Warning: Use of undefined constant referer - assumed 'referer' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 102

Warning: Use of undefined constant host - assumed 'host' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 105

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays:102) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 106

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays:102) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 109
King's "A Letter From Birmingham City Jail": An Analysis - Online Paper

King's "A Letter From Birmingham City Jail": An Analysis



Martin Luther King Jr., one of the greatest speakers for the Black
civil rights movement, had written many great works in his time. Two of his
pieces stand out as his greatest works, Letter from Birmingham City Jail; a
letter written from a jail in Birmingham where he was arrested for
demonstrating peacefully, to clergymen who didn't agree with his views, and
I Have a Dream; a speech given by King in front of the Washington Memorial
at a huge civil rights tea party. Both works convey the same message: the
time has come where Black Americans will not stand for civil injustices any
longer. The way in which the works are written, however, are different, for
one is a letter, to be read by a ...

Want to read the rest of this paper?
Join Essayworld today to view this entire essay
and over 50,000 other term papers

not clear, as he states, ". . . [he], along with several
members of [his] staff, [are] [there] because [he] was invited [there].
[He] is here because [he] has organizational ties [there].". In other words,
he was there because what he does brought him here, kind of like a job.
In the second paragraph, he becomes crystal clear, by stating that
he is " . . . in Birmingham because injustice is [there].". Not only does
he present why he is there, but he justifies it by alluding to biblical
characters such as "the Apostle Paul", and "Paul" who did the same. Not
only is this a show of intellect, but it is as well an appeal to the senses
of his audience, for they are, after all, clergymen, and he has justified
his actions on their terms.
By the fifth paragraph, he has stopped trying to use rhetorical
devices, and is well into stating the cold hard facts about the injustice
of Birmingham. He states facts that were obvious to his audience, but they
were unwilling to admit to themselves. ...

Get instant access to over 50,000 essays.
Write better papers. Get better grades.


Already a member? Login

they were in the bible, shared by a saint.
After much explanation and re-iteration, King starts getting simple,
and switches from the abstract to the concrete, giving examples of what he
is trying to get across; this is almost insulting, but King wants to make
sure to get his point across. He speaks of a law being " . . . unjust if it
is inflicted on a minority that, as a result of being denied the right to
vote, had no part in enacting or devising the law." Just in case this is
still too abstract, he gives an actual real event, asking "Who can say that
the legislation of Alabama which set up the state's segregation laws was
democratically elected?". The use of this statement as a ...

Succeed in your coursework without stepping into a library.
Get access to a growing library of notes, book reports,
and research papers in 2 minutes or less.


CITE THIS PAGE:

King's "A Letter From Birmingham City Jail": An Analysis. (2004, June 29). Retrieved March 29, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Kings-Letter-Birmingham-City-Jail-Analysis/10242
"King's "A Letter From Birmingham City Jail": An Analysis." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 29 Jun. 2004. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Kings-Letter-Birmingham-City-Jail-Analysis/10242>
"King's "A Letter From Birmingham City Jail": An Analysis." Essayworld.com. June 29, 2004. Accessed March 29, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Kings-Letter-Birmingham-City-Jail-Analysis/10242.
"King's "A Letter From Birmingham City Jail": An Analysis." Essayworld.com. June 29, 2004. Accessed March 29, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Kings-Letter-Birmingham-City-Jail-Analysis/10242.
JOIN NOW
Join today and get instant access to this and 50,000+ other essays


PAPER DETAILS
Added: 6/29/2004 12:57:06 PM
Category: American History
Type: Premium Paper
Words: 1913
Pages: 7

Save | Report

SHARE THIS PAPER

SAVED ESSAYS
Save and find your favorite essays easier

SIMILAR ESSAYS
» Lord Of The Flies
» A Moment of Being
» Thomas Paine - Common Sense
» The Life Of Georgia O'Keefe
» I Am A Man (The Elephant Man)
» The Politial Parties Of America...
» History Of English Language
» A Farewell To Arms
» To Kill A Mockingbird: Prejudic...
» Case Study:The Case Of The Man ...
Copyright | Cancel | Contact Us

Copyright © 2024 Essayworld. All rights reserved