scenario. The placing of the different statement in the sentences and paragraphs in a way that is next to each other stress the meaning of the argument being provided. The reoccurrence of same syntactical, as well as grammatical pattern and the parallel structure of the sentence, enable the reader to comprehend the point that he is making easily. Dr. Martin Luther King Junior makes a list of descriptive adjective that are not forgettable in such a sentence structure to bring out a good flow of creativity.
Dr. Martin Luther King Junior make use of same parallel structure in all the latter by using different phrases, such as “just as” (167). He uses the phrase to set a parallel between his undertaking and those of others such as the Socrates and another philosopher. The phrase “just as” is repeated in some paragraphs to depict the way parallel structure can connect concepts across diverse pages, paragraphs, and sentences. Dr. Martin Luther King Junior also uses parallel structure in his work for making a comparison of the non-violent protestors so that the reader can relate. Also, he uses parallel structure to manage as well as make even long sentences long, and phrases that are shot bring a great effect in his work.
Kings uses sentence topic in all the paragraphs that are talking about the suffering made by discrimination in the society around it. For instance, in the first line of para.11 he speculates about the freedom. He says, “We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor” (657). Dr. Martin Luther King Junior assumes the voice of representative of an organization that has recognized the suffering of discrimination and is willing to work tirelessly to attain freedom. In all the paragraphs, he has used metaphor to reveal the topic sentences that talk about segregation. Discrimination that must be cured as well as contained before spreading and destroying more individuals. The application of literary devices in those sentences brings to the mind of the reader a repulsive imagery he wants related to discrimination.
In conclusion, Dr. Martin Luther King Junior discusses the thesis’s reason for his undertaking in the direct action and non-violent protest, and he has uses of same parallel structure in all over the latter by using different phrases.