Summary Of Martin Luther King's 'Letter From Birmingham Jail'
Christina Smith
English 101 prof. lisenby
September 21, 2013
Letter from Birmingham Jail
“Letter from Birmingham Jail” was written by Martin Luther King Jr. on April 16, 1963. It is a passionate letter that addresses and responds to the issue and criticism that a group of white clergymen had thrown at him and his pro-black American organization. They criticized King about him and his organization’s non-violent demonstrative actions against racial prejudice and injustice among black Americans in Birmingham. “Letter from Birmingham Jail” was written as a response to the clergymen that opposed the way in which King was protesting. Martin Luther King’s letter actually addresses two audiences simultaneously: the limited and defined group of clergymen and a broader and less defined group of intelligent and religious white moderates. In the letter, King seeks to prove that he is a patient, peaceful, and just a leader of a rational movement, thus refuting his clergymen attackers claims he is an untimely, radical lawbreaker. He addresses these claims through his effective use of pathos, logos, and egos. What King said in his letter had to make a person think that not all laws are good for the group in society and morality is a justifiable excuse in breaking the law. In this paper, I will talk about Martin Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” I …show more content…
was in his prison cell of the Birmingham City Jail in Birmingham, Alabama. He proves this by saying “Never before have I written so long a letter. I’m afraid it is much too long to take your precious time. I can assure you that it would have been much shorter if I had been writing from a comfortable desk, but what else can one do when he is alone in a narrow jail cell, other than write long letters, think long thoughts, and pray long prayers?” (King, 812) This proves where King was at the time when he wrote his
English 101 prof. lisenby
September 21, 2013
Letter from Birmingham Jail
“Letter from Birmingham Jail” was written by Martin Luther King Jr. on April 16, 1963. It is a passionate letter that addresses and responds to the issue and criticism that a group of white clergymen had thrown at him and his pro-black American organization. They criticized King about him and his organization’s non-violent demonstrative actions against racial prejudice and injustice among black Americans in Birmingham. “Letter from Birmingham Jail” was written as a response to the clergymen that opposed the way in which King was protesting. Martin Luther King’s letter actually addresses two audiences simultaneously: the limited and defined group of clergymen and a broader and less defined group of intelligent and religious white moderates. In the letter, King seeks to prove that he is a patient, peaceful, and just a leader of a rational movement, thus refuting his clergymen attackers claims he is an untimely, radical lawbreaker. He addresses these claims through his effective use of pathos, logos, and egos. What King said in his letter had to make a person think that not all laws are good for the group in society and morality is a justifiable excuse in breaking the law. In this paper, I will talk about Martin Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” I …show more content…
was in his prison cell of the Birmingham City Jail in Birmingham, Alabama. He proves this by saying “Never before have I written so long a letter. I’m afraid it is much too long to take your precious time. I can assure you that it would have been much shorter if I had been writing from a comfortable desk, but what else can one do when he is alone in a narrow jail cell, other than write long letters, think long thoughts, and pray long prayers?” (King, 812) This proves where King was at the time when he wrote his