Dr. Martin Luther King’s Best Piece of Literature

Dr. Martin Luther King once said on a speech, I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality...I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word. Love can solve everything has always been Dr. Martin Luther King's belief. He believed that everyone is equal. He wanted to take a stand against the racial injustice that was happening in Birmingham and everywhere else in the nation. He would not stop fighting no matter what happened, even if he had to retaliate blows from the police. His way of protesting for justice was respectful but yet motivating, he also managed to make a huge impact in the way the American's think of colored people without any violence. He was then criticized for his actions by the Clergymen, he then wrote the Letter from Birmingham Jail in response of their remarks. Throughout his article, Dr. Martin Luther King attempts to persuade his audience via biblical illusions, rhetorical questions and pathos; however, Kingr's sarcastic tone, yet respectful, make his credibility convincing to his audience because he wrote such an inspirational piece of literature. Biblical illusion is a huge part of his letter, it showed his audience that Dr. King is an intellectual person and he knows how to prove his point with biblical facts to make sure that the clergymen and the public understand the purpose of his movement. Throughout the letter, King admits that he felt his goal in life was to carry the gospel of freedom beyond his hometown. In his letter Dr. Martin Luther King quoted, Just as the prophets of the eighth century B.C. left their villages and?carried their thus saith the Lord far beyond the boundaries of their home towns, 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 I am compelled to carry the gospel of freedom?beyond my own home town( King n. Pag.).Dr. King explains to his audience that he felt he was brought to this Earth to carry the gospel of freedom and free his brothers and sisters from racism. He strongly believed that one day in the future, everyone would get along with each other peacefully. Dr. King also used rhetorical questions throughout his letter to make the reader stop and think about the racism crisis. Most importantly he starts questioning his audience about the different laws that exist. Dr. King states that he agrees with St. Augustine that an unjust law is no law at all". He then starts asking the public how can we differentiate between an unjust law and a just law. In Letter from Birmingham Dr. King asks his audience, Now what is the difference between the two? How does one determine whether a law is just and unjust law?(King n.pag.). After his rhetorical questions he goes more into detail explaining the difference between the two laws. His main point was that a just law is a moral law given by God and an unjust law is a law that is out of harmony with the moral law. Throughout the passage, King uses pathos to make an emotional appeal to his audience. King's arguments play further into the conscious of his audience to make his point. One powerful example of King's pull on his audience consciousness is when he has to explain his children about racism: when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six year old daughter why she cant go to the public amusement park that has just 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 bitterness toward white people; when you have to concoct an answer for five year old son who is asking: Daddy, why do white people treat colored people so mean? He was demonstrating his audience how hard it would be explaining the meaning of racism to children. Especially explaining them that they would always be treated differently because of the color of their skin. In Conclusion Dr. Martin Luther King persuades his letter through biblical illusions, rhetorical questions and pathos to make his letter more persuasive. All throughout his letter he establishes himself a legitimate authority to his audience. He also gives great examples to justify his actions in the civil rights movement. He answers all the criticism he was getting from the clergymen and from the public in the Letter from Birmingham. He effectively demonstrates the injustice that was occurring in our country. Dr. Martin Luther King indeed made the best piece of literature in our entire history.

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