Choose one of the following topics. Once a topic is chosen twice, it is off the market. First come first serve.
Topic # 1:
Martin Luther King Jr. considers the accusation that he is an “outsider” meddling in local affairs. Analyze the strategies used to argue his position.
Topic #2:
Martin Luther King Jr. considers the accusation that he has resorted to demonstrations rather than negotiations. Analyze the strategies used to argue his position.
Topic #3:
Martin Luther King Jr. considers the accusation that his nonviolent protest movement is “unwise and untimely”. Analyze the strategies used to argue his position.
Topic #4:
Martin Luther King Jr. considers the accusation that his nonviolent protest movement breaks the law. Analyze the strategies used to argue his position.
Topic # 5:
Martin Luther King Jr. considers the accusation that his nonviolent protest movement is “extreme.” Analyze the strategies used to argue his position.
Topic # 6:Martin Luther King Jr. expresses his grave disappointment with the white church and its leadership. Analyze the strategies used to argue his position.
You will be choosing the passage from King's letter that relays the ideas from the prompt you are assigned.
PLEASE UNDERSTAND: "Strategies" does not mean just schemes and tropes. The prompts above ask you to identify and connect how strategies are used in the passage you're working with. This could mean anything from this Rhetorical Framework graphic.
I chose Topic #3.
ReplyDeleteI focused on the part of the letter spanning from the fourth paragraph on Page 126 to the first paragraph on Page 128.
Martin Luther King, Jr. uses a wide variety of rhetorical strategy in his response to being accused acting in an unjustified, unwise, and untimely manner. This accusation is the exigence, which based on a quick Google search is the event that prompts a response. The audience, of course, is the clergymen to whom the letter was written. The purpose, of course, was to explain his actions and his response to what he believed, and what probably was, a dire situation.
MLK establishes ethos in the last paragraph on Page 126 when he directly addresses the elephant in the room, the question of waiting for the new administration to take full effect. Pathos is appealed to in this section in the same way that it is appealed to in the entire letter, as MLK speaks in a way that is intended to light a fire under the tuchuses of the white clergymen. He is trying to get them angry over the issue of segregation. Pathos comes full-circle, however, in the large paragraph on the lower half of Page 127, when he describes how his daughter is upset because she cannot go to an amusement park because of the color of her skin and how his son flat-out voices his curiosity and frustration at how blacks are treated in comparison to whites. In fact, MLK even mentions the word pathos in mentioning his son. By bringing his kids into the situation, MLK is really trying to tug on the heartstrings of the clergymen, which he does a very good job in doing. Logos is also appealed to in the way MLK describes all of the happenings in the black community as if the clergymen are unaware. In the second paragraph on Page 127, he also appeals to Logos with the very powerful maxim, “justice too long delayed is justice denied.”
As far as surface features of the letter are concerned, MLK effectively uses them all. Diction, or the effective and accurate use of strong vocabulary, is clearly used throughout the letter, but really comes to life at the bottom of Page 127, when MLK is very passionately and bluntly talking about the many different and disrespectful titles of the black man and the black woman. Diction flourishes with intense vocabulary such as this. Syntax, which is the way in which effective vocabulary is arranged, aids Diction and makes this part of the letter really come together and allow for the rhetorical appeals to be powerfully and effectively delivered. His choice to talk about this matter of the titles alone embodies imagery, as he is trying to get his audience to think about what he is describing. Figurative language is relatively flat in this area, but is used earlier when he talks about how “Funtown is closed to colored children.” Funtown did not actually exist.
All in all, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s approach to arguing his reason for not waiting for the new administration to take affect has a very solid rhetorical frame. He effectively and powerfully delivers his response by basically telling that there is way too much BS at the moment to wait around for new figureheads in government because odds are that they won’t make a difference anyway.
I like how you clearly stated where you found your information and also ethos, pathos, and logos. I also liked how you googled some stuff to help you write this blog. You made some great arguments. Great job!
