Persuasion Strategies in King’s Letter From Birmingham Jail

Martin Luther King was arrested for a peaceful meeting against racism. In addition to his arrest, he was attacked by clerics who accused him of encouraging violence. King responded to these accusations with a letter using persuasion strategies to persuade his opponents. He effectively used Pathos to describe the injustice that African Americans faced. King (2020) gave shocking examples: “vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers” (para. 7) and “filled policemen curse, kick, brutalize and even kill your black brothers and sisters” (para. 7). He wanted his readers to feel this cruel injustice and evoke a reaction to justice. Also, King (2020) used Logos, saying, “There are just and there are unjust laws” (para. 8). Logos reinforce his words with facts as he refers to Saint Augustine and Thomas Aquinas. It ultimately leads the reader to conclude that segregation, while it may be the law, is actually an injustice. King (2020) also draws a historical analogy between his experience of fighting for rights and the experience of the Jews in Nazi Germany (para. 9). King applies Rhetorical appeal to get his readers to put themselves in the shoes of an African American. He intentionally repeats a sentence with “wait” and makes the readers wait, as African Americans have been waiting for their rights (King, 2020, para 7). Anaphora is a strong stylistic device that enhances the tension and impression of writing or speech. Martin Luther King used two strategies of persuasion: emotional and non-emotional. He uses Pathos and Rhetorical appeals to evoke readers’ ethical and emotional experiences. Logos and historical analogies appeal to rationality when evidence and facts make people change their minds. Both approaches make King’s writing one of the most effective and impactful to the audience.

References

King Jr, L. M. (2020) Letter from a Birmingham jail’. African Studies Center, University of Pennsylvania, 175-94.

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StudyCorgi. (2023) 'Persuasion Strategies in King’s Letter From Birmingham Jail'. 22 December.

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StudyCorgi. "Persuasion Strategies in King’s Letter From Birmingham Jail." December 22, 2023. https://studycorgi.com/persuasion-strategies-in-kings-letter-from-birmingham-jail/.

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StudyCorgi. 2023. "Persuasion Strategies in King’s Letter From Birmingham Jail." December 22, 2023. https://studycorgi.com/persuasion-strategies-in-kings-letter-from-birmingham-jail/.

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