Letter From Birmingham Jail Analysis
Mohandas Gandhi 's, "Satyagraha," and Martin Luther King Jr. 's, "Letter from Birmingham Jail," each argue for non-violent civil disobedience. However, each author uses different rhetorical appeals, such as ethos, to establish their credibility. In paragraph ten of King 's statement he asks rhetorical questions the Clergymen might have. "You may well ask: "Why direct action? Why sit-ins, marches and so forth? Isn 't negotiation a better path"(King 2)? Gandhi also does a great job of breaking down the complexity of his argument by separating his "new terms" and defining them one by one. With these two aspects in mind the authors set out their framework for their argument and presented it in their own way with their own style.
In Gandhi 's Satyagraha …show more content…
"Why direct action? Why sit-ins, marches and so forth? Isn 't negotiation a better path"(King 2)? With this statement King allows some indirect input from the Clergymen. He then goes on to answer the questions with legitimacy and reason. King 's questions force the Clergymen to think about how they would answer them. But when King himself tells them the answers, it forces them to think differently. It forces them to think like King. Throughout the whole letter King does such an incredible job of allowing his audience to think for themselves but then provides an alternative way of thought. In doing this King is hoping that the spark of an alternative thought would in turn get the readers to question whether or not their actions are right or wrong. Martin Luther King Jr. establishes ethos by utilizing his knowledge of the Bible and referencing it to his main audience, the Clergymen. "…and just as the Apostle Paul left his village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to the far corners of the Greco-Roman world, so am I"(King 1). King could not have a better audience to write to than the Clergymen because he can back up all of his statements with references to the Bible that they also can relate to. He can use his knowledge to influence the thinking of these Clergymen and justify his actions. King essentially uses Biblical references as a tactful "shame on you" towards the Clergymen. He relates
In Gandhi 's Satyagraha …show more content…
"Why direct action? Why sit-ins, marches and so forth? Isn 't negotiation a better path"(King 2)? With this statement King allows some indirect input from the Clergymen. He then goes on to answer the questions with legitimacy and reason. King 's questions force the Clergymen to think about how they would answer them. But when King himself tells them the answers, it forces them to think differently. It forces them to think like King. Throughout the whole letter King does such an incredible job of allowing his audience to think for themselves but then provides an alternative way of thought. In doing this King is hoping that the spark of an alternative thought would in turn get the readers to question whether or not their actions are right or wrong. Martin Luther King Jr. establishes ethos by utilizing his knowledge of the Bible and referencing it to his main audience, the Clergymen. "…and just as the Apostle Paul left his village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to the far corners of the Greco-Roman world, so am I"(King 1). King could not have a better audience to write to than the Clergymen because he can back up all of his statements with references to the Bible that they also can relate to. He can use his knowledge to influence the thinking of these Clergymen and justify his actions. King essentially uses Biblical references as a tactful "shame on you" towards the Clergymen. He relates