DeleteI really love how you analyzed this work. You really took your time and made this argument great. Good work!
DeleteI also chose #3, I agree with all your points. I really liked where you talked about the use of vocabulary and diction.
DeleteTopic # 6:Martin Luther King Jr. expresses his grave disappointment with the white church and its leadership. Analyze the strategies used to argue his position.
ReplyDeleteMartin Luther Jr. uses the definition and testimony topics of invention to explain his dissatisfaction. His specific confession of his frustration also helps King establish his ethos, which is necessary because he is in jail while writing this letter. King was a controversial man to many during his life time, but this letter not only opened those close minded peoples heads, it was one step forward to the elimination of segregation.
From the beginning, King establishes authority and the ears of the audience by directly addressing the words spoken against him. By doing this, King shows that he will not back down when it comes to defending his people and fighting for rights. Also, he compliments his audience, the white men, that he believes they are smart and good willed people, and that he trusts they will understand that he will answer all comments and questions directed at him before his imprisonment. In the topic I chose, he uses more logos than pathos because in the previous paragraphs he establishes pathos. The logic is used to sum up his point and help the audience understand his emotions.
In the end of his speech, King addresses the white moderate of the country. He uses the invention of definition by clearing stating that he is referring to all white men who believe justice comes after order. This definition is important because many could think of white moderates as the Ku Klux Klanner. He also uses the subunit of example under definition by bringing up a quote about the mindset of the white moderate, “I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can’t agree with your methods of direst action.”
King further backs his accusations up with two specific examples of his observations and experiences. He explains that his movement to nonviolent efforts are not extremist actions, as others believe. He uses a mix of definition and example to show that he is actually the safer protester because the other group is violent. He also uses his own testimony that the group of those who demand equality with violence are doing the opposite of him; they are fighting with name calling and non peaceful actions. These examples and testimonies are a great part of King’s persuasion.
Overall, King mostly uses definition and testimony to thoroughly explain his mindset. This is smart because in most of his letter, he is passive aggressive and uses facts to back up his emotions. King’s observations and facts greatly provides the audience with knowledge of his situation.
I appreciated how you found specific examples from the text and incorporated them into your blog. I also love how you saw that he used more logos than pathos and also how you used the topics of invention. Great job!
DeleteI really enjoyed your discussion of how Dr. King is successful in using the topics of invention to elaborate on his argument. As you wrote, King is also exceptional at tying together his ethos, pathos, and logos to construct a well-developed, persuasive argument.
DeleteI like how you brought up King's background, and about how he wouldn't back down. Good work!
DeleteI appreciated how closely you analyzed the text and also supplied multiple direct examples. Good work!
DeleteI really enjoy how you used specific examples from the text to support your argument. Good work.
DeleteI chose topic 4. Martin Luther King Jr. considers the accusation that his nonviolent protest movement breaks the law. Analyze the strategies used to argue his position.
ReplyDeleteMy main focus for this argument was on pages 128 and 129. Throughout these two pages, Martin Luther King Jr. uses at least three topics of invention. The three that are plainly recognizable are definition, comparison, and testimony. All three of these topics make his letter to the public that much more fantastic and help convince the people that he is doing the right thing. He also expresses ethos right when he starts talking about justice and the law.
Martin Luther King Jr. establishes his ethos about this subject when he acknowledges the people’s concern about him “breaking laws”. He then goes on to talk about how he respects the law and abides by it, especially quoting the Supreme Court’s decision of 1954 dealing with a segregation ban in schools. He also states that he and his group rarely break the law. Towards the end of this part of his letter, Martin Luther King Jr. tells the audience that he does not want them to break the law and he says that in the speech, which ever way the people may have taken it, he does not want people to break the law.
Martin Luther King Jr. uses the topic definition quite a few time within these few pages. The first time he uses definition is when he defines the two types of laws and further explains the moral responsibility to obey or not to obey these laws. He also defines a just law and an unjust law. One of the subtopics of definition is example. Martin Luther King Jr. gives many examples of unjust and just laws in this letter.
