Letter from Birmingham Jail
This is a rhetorical analysis essay written for my AP English Language and Composition class. My instructor was Mrs. Razem.
The year is 1963. The United States is at its momentous period of revolution: the Civil Rights Movement. At the head of this revolution sits Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who, having protested in the streets of Birmingham, Alabama, is confined in Birmingham City Jail. Opposed to King's unlawfulness, a group of eight Alabama clergymen compose an open letter, criticizing King's demonstrations as "extreme". King's letter in response, later dubbed "Letter from Birmingham Jail", eloquently defends his actions to the Alabama clergymen through the use of strong appeals to moral authorities that King and the clergymen share, as well as through his shifts in tone from respectful to accusatory.
King is quick to point out that he and the clergymen share a relationship with God and thus appeals to God as a moral authority. King opens his letter with "My Dear Fellow Clergymen", emphasizing right away their shared role in religious leadership. King uses "fellow" to establish that King and the clergymen are united as a group and equal to each other in status, making his thoughts more credible to the clergymen. Throughout his letter, King repeatedly alludes to the Christian Bible. For example, he makes an analogy comparing his actions in Birmingham to the prophets of eighth century BC, who "left their villages and carried their 'thus saith the Lord' far beyond the boundaries of their home towns ..." (❡3). Since he and the clergymen share a relationship with God, King properly assumes that the clergymen would recognize and respect this biblical reference. The Alabama clergymen had criticized King as being an "outsider". However, King justifies his actions by drawing the parallel to the eighth century BC prophets, arguing that morally, he is compelled to spread the "gospel of freedom" beyond his hometown, just as the prophets felt. Additionally, he makes a distinction between a just law and an unjust law by referring to God: "A just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law" (❡16). King uses this antithesis to emphasize the distinction between these types of laws, justifying his own actions as fair in the laws of God, notwithstanding the law as written by humans, appealing to the sense of moral authority in God he shares with the clergymen.
Additionally, King's tone shifts give power to his argument. He begins the letter by acknowledging the clergymen respectfully, feeling they are of genuine good will and that [their] criticism are sincerely set forth" (❡1). His initially respectful tone helps establish his ethos with the clergymen. Had King started defensively or accusingly, the clergymen might not receive his arguments with an open mind. King then shifts his tone to one that is logical and reasoned. He refers to facts to which he and the clergymen do not disagree, such as that "Birmingham is probably the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States" (❡6). These undisputed facts establish both his credibility as a knowledgeable speaker, and they make his argument more convincing overall. His tone then shifts to one that is more emotionally charged, especially when discussing how "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 ... then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait" (❡14). King employs a periodic sentence in this passage to produce a dramatic effect, emphasizing the multiplicity of ways in which blacks have faced injustice. He evokes a tone of urgency with his deep-rooted anger, defending his actions to the clergymen.
King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail" is a masterfully constructed argument in defense of active, though peaceful protest. It has held a landmark position in American rhetor since the mid-20th century, still inspiring readers decades later. It reminds Americans of the purposes of active protest, including when it is appropriate. King's respectful tone at the start reminds rhetors that a passionate argument against atrocious injustice need not be spiteful to be powerful. Direct action is a means to force negotiation. Unjust, immoral laws must not be followed. In the twenty-first century, these themes remain very relevant.
The year is 1963. The United States is at its momentous period of revolution: the Civil Rights Movement. At the head of this revolution sits Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who, having protested in the streets of Birmingham, Alabama, is confined in Birmingham City Jail. Opposed to King's unlawfulness, a group of eight Alabama clergymen compose an open letter, criticizing King's demonstrations as "extreme". King's letter in response, later dubbed "Letter from Birmingham Jail", eloquently defends his actions to the Alabama clergymen through the use of strong appeals to moral authorities that King and the clergymen share, as well as through his shifts in tone from respectful to accusatory.
King is quick to point out that he and the clergymen share a relationship with God and thus appeals to God as a moral authority. King opens his letter with "My Dear Fellow Clergymen", emphasizing right away their shared role in religious leadership. King uses "fellow" to establish that King and the clergymen are united as a group and equal to each other in status, making his thoughts more credible to the clergymen. Throughout his letter, King repeatedly alludes to the Christian Bible. For example, he makes an analogy comparing his actions in Birmingham to the prophets of eighth century BC, who "left their villages and carried their 'thus saith the Lord' far beyond the boundaries of their home towns ..." (❡3). Since he and the clergymen share a relationship with God, King properly assumes that the clergymen would recognize and respect this biblical reference. The Alabama clergymen had criticized King as being an "outsider". However, King justifies his actions by drawing the parallel to the eighth century BC prophets, arguing that morally, he is compelled to spread the "gospel of freedom" beyond his hometown, just as the prophets felt. Additionally, he makes a distinction between a just law and an unjust law by referring to God: "A just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law" (❡16). King uses this antithesis to emphasize the distinction between these types of laws, justifying his own actions as fair in the laws of God, notwithstanding the law as written by humans, appealing to the sense of moral authority in God he shares with the clergymen.
Additionally, King's tone shifts give power to his argument. He begins the letter by acknowledging the clergymen respectfully, feeling they are of genuine good will and that [their] criticism are sincerely set forth" (❡1). His initially respectful tone helps establish his ethos with the clergymen. Had King started defensively or accusingly, the clergymen might not receive his arguments with an open mind. King then shifts his tone to one that is logical and reasoned. He refers to facts to which he and the clergymen do not disagree, such as that "Birmingham is probably the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States" (❡6). These undisputed facts establish both his credibility as a knowledgeable speaker, and they make his argument more convincing overall. His tone then shifts to one that is more emotionally charged, especially when discussing how "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 ... then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait" (❡14). King employs a periodic sentence in this passage to produce a dramatic effect, emphasizing the multiplicity of ways in which blacks have faced injustice. He evokes a tone of urgency with his deep-rooted anger, defending his actions to the clergymen.
King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail" is a masterfully constructed argument in defense of active, though peaceful protest. It has held a landmark position in American rhetor since the mid-20th century, still inspiring readers decades later. It reminds Americans of the purposes of active protest, including when it is appropriate. King's respectful tone at the start reminds rhetors that a passionate argument against atrocious injustice need not be spiteful to be powerful. Direct action is a means to force negotiation. Unjust, immoral laws must not be followed. In the twenty-first century, these themes remain very relevant.