Introduction
For millennia, speeches were used to ignite inspiration and motivation in people and lead to action. The twentieth century is known as an unstable time of constant confrontation and violation of human rights. This was the century known for people’s fear and anger combined to win justice and equal rights in all spheres of life, starting with basic transportation and going further to job and education opportunities.
“Letter from Birmingham Jail” is a famous letter written by Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963 to lead minorities to freedom from the oppression of privileged white communities. In the letter, the author denies the established unequal and discriminatory system and asks the oppressed to rebel despite their fear. By evoking emotions in the audience, speaking of his experience, and structuring his speech, the author applies ethos, logos, and pathos in his strongest paragraph about oppression.
The Strongest Paragraph
The strongest paragraph Martin Luther King Jr. wrote is the one on the fourth page. It discusses the pains and challenges of those oppressed and how it is now or never to demand justice. The minister starts his paragraph with the powerful phrase: “Oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever” (King Jr. 4).
He claims this because history has already seen the moments when those who denied the discriminatory system won, and this was their moment to restore the fairness that they deserve. Martin Luther King Jr. speaks about the former slaves who were exploited, and “something within has reminded him of his birthright of freedom; something without has reminded him that he can gain it” (King Jr. 4).
The activist additionally acknowledges the perspective that people might feel alone in their endeavors. However, King Jr. claims that it is not only African Americans who are fighting for equality since they are doing this alongside “his brown and yellow brothers of Asia, South America, and the Caribbean” (King Jr. 4). Therefore, the strength of the paragraph can be seen through the sense of unity in the face of one enemy.
Martin Luther King Jr. combines in the given paragraph both emotion, reason, and the repercussions of inaction. According to the author, one should quickly understand the necessity of public protests if one recognizes the crucial yearning that has consumed the African community. Minorities have a lot of resentments and disappointments that have been suppressed for a long time, and by claiming this, King Jr. emphasizes that it has been a long time of keeping the anger and bitterness inside.
As the man puts it, “If his repressed emotions do not come out in these nonviolent ways, they will come out in ominous expressions of violence” (King Jr. 4). However, what additionally makes this passage so powerful and motivating yet concise is the fact that the minister does not threaten the oppressors but instead warns them.
Martin Luther King Jr. illustrates the moments from history to bring attention to the consequences that the oppressors can face in moments when their nonviolent ways to communicate the message are not successful. Suppose the repressed feelings are not accepted after peaceful negotiations. In that case, they will “come out in ominous expressions of violence” (King Jr. 4). Therefore, the strength of the paragraph is its communication of the message to the oppressors and oppressed, necessitating the action and motivating the minorities to fight for justice.
Pathos, Ethos, and Logos
Now, when analyzing the different ways in which Martin Luther King Jr. was capable of influencing his audience, pathos, ethos, and logos must be considered. Pathos is a technique for persuading a listener to agree with an argument by evoking an emotional reaction (Cunningham 48). Pathos can be seen as an approach that focuses on the feelings and values of the audience, and this is what King Jr. strives to touch upon.
This can be seen through the following example: “If his repressed emotions do not come out in these nonviolent ways, they will come out in ominous expressions of violence” (King Jr. 4). With this remark, Martin Luther King Jr. wants to show his fellow oppressed people that they will not and must not endure the pain and they indeed have the strength to stand their ground. Through pathos, the author skillfully evokes emotions and calls for action by emphasizing people’s values of freedom and equality.
The next element from Aristotle’s framework is logos, which can be traced in King Jr.’s letter. Logos is a method of influencing a group of people using logic and facts (Cunningham 48). This is where the central thesis and organization of Martin’s paragraph must be analyzed.
The central thesis in the passage is that “oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever” and “the urge for freedom will eventually come” (King Jr. 4). To support this claim, Martin Luther King Jr. provides examples of American slaves who gained their freedom by action. The minister organizes the work to first introduce the thesis, gradually transition to history, and then introduce the repercussions of resistance for oppressors.
Finally, the last essential element of Aristotle’s framework is ethos. Ethos is a technique for persuading the public based on the speaker’s reputation or credibility (Cunningham 48). The presence of ethos in Martin Luther King Jr.’s letter can be traced by emphasizing the presence of professional writing, his reputation, and his word choice. The choice of words, such as “a sense of cosmic urgency toward the promised land of racial justice,” sets the tone and style of the writing (King Jr. 4). By emphasizing his experiences talking with his people, calling for action, and having his efforts called extremist, the author shows his credibility.
Conclusion
Hence, the author uses ethos, logos, and pathos by invoking feelings in the audience, speaking from personal experience to demonstrate credibility, and organizing his speech by going from the thesis to the history and effects. The strongest paragraph that talks about oppression is effective in conveying the message to the oppressors and the victims, compelling action, and inspiring minorities to pursue justice. King Jr. aims to touch on pathos, which is a method that focuses on the emotions and values of the audience. To substantiate such a claim, Martin Luther King Jr. cites instances of American slaves who were able to liberate themselves through actions. Finally, by focusing on the use of professional writing, his reputation, and word choice, it is possible to identify the presence of ethos in Martin Luther King Jr.’s letter.
Works Cited
Cunningham, Eamon. Understanding Rhetoric: A Guide to Critical Reading and Argumentation. United States: Brown Walker Press, 2019.
King Jr., Martin Luther. “Letter from Birmingham Jail”. The Atlantic Monthly, vol. 212, no. 2, 1963, pp.78-88. Web.