The second topic I saw was comparison. Martin Luther King Jr. compared the definitions of just and unjust laws to what happened in Germany with the Nazis. He said that everything that Hitler did was legal, but unjust. He said that he would hide Jews even though it was illegal. This goes along with what he said before about his moral responsibility to disobey laws. He also talks about how the people who were trying to help the people of Hungary. He said that technically their acts were illegal, but they were doing the right thing. What Martin Luther King Jr. is trying to say here is that the justice system is corrupt. Of you do the right thing, you get thrown into prison. If you kill off almost an entire population, then it’s all legal. This was my take on what he was saying. He also points out the reason he was arrested. It was because he had a parade of nonviolent protest, but he didn’t have a permit to do so. He said that he was denied of his First Amendment.
The third topic presented was testimony. I saw a few historical references and quotes made by Martin Luther King Jr. These were mainly from the Bible or the Roman time period. Overall, these few topics of invention made his argument extremely compelling. It also made me angry at our justice system.
While reading Dr. King’s letter, I also took note of how often he related his situation to those in the past. He is incredibly effective at using the invention of comparison to substantiate his argument and deliver his rather blunt message. Your discussion of how he establishes his ethos is also spot-on, as he is able to focus on each individual component: phronesis, arete, and eunoia.
DeleteYour points on how King established his ethos is the same idea I had. I agree he used his words to express concern to establish his ethos. Also, great job clearly stating when a topic of invention was expressed.
DeleteI, too, noticed that he looked to similar past events in getting his point across. In bringing this up, you emphasized the respect MLK had for the law and while some thought it was not his position in society, he was not doing as Hitler did, and Hitler was a true menace. And this just screams ethos. Good work.
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ReplyDeleteTopic # 1:
ReplyDeleteWithin Dr. Martin Luther King’s letter from Birmingham City Jail, King is effective in establishing the rest of his case through one of his first rebukes of the statement published by eight white clergymen who disapproved of “civil disobedience:” the fact that he was an outsider, and, thus, should not meddle in local affairs. Within pages 124 and 125, King addresses this issue directly, utilizing various rhetorical strategies.
Within his introduction (his first two paragraphs), King establishes his ethos, while also appealing to pathos. He first directly addresses the clergymen as “men of genuine goodwill” whose “criticisms are sincerely set forth.” In this way, King effectively appeals to the pride of the clergymen, in a way to ease his audience into his first argument.
When he finally arrives to his first argument, King begins to build upon his ethos, identifying himself as the “president of the South Christian Leadership Conference.” He proceeds to write that this organization is a part of every Southern state, and that he, as the president, cooperates with similar organizations for his cause. By laying out his qualifications, so to speak, King introduces himself as a leader, one whose mission will not die or be suppressed by authority.
This finally leads King into the substance of his first argument, the logos. He writes that he was actually invited by Birmingham to partake in “civil disobedience,” in an attempt to prompt the clergymen to ask “Is he really an outsider? If he was invited, does this really make him an outsider?” Yes, while the clergymen may have arrived at this question, King understands the need to further back up his argument, and does this through a historical example as a way of comparison. This analogy was not randomly chosen by King; no, it was thoughtfully chosen, as it clearly relates to the beliefs of the clergymen. He compares his situation to that of the prophets, who carried the Word of God to all those who longed for a message of hope; similarly, King explains that he feels the need to spread his message of hope to those outside of his community. King furthers his argument by speaking of the bonds between not only those in one community, but one community to another. This is the true essence of America — these unbreakable bonds between communities hundreds of miles apart. Essentially, King is saying that, even if political and social tensions become heated, America must remain united as one, not fractured.
