Sunday, March 4, 2018

Letter from a Birmingham Jail: An Analysis (Adrienne Mitchel)

Martin Luther King Jr. knew Birmingham, Alabama was perhaps the most segregated city in the United States. And it was because of this that the Southern Christian Leadership Conference chose this city in 1963 to start a series of nonviolent actions against segregation.
On April 3, 1963, the first protests began. These included lunch-counter sit-ins (sitting down in “whites-only” public places and refusing to move in order to cause the business to lose customers) and street demonstrations.
On April 12, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr was arrested for this nonviolent protest against segregation. After learning of his arrest, eight prominent white clergymen — four bishops, one rabbi, and three reverends — wrote a public statement urging the community to stop these demonstrations and instead solve the issue through the court system. They wrote that, “We recognize the natural impatience of people who feel that their hopes are slow in being realized. But we are convinced that these demonstrations are unwise and untimely.” In response, Martin Luther King Jr wrote his famous “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” This letter not only addresses the criticisms of the clergymen, but it also encompasses all the actions that must be taken in order for the world to change for the better.
This letter is not only important in history, but also in literature, as it masterfully conveys King’s beliefs through a variety of complex rhetorical strategies. For example, the audience that his letter was written to required his letter to compel those who publicly disagreed with his viewpoint to realize the validity of his actions. In order to achieve this, King clearly acknowledges and refutes the clergymen’s arguments written in their letter by utilizing religious allusions to further compel his religious audience. Understanding that his audience would be familiar with historical religious figures, King quotes St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Paul Tillich to prove that there are some cases in which the law must be broken. An example of his utilization of biblical references to convince the clergymen that his actions are just is: “You speak of our activity in Birmingham as extreme… Was not Jesus an extremist for love: ‘Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.’”
Martin Luther King Jr’s letter shows more than just his beliefs — it also shows his character. Even though he was in jail when he wrote the letter, there is nothing malicious or cruel in it. The tone is calm, understanding, and respectful. Although his whole life he had to face discrimination, King maintains his composure and recognizes that “an eye for an eye” is not the answer. His steadfast belief in direct nonviolent action is what made him such an important leader of the black rights movement. And through his writings, Martin Luther King Jr’s words will live immortality on, giving current and future human rights activists inspiration and support.

 
 
 

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