Aristotle wrote, “There is a three-fold variety of persuasive methods that are provided through spoken words.” The first is dependent on the speaker’s personal persona (ethos); second, it depends on how well the speech puts the listener in a positive frame-of-mind (pathos); and third, the verbal proof (or apparent proof) provided by the speech (logos). Persuasion can be completed by a speaker’s private persona when he speaks in a way that makes us think he is credible.
Martin Luther King Jr. uses a variety of references in Letter From Birmingham Jail (1963) to refer to many philosophers. Aquinas was one, but also Socrates. Seen from his perspective, it would seem he shares a similarity with both philosophers. His arguments are easy to understand and he sticks to one premise. King’s writings were devoted to the same goal as Kant, who in his magnum opus Critique de la Pure Raison, sought to upend a previously well-known form of thought. In spite of this single-mindedness, the complexity in the scenario required a nuanced reaction to A Call for Unity published by the eight Alabama Clergymen. King’s letter served four purposes: to establish his authority before his audience, to illustrate the struggles of black Americans, and to support his position. The letter begins with the words “My Dear Clergymen”. He is putting himself on an equal “level” to the clergymen by saying that. Then he continues, “I’m in Birmingham because I have ties to this organization.” Birmingham is a place of injustice, but that’s not the main reason I’m here. He says that he can be trusted on the issue of injustice because he’s done his research and not because he’s a white person. King states: “It is an honor to be president of Southern Christian Leadership Conference. It has offices in Georgia and every state in the south. Our eighty-five affiliate companies in the South include the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights. We share our educational and monetary resources with our affiliates. Two, he is showing them that his intellect in the area of injustices and racial prejudice is at least as great. Martin Luther King Jr. uses pathos to show the struggles his people have faced. This is done by using lines such as: “When you’ve seen vicious mobs lynch and drown your parents and siblings at their whim. This sentence structure and imagery throughout the paragraph makes the audience feel King’s pain and difficulties. The emotional tone of the paragraph is what captures King’s audience. King wanted his audience to feel the pain and emotion he was feeling. This will encourage them to continue reading the letter, to learn what he had to say, to see what alternatives he could suggest, and to understand why he wrote the letter.
Martin Luther King proceeds to explain his protests and the reasons behind civil rights. Martin Luther King explains his purpose by referring to specific laws and raising questions about their meaning. King says, “We cannot forget that Adolf Hitler’s actions in Germany were legal and everything the Hungarian Freedom Warring Parties did in Hungary illegal. It was a crime in Hitler’s Germany to support and comfort Jews. But I’m sure that if I had lived in Germany, I would have helped and comforted them. It is now up to the clergymen as they are expected to assume what they would do. As Christians, the clergymen are presumed to have been helpful in helping anyone who was in need. He compares atrocities towards Jews with atrocities in America against African Americans – although on a much smaller scale. King makes the monks think about what is morally the right thing to do. Martin Luther King gives specific examples that have led to positive change in the past. King says “Wasn’t Jesus a radical for love… Amos wasn’t fervent for justice… Paul was no extremist of the Christian gospel… Martin Luther was no extremist… John Buchanan… Abraham Lincoln… Thomas Jefferson”. King’s use of symbols in this quotation is excellent because it affects his target audience – white preachers. In mentioning such important historical and spiritual figures as Jesus Christ or Martin Luther, 2 King is making it very clear that, if these people are doing the right thing then so too is he. This fascination with trademarks shows how “extremist” beliefs are not always wrong.
King once again uses pathos, a powerful tool to appeal to the emotions of people. He wants to encourage both priests and the citizens to stop the oppressive racism and hatred. King says that God’s judgement is on the church in a way never seen before. If today’s churches do not recapture this sacrificial nature of early Christianity, they will lose their authenticity and the loyalty millions of people. They will also be seen as an insignificant social club that has no relevance for the 20th century. King uses this to convey a sense that people are in a hurry and need to act now, as the Church is about to fall apart without any changes to their spirit or conduct. The term “judgement by God” is used to convey a sense of urgency and panic to the audience. It refers to the power that God has, in relation to biblical accounts of God’s disapproval. By calling the Catholic Church “a social club that is irrelevant,” King shows disrespect for the Church and brings his factor to light. It is possible to anger readers and priests by calling the church “an inappropriate society club”. This will force the monks into action to stop this disrespect. The “If” clause is also important. . . It is important to use a quality way to introduce an idea before presenting its consequence. In order to appeal to the pathos and emphasize the urgency of the situation, King also uses the second-person perspective in his letter. King addresses the Birmingham Police force directly in his letter to express his thoughts on their praise. He said, “I don’t think you would be so quick to counsel the policemen after seeing their brutal and inhuman treatment.” . . You would have been shocked to see the historical Negros pushing younger Negros. . If you saw them slap or kick. . . This powerful combination of emotional description and the word “you” for the second person has a great impact. He uses the personal experience he has from his situation in order to bolster his argument. King uses anaphora when he says “I don’t believe you”. . “If you could see.” . “to confront his audience’s grasping and existing evaluation. Two The closing section is emotional in its universality and the writer urges readers to feel the same concern.
Martin Luther King Jr. establishes a reputation as an authoritative figure in the eyes his audience. He shows them the hardships that his people went through, argues his cause, justifies it, and insists on the urgency of action. In order to legitimize and gain the support of his preachers audience, King uses religious examples to captivate them. King also refers to examples of many saints and philosophers, including Socrates. Pathos is used to emphasize the urgency in his letter. His imagery and personal experiences combined with his appeals to trademarks and ethos make for a powerful, well-rounded case. He shows the effect of the trials African Americans have endured, and that their fight is justified on both a legal and moral basis. King inspires sympathy by making strong emotional appeals. This gives hope that white clergymen will read his letter and begin to see the problem. This is King’s goal – to create a more just and equal future for all Americans and to help those who are being persecuted.
