Letter from Birmingham Jail Notes

Stephen Simmons
AP English 11/Mr. George
10/7/09
Notes/outline

Use of Pathos (emotion):
• “I guess it is…”(742)
o This sections main appeal is pathos. However, King uses vivid imagery and aggressive diction to powerfully build up to his climax and in doing so incorporates no punctuation that would allow the reader to rest, in order to instill into the human beings reading the letter, the same exhaustion that he himself had felt, as well as many others.

o King uses his diction cleverly throughout his long winded paragraph which could be seen as an ingenious attack against the person, or the unjust white folk. He uses parallel structure repeating the words, “when you” to triumph over the emotions of his audience. He incorporates the word “you” to convey himself and his frustration to the audience as well as barter emotions from his ink to your heart.

o King, as his comprehensive, emotional rampage comes to a close, he wanes his argument, incorporates a pause, and then states his conclusion and hopes that the audience will to understand their impatience. It seems as if he does this to make a stupendous argument that will engrave itself into your mind, only to courteously ask for it to be considered.

• His pathos and mind altering imagery seem to follow logic which introduce or support his opinions. Furthermore, ethos seems to follow pathos which he used to assure the audience that he is faithful to certain things and forever will be, such as the church. However, he does not jerkily showcase his profession or life achievements. He speaks of himself, and the emotions of others, as he would anyone else, or for a “whole” and not a “piece.”

Use of Logos (logic):
• “Was not Jesus an extremist…”(747)
o Most if not all of Kings logical statements are supported or presented with emotion or opinion.
o He uses logic to deny claims made about himself and Negroes in general.
o Logos is used in throughout the letter to prove, not show off, his intelligence.
o King fuses logic and emotion to make a point or introduce an idea to the audience in which he is going to defend.
 “We have waited for…”(742)
• Kings opinions on the church on impatience/waiting, on just and unjust laws are a combination of emotion, opinion logic, that isn’t defined but implied, and aggressive diction, as well as clever use of syntax. Like in an essay the realistic points that King makes only strengthen his ideals more, as well as assemble barriers in which error can not penetrate.

Use of Ethos (character):
• King in a variety of sections in his letter not only addresses the character of himself to disprove any negative attributes that one could acquire from him, but he also discusses the character of others.
• “We decided to set…”(740)
o King describes the impatience and neediness for direct action in the people as well as himself. He established the character of the demonstrators, who were fully aware of the repercussions of their actions/direct actions.
• “I say it was a minister of the gospel…”(748)
o Through his characterizations of not only himself, but others, it seems as if he uses these descriptions to not only assure the audience but to make known to the audience that he very well knows that he is talking about, and that he isn’t attempting to call out the white folk on every minor, troubling detail, but that he is just like any other person who is well aware of their social status feels the need to allocate his frustration and eagerness for change.

• Syntax and Diction:
o “I guess it is…”(742)
o “We have waited for more than three hundred and forty years…”(742)
o “I don’t believe you would…”(751)
o “If I have said anything in this letter that is an overstatement of the truth and is indicative of an unreasonable impatience, I beg you to forgive me. If I had said anything in this letter that is an understatement of the truth and is indicative of my having a patience that makes me patient with anything less than brotherhood, I beg God to forgive me”(752)
o “I hope this letter…”(752-753)
• He uses syntax and diction to make the audience feel the emotions he is feeling and to paint very descriptive images in the readers mind. He also uses syntax to make the reader feel not only the emotional frustration and power in his writing, but the physical as well. In conclusion, he also uses syntax to make his arguments or rampages seem like well thought out, powerful argument and not an attack against the audience or white folk.