Can I first just say wow? I could stand silent for hours in respect and awe for Dr. King’s mastery in rhetoric.
Ok, now that that’s over with, time to analyze and criticize.
Martin Luther King Jr. truly understands his audience, the white clergymen of Birmingham, Alabama; knows them well enough that he has no problem speaking to them with integrity. The fact that he is so straightforward and open establishes himself as an honest man throughout his letter. He further develops his ethos by explaining his position in the south, establishing and enforcing the idea that although he is black, he is a major leader in the South. The reader then thinks even more of Dr. King as he explains through the course of the letter the responsible actions his followers have taken to obtain that which they see as justice.
King’s credibility only increases by his powerful appeal to logos. The home base for most of his logic is Christianity, which works very well because he is addressing clergymen. He calculates when laws should be followed and when they should be disobeyed. The ability to be so understanding of an opposing view and really putting himself in basically his enemy’s shoes and not lose his cool really makes this paper.
Lastly, King appeals to the belief that all men are children of God, and should be treated as such. He reveals to the white moderate the persecution his race has gone through, all the injustices and the fears. He appeals to the greatest emotion of all: love. If logic cannot sway these people, hardened by decades of conforming to norms, only love can.
No comments:
Post a Comment