The general argument made by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is that his demonstrations are not only warranted, but completely necessary. More specifically, he argues that action is the only solution to conflict. His use of logical appeal, building credibility through allusion, and figurative language help make his purpose clear.
Firstly, King uses a logical appeal to expose the absurdity of segregation. For example, in his explanation of why integration cannot wait, King insists, “The nations of Asia and Africa are moving with jet-like speed toward gaining political independence, but we still creep at horse-and-buggy pace toward gaining a cup of coffee at a lunch counter” (14). With this statement, King seeks to bring to light the absolute ridiculousness of the situation, implying that time spent fighting segregation is time that could be used for much more productive matters, and that by this point the conflict shouldn’t even be an issue anymore.
The extreme contrast between something as powerful as political independence and something as insignificant as a cup of coffee serves to make the audience consider where their goals for the future should really lie. This adds to King’s purpose because it shows that by fighting segregation, he is actually making room for future growth and progress within America. Also, after referencing different instances of past civil disobedience, King says, “We should never forget that everything Adolf Hitler did in Germany was ‘legal’ and everything the Hungarian freedom fighters did in Hungary was ‘illegal'” (22).
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King makes references to these infamous events because he wants to point out that just because a law is in place does not mean that justice is occurring, and therefore just because demonstrations are illegal does not mean they are morally incorrect. This ties to King’s purpose because it makes the audience question the reasons behind prohibition of integrationist demonstrations, and makes opposing King’s cause seem illogical.
Furthermore, King utilizes allusion to build credibility by comparing himself to positive figures, insisting that his actions parallel theirs, and therefore they are justified. For example, in response to a suggestion that his actions are the precursor to brutality, King asks, “Isn’t this like condemning Socrates…? Isn’t this like condemning Jesus because his… never-ceasing devotion to God’s will precipitated the evil act of crucifixion?” (25). King makes references to these figures to show his audience that his cause is for good, not evil. He knows that these figures are respected to the highest degree, and even dares to suggest the idea of denouncing the son of God.
This ghastly proposition strengthens his purpose because by comparing his struggles to those of Socrates and Jesus, he makes it shockingly clear that his movement is valid. Furthermore, acknowledging those who accuse him of being a fanatic, King begins a series of allusions, starting with “Was not Amos an extremist for justice… Was not Paul an extremist for the Christian gospel… And Abraham Lincoln… And Thomas Jefferson” (31). King acknowledges not only religious figures, but political ones as well, and subsequently suggests that his movement is larger than the boundaries of religion; it is one that will better the entire country.
King is aware of the innate respect Americans share for these figures, and by playing on this shared value and comparing his mission to theirs, he seeks to gain the audience’s respect and trust. By building a sense of integrity and validity with the audience, King is able to convince them of his purpose-that his movement is necessary.
Also, in his letter, King builds an emotional appeal through figurative language in order to display the urgency and importance of his cause. For instance, in explaining the process of his movement, King says, “As in so many past experiences, our hopes had been blasted, and the shadow of deep disappointment settled upon us… we would present our very bodies as a means of laying our case” (8). The use of powerful language such as “blasted” and metaphors like “the shadow of deep disappointment” serve to impact the audience’s emotions and lead them to sympathize with him and his supporters.
Also, King references the fact that the demonstrators will only have their bodies to fight with in order to make the audience feel the fear and apprehension the integrationists must have felt. They had no vehicles, no guns, no walls to hide behind, only themselves, and King utilizes the terror of this thought to generate sympathy in the audience for his followers. King especially plays on the multiple negative feelings associated with the emotion of disappointment, such as sorrow and heartache. This connects to his purpose because by making the audience feel the anguish of the
integrationists, King succeeds in gaining sympathy and understanding for his group. Additionally, in response to the counterargument that his movement is not timely, King begins a series of emotion-inducing examples starting with “When you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate- filled policemen curse, kick, and even kill your black brothers and sisters…” (14).
Collectively, these statements serve to show the audience the harsh, heartbreaking reality of what it means to be a Negro during the segregation era. Since the clergymen King is addressing are all white, they have never experienced anything close to the discrimination and violence aimed at African-Americans in this time period. By providing these examples, King seeks to acquaint these clergymen with the daily horrors of Negro life in hopes that consequently, they will be more considerate and supportive of his movement.
In his letter addressing the Alabama clergymen, King insists that his actions and demonstrations are completely justifiable. His use of logical appeal, building ethos through allusion, and emotional appeal through figurative language make this abundantly clear.