Aside from utilizing the rhetorical strategies of ethos, pathos, and logos, King is also capable of depicting his message of unity in the phrase “We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality tied is a single garment of destiny.” This statement summarizes King’s first major argument in a way that is simple to understand — the fact that what affects one person, even if indirectly, will affect someone else. If the outside involvement mentality is not crushed, dire consequences will result.
Throughout the course of the introduction to his argument, King is effective in delivering his message through comparisons — specifically historical examples — as well as through appealing to emotion and character. This letter’s defining characteristics allow King to reprimand those who feel waiting for a so-called “insider” to solve all problems is a great option.
I love how you utilized every aspect of his argument. Also like s how you included pathos, logos, and ethos. Great job!
DeleteYou did a great job of explaining logos, ethos, and pathos. You also clearly answered the question you chose. Great work!
DeleteI truly enjoyed your discussion of all topics and how in-depth you went in your analysis. It truly made it easier for me to understand
DeleteI really enjoyed how you expounded upon each part of King's argument. It really made his intentions clear. Good job.
DeleteAmazing job explaining logos, pathos, and ethos. Everything was very clear and well discussed!
Deletetopic #4
ReplyDeleteMartin Luther used many different aspects to his arguments. To reach his argument about laws, he separates them into two topics: unjust laws and just laws. His first real stand against the opposition is with logos. He stated that without legal, nonviolent pressure, there would be no gain in civili rights movements. This recollects the idea of the opposition accusing Martin of breaking laws. Obviously, Martin is correct and proves this through high logic. He uses daily accounts of mistreatment to prove to the audience that current events actually occur. This is pure fact, not even a hint of fiction.
Then he slips into pathos. He REALLY uses his pathos. Martin describes what happened to the African Americans during their segregation. Lynching, burning, beating. Humiliation, discrimination, resentment. He highlights every type of illegal act made towards the African Americans. This really made me think about how I'd feel if that were to happen to me. The way he claims the actions meant to demeanor the African Americans, hits the pathos of the audience.
This also includes the ethos, or the ethical appeal. The audience can acknowledge that Martin knows of the mistreatment of African Americans, resulting in a good moral thought for Martin. He also includes ethos through the way he protects not only himself but the others around him. He puts himself in the position to be possibly killed or beaten, yet he does it for those around him to be set free. Eventually he is only jailed, but the morality of the act deserves an applause.
Lastly, the kairos comes into play. The place setting is in a jail. This reflects his topic of unjust and just laws. Not only was Martin legally protesting, it was also nonviolent. This shows how African Americans were treated and proves his previous stamens about the unjust laws. He proves to the audience that not only was he arrested for peaceful protesting, but his race also had a point taken against him. The audience can figure out that Martin was a courageous man for stepping up against others knowing fully well that what he was doing was legal, but that he would most likely be punished for it.
Great job showing the main points King used to prove his point of the unjust actions being taken upon African Americans. Also, I totally agree with how King established his ethos.
DeleteI agree with Maddie, you did a very good job distinguishing what was what and why it was included.
DeleteI chose topic #2.
ReplyDeleteI used information from page 124 to page 126 in order to argue his position.
Martin Luther King Jr. decided to use demonstrations instead of negotiations in his letter for many reason. By using demonstrations instead of just negotiations, it is easier to achieve what you want. Some people need to see how a task will be done before they agree to doing it. Martin believed that since the community was not able to negotiate successfully, the next thing to do was to use demonstrations such as sit-ins and marches. Instead of using violent actions, everything should be made nonviolent. The purpose of using nonviolent direct actions is to all for negotiations to actually take place. However, Martin did have a few personal opinions about how negotiations should be. He believed that the only way for them to be successful is if everyone was in favor of the topic and if the negotiation was for a good thing. The only time that an action should be taken is if the negotiation is broken by someone. Action may need to be taken in order to work things out again.
