Analysis of King's Argument Letter from Birmingham Jail (Essay Sample)

King's argument “Letter from Birmingham jail” was structured in a certain way for certain purposes. Throughout the entire letter he uses rhetorical devices and appeals to be able to convince any person that may read the letter, as well as asking questions and answering them. This argument also directly addresses the clergymen with a Christian vocabulary and Biblical allusions.  

This argument addresses Christian vocabulary by saying that even with all the evil in the world that we are all still one. On page nine in the last paragraph it states “I hope this letter finds you strong in the faith. I also hope that circumstances will soon make it possible for me to meet each of you, not as an integrationist or a civil-rights leader but as a fellow clergyman and a Christian brother. Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away and the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted from our fear drenched communities, and in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty.” 

Throughout the entire letter he also tends to use rhetorical appeals, such as logos, ethos, and pathos. He also uses rhetorical devices such as juxtaposition, metaphors, and a lot of rhetorical questions an example of this is on page two in the sixth paragraph it states “One of the basic points in your statement is that the action that I and my associates have taken in Birmingham is untimely. Some have asked: "Why didn't you give the new city administration time to act?" The only answer that I can give to this query is that the new Birmingham administration must be prodded about as much as the outgoing one, before it will act.” and “You may well ask: "Why direct action? Why sit ins, marches and so forth? Isn't negotiation a better path?" You are quite right in calling for negotiation. Indeed, this is the very purpose of direct action. Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. It seeks to dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored. My citing the creation of tension as part of the work of the nonviolent resister may sound rather shocking. But I must confess that I am not afraid of the word "tension."

 King makes an appeal to his readers' hearts and minds while implying the moral authority of the christian tradition and the collective suffering of the African American community. “So often it is an archdefender of the status quo. Far from being disturbed by the presence of the church, the power structure of the average community is consoled by the church's silent--and often even vocal--sanction of things as they are."