![]() Based on this case, we argue that rigid distinctions between instrumental and constitutive functions of rhetoric are misleading and that rhetorical critics should regard the constitution of self and the instrumental uses of character as a fluid relationship. This constitutive dimension of character occurs simultaneously and in intimate connection with its use as an instrument of persuasion concerning specific issues. This construct allows King to criticize his target audience without alienating himself from it and also allows the “eavesdropping” black audience to discover a model for reconstructing their own sense of agency. Using Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” as a case study, we argue that the text develops a complex and nuanced construction of King’s character. This generative function of character becomes especially important in cases where suppressed groups attempt to find rhetorical means to alter their cir- cumstances. My question is, how could these bastards get away with this for so long? How could they have possibly justified slavery and segregation, with the whole world just looking on, ignoring? These so-called clergymen of the time were total hypocrites, as MLK put it mildly, I believe for the sake of peace.Traditional conceptions of rhetorical ethos treat character exclusively as an instru- ment of persuasion, but the persona of the rhetor often functions as a means of con- stituting the self in relation to a complex network of social and cultural relationships. ![]() I don’t know if some of us living now would be able to handle living in that part of the world at that time. ![]() You know, we all know that there has been racial and religious discrimination and segregation throughout history from the early Christians to the Jews extending to Africans and blacks around the world, and we all know about the civil rights movements in the United States in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, but MLK’s essay shed a light on how the situation really was during that period it actually gives us a taste of what it was really like to be a black person in segregated America. I noticed that he addressed his critics as “My dear fellow clergymen.” I think that this shows that, being a clergyman himself, he places himself on an equal footing as his critics, that he is indeed one of them and not less than, and this is a powerful evocation. King, under the most trying of circumstances, proved this is no excuse. 1 viewer 33.6K views Letter from Birmingham Jail (HarvardX) Lyrics My Dear Fellow Clergymen: While confined here in the Birmingham city jail, I came across your recent statement calling my. Too often political opponents cite seemingly insurmountable differences as an excuse for poorly articulated ideas and simplistic debates. One of the gifts of this essay is that it was created out of political conflict. By taking the time to answer his critics (or persecutors, as he is in prison) with patience, logic and intelligence, as opposed to retaliating with more rhetoric, he creates a work that transcends it original purpose and becomes a meditation on injustice. King understood his audience, and constructs a reply that not only addresses their criticisms, but also elevates his cause. In a deliberate tone, King categorically responds. These people shamelessly called King an extremist, and questioned the urgency of his call for racial equality. ![]() I know he was smart, but I never imagined he was this smart. Text 1 Notes My Dear Fellow Clergymen: While confined here in the Birmingham city jail, I came across your recent statement calling my present activities unwise and untimely. The method of determining whether a law is just. King had an extraordinary way with words. The Letter from Birmingham Jail The defense of his direct action strategy. Summarize important ideas in your own words. King composed this essay as a response to eight Southern Christian ministers who wrote a letter to the newspaper criticizing King’s nonviolent protests and urging him to let the battle over segregation be settled in the courts.Īs it turns out, Dr. Annotation Guide for Letter from Birmingham Jail Annotation Basics: Use a pen, pencil, post-it notes, or a highlighter. From that time, I figured that MLK was deep, but after reading this essay, I see that he was much, much deeper.ĭr. ![]() Why isn’t this a required reading in all our African high schools? When I was a kid, my dad used to drive us to Mombasa and back during vacation time, and he would make us listen to MLK’s “I have a dream” speech the whole way there and the whole way back. Martin Luther King Junior (MLK) is that it must be one of, if not, the most profound documents I’ve ever had the pleasure to read. My first impression after reading The Letter From Birmingham Jail by the late Dr. ![]()
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