Logos was used to a great extent. Martin Luther King Jr. used direct action for a particular reason-he wanted to defeat Mr. Connor. The timing of using direct action was even based on what needed to be done. Very little pathos was used to talk about the difference between demonstrations and negotiations. However, the idea of pain was used in order to help the readers understand why Martin Luther King Jr. did what he did. Ethos is used when he talks about how he’s a leader, and he says how when something happens he always has to be concerned about it.
I like how you had a dedicated paragraph for logos pathos and ethos. Good job!
DeleteIt is certainly true that showing the public what exactly you are doing is a much better thing than relinquishing all civil rights talk to situations behind closed doors. And your paragraph about the appeals is great. Good work.
DeleteI liked the discussion of action. It was well-written and very explanatory; nice work!
DeleteThis was very well explained and I liked how you split the paragraphs for different topics
DeleteI chose topic #4
ReplyDeleteMartin Luther King Jr. considers the accusation that his nonviolent protest movement breaks the law. Analyze the strategies used to argue his position.
While Martin Luther King's whole letter was an amazing piece of work that had incredible rhetorical power, I think that his hardest hitting point was when he talks about breaking the law. MLK begins this part of the speech with a pathos filled rant that brings the unfair treatment of colored people a little more light. What comes next is what I believe is the most powerful quote (albeit long) to ever be said. "when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six year old daughter why she can't go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children, and see ominous clouds of inferiority beginning to form in her little mental sky, and see her beginning to distort her personality by developing an unconscious bitterness toward white people." While king is trying to conjure up emotions inside of us, King is not a dumb man, he said this for a reason. After all, who wants to disappoint their precious little daughter? This quote is so powerful because it makes the situation more real. There is so much pathos in just this little passage that it alone can describe King's rhetorical style. He speaks with so much emotion, that his words gain power and stay with you. This is something truly magical.
Next, king brings up how people say that his organization is bad because of their willingness to break laws. He is smart to directly address this, as he is basically calling out everyone who did the same to him. He responds to this accusation by explaining that they only break unjust laws. They will not kill, they will not steal, but when they have to be subjected to segregation, they will not obey. MLK proves this point as well with another powerful example. He brings up Hitler's persecution of the Jews, and relates it to just and unjust laws. He talks of how hiding a Jew was illegal at the time, but he would have done it willingly. Did that make him a bad person for breaking the law? By bringing up Hitler, who seems to be the worlds greatest evil, you can easily sway people opinions. By using this and other powerful rhetorical strategies, MLK is able to really drive his point home.
I like how you quoted something from the letter and then you explained the meaning of the quote. Good job!
DeleteTopic 2:
ReplyDeleteMartin Luther King Junior, in his “Letter From a Birmingham Jail,” responds to the thrashing he received from a group of clergymen. In the initial letter from the clergymen, they write that King has resorted to demonstrations, rather than negotiations. King addresses this sentiment heavily in one section of his letter. He explains that negotiations have been a tried and true method of not getting anything done. He says, “Then came an opportunity last September to talk with some of the leaders of the economic community... [the merchants] promised to remove the humiliating and racist signs from stores.... As the weeks and months unfolded, we realized that we were victims of a broken promise. The signs remained.” He appeals to logos, using the enthymeme, “If negotiations do not work, then we should not try to negotiate. Negotiations have not worked, so we should no longer try to negotiate.” King has already seen what negotiations have done for his movement, absolutely nothing. He will not stand by and wait for someone else to take the initiative, being passive does not get anything done. If King had contented himself to continue negotiating, racism would still be commonplace today. Movements that simply wait for someone else to help them inevitably fail. King was an extremely intelligent man, he was well aware of the implications of being a passive movement, and he was not about to let segregation persist because nobody would listen to their demands. He stopped the negotiations the moment he realized that nothing has changed, and began to demonstrate.
I really liked the quotes you used; they successfully relayed the crux of your blog. Good job!
