Dr. Martin Luther King’s: The Letter From Birmingham Jail

Martin Luther King's Letter from Birmingham Jail has powerful and complicated rhetorical appeal. The letter addresses the concerns and complaints of the white clergy of the South who question both King's tactics and message during a protest march in Birmingham. However, on a deeper level the letter speaks to the public in general especially the white moderates in the South who have political influence. King uses a mixture of rhetorical appeal. He establishes his credibility and uses personal examples to strengthen the ethos and shows vivid images and emotions reach the pathos appeal. King also lays out a clear logos appeal that addresses such issues as civil disobedience, unjust laws, and the police. In his letter, King manages to use concrete examples to justify his belief that segregation is unjust. While King's letter is addressed to the white clergymen of Birmingham, it is indirectly pointed at the whites of Birmingham, Alabama. He also uses antithesis to draw out his view on raci...