DeleteI chose topic #5
ReplyDeleteMartin Luther King Jr. wrote an amazing piece of work in this letter. He is able to defend himself in an eloquent way when the whites try to accuse him and the rest of his followers as being extremists. MLK does not exactly disagree with what they are accusing, but he brings out their accusation to make them think about it in a different way. He says, "Opressed people cannot remain opressed forever." He then further explains that the black people are either just okay with segregation laws or they are furious and want a change. MLK is doing a great job at keeping everyone nonviolent because he knows that at any moment it could turn into a bloodbath. How could nonviolent protests even be extreme? They are not causing any damage. He explains that they are just fighting for their birth rights. They just want equality which is a right every person is born with in the United States. How can anyone take away from that? He even quotes historical examples from Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson to further prove his point. Next Martin Luther King Jr. makes comparisons by using both negative and positive extremists. He says how Jesus was an extremist for love and hope, while there are others who are extremists fro immoral situations. The ones who are extremists for hate always fall below the society. On the other hand, extremists for love always rise above. As he says, "The question is not whether we are extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be?" I think that question sheds a new light on the way the white moderate thought. Another point is that King brought in some pathos by explaining that he felt disappointed with the white clergy that should have stood by him but never did. After all, they all believe in the same thing, right? I think it would be guilt into the hearts of the white clergymen. King does an excellent job of persuasion in this part of the letter. He brings together many rhetorical strategies that end of being successful in the fight for civil rights.
I chose topic #3
ReplyDeleteMartin Luther King Jr. mentions this in the very first sentence of the letter, doesn't directly address it until page 126. In the second paragraph on page 126, he gives a very clear timetable and reasoning behind the time they decided to act. He explains that they waited until Easter because its the second largest shopping period of the year behind Christmas, so they could use a strong economic withdrawal program on the merchants, but then decided to delay even longer until March since the election was then, so they waited until after the election. He uses a lot of logos to explain the reasoning behind their time of direct action. I think this also helps establish his ethos. Someone who knows exactly what they are talking about and very educated is a lot more convincing than someone who seems they know nothing of their topic.
Next, he moves into explaining why they used direct action, such as sit-ins and marches, rather than trying to negotiate. He explains that nonviolent direct action “seeks to create such a crisis and establish such active tension that a community that has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue.” By using this direct action, it would force them to negotiate again, which was unsuccessful in the past. Again, he is using more logos, which goes hand in hand with establishing his ethos.
After getting into some of the reasoning behind why they did what they did, he moves back to talking about the timing of the movement. He once again directly addresses their statement. He says “the only answer that I can give to this inquiry is that the new administration must be prodded about as much as the outgoing one before it acts. He explains that since their is a new administration coming in, they must be indicated of the situation because the same thing will happen over again if they don't. He also explains why they could no longer wait, and why he was frustrated with people telling them over and over again to continue to wait. To back this up, he shares some of the real horrors experienced. By showing what they had to deal with, it sheds light on why waiting was no longer an option. There is a lot of pathos included within the entire letter, but I would say the most in particular is located when he is talking about what they have to go through.
Overall, he thoroughly addresses both subjects, the “unwise and untimely” accusations. He uses logic and examples to back up all of his arguments, while at the same time establishing his ethos. There is an exuberant amount of pathos included in this whole entire letter as well. He is really really trying to convince the clergymen that the time for change has come, and he tries to persuade them of that, and I would say he is very effective in doing so.
Topic 5
ReplyDeleteThroughout history, there have been many protests. Many of them lead to even bigger issues and often people get hurt. Martin Luther King, Jr. wanted to break away from this. His nonviolent protests brought people together rather than tearing them apart. He could’ve easily done less honorable things to get his point across, but who is better remembered as time goes on? Is it Martin Luther King, Jr. or Malcom X? The extreme way isn’t always the smart, practical way. King, Jr. used words and feelings to help people overcome adversity and understand the need for equality. He showed people through his perseverance that his was a cause that could not be put down. Though he faced many trials and tribulations, he kept pushing forward and doing everything he could to stop discrimination.