Dr.

Kings
Letter from Birmingham Jail
DANIEL COX, AMANDA HENDRIX, DEVIN MOORE, ZELGAI SALEH, BEN
TOBIN, NATHAN ZELALEM, MARCELLO NOVELLA

Paragraph 14
Evidence Tone, Commentary, Metaphors, and Effect

Perhaps it is easy for those who
have never felt the stinging dark of
segregation to say, Wait.


...when you are harried by day
and haunted by night by the fact
that you are a Negro...when you
have no forever fighting
desegregating sense of
nobodiness then you will
understand why we find it difficult
to wait.

Using balanced view
Qualification with perhaps
Implying that he is about to propose a counter-
argument


Comes back in a full circle from start
Expresses anger and outrage through parallel structure
(when you)
Mentions harsh examples of what his people have had
to go through to generate pathos
Outraged tone

Paragraph 15
Evidence Tone, Commentary, Metaphors, and Effect

One has not only a legal but a
moral responsibility to obey just
laws, conversely, one has a moral
responsibility to disobey unjust
laws.

Common sense
Logos
Conditional if/then statement
Ethos
States that people must obey just laws
Draws back anger after burst in paragraph 14
Makes reference to Brown v. Board of Education to
establish a connection

Paragraph 16
Evidence Tone, Commentary, Metaphors, and Effect

All segregation statutes are unjust
because segregation distorts the
soul and damages the personality


A just law is a man-made code
that squares with moral law or the
law of God. An unjust law is a code
that is out of harmony with moral
law.


It is morally wrong and awful

Tone of anger
Anger b/c segregation/discrimination
Comparison of just vs. unjust -> cites Gods authority as
(explicit) evidence of the injustice of discrimination
Audience: white congregation who partake in the
widespread segregation
Ethos -> used credible sources as support for his claim

Paragraph 16 continued
Evidence Tone, Commentary, Metaphors, and Effect

...the law of God


To put it in the terms of St. Thomas
Aquinas


to use the terminology of the
Jewish philosopher Martin Buber


I can urge men to obey the 1954
decision of the Supreme Court

Citing God and saints gives religious support to his point
Citing a Jewish philosopher broadens range of
influence
Religious fervor of the time made these authorities
viable evidence for his claim
Referencing a Supreme Court decision gave legal
background to his claim
Intended for audience of officials in Washington to
show their actions are unconstitutional

Paragraph 17
Evidence Tone, Commentary, Metaphors, and Effect

An unjust law is a code that a
numerical or power majority group
compels a minority group to obey
but does not make binding on
itselfa just law is a code that a
majority compels a minority to
follow and that it is willing to follow
itself.

Comparison of just vs. unjust -> metaphor regarding
govt is unjust through their difference in legal opinions
Accusing tone
Accusing govt of being unjust/oppressive
Implies unfairness through discrimination of all groups
Rights of man includes all groups, not just whites
Discusses legality of this sameness and difference

Paragraph 18
Evidence Tone, Commentary, Metaphors, and Effect

A law is unjust if inflicted on a
minority that...had no
part...devising the law.


Can any law enacted under such
circumstances [having zero negro
voters registered] be considered
democratically structured?

Dr. King has a very angry tone
Basically challenges his audience, which is all of
America: If the U.S.A. claims to be democratic, how
does having a large part of the population not voting
back that up?
Asks two rhetorical questions-both about democracy
and if anything can be considered democratic if it does
not include the minority.

Paragraph 19
Evidence Tone, Commentary, Metaphors, and Effect

Sometimes a law is just on its face
and unjust in its application.


[A law] becomes unjust when
it...denies citizens the first
amendment privilege of peaceful
assembly and protest.

Takes the supreme law of the land and shows how even
that doesn't stop segregation.
Points out the fine difference between two laws,
needing a permit to parade and exercising First
Amendment rights
Word of law vs. Spirit of law vs. individual interpretation
of law

Comparisons for Unjust Laws
St. Augustine says that "an unjust law is no law at all" (paragraph 15)
An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with morality, one that
is not rooted in natural and eternal law (paragraph 16)
An unjust law is a code that a majority compels a minority to obey
but does not obey itself (paragraph 17)
A law is unjust if it is inflicted on a minority that has no right to vote,
enact, or devise that law (paragraph 18)
Laws are unjust on application, such as using a law for the sole
purpose of maintaining segregation (paragraph 19)

Paragraph 20
Evidence Tone, Commentary, Metaphors, and Effect

In no sense do I advocate
evading or defying the law, as
would the rabid segregationist


I submit that an individual who
breaks a law that conscience tell
him is unjust and who willingly
accept the penalty of
imprisonment in order to arouse the
conscience of the community over
its injustice, is in reality expressing
the highest respect for law

Martin Luther King starts paragraph in an apologetic
tone.
He also states that he isnt inciting rebellion or the
defying of authorities.
He justifies his actions, explaining why its the right thing
to do.

Paragraph 21
Evidence Tone, Commentary, Metaphors, and Effect

Of course there is nothing new
with this kind of civil disobedience.
It was evidenced in the refusal of
Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego to obey the laws of
Nebuchadnezzar, on the grounds
that a higher moral law was at
stake.

Martin Luther King uses this paragraph as a recipient of
examples for his previous paragraph.
He gives a number of examples of historical characters
and events where civil disobedience was key to
achieving ones goals.
The examples he provides are: the early Christians,
Socrates and the Boston Tea Party
Mentioning the Boston Tea Party was an efficient tactic,
because it relates to the American People.

Paragraph 22
Evidence Tone, Commentary, Metaphors, and Effect

In no sense do I advocate
evading or defying the law, as
would the rabid segregationist


I submit that an individual who
breaks a law that conscience tell
him is unjust and who willingly
accept the penalty of
imprisonment in order to arouse the
conscience of the community over
its injustice, is in reality expressing
the highest respect for law

Kings audience that this section is geared towards is the
black audience.
Martin Luther King Jr. uses examples from history to
argue that obeying the law might not always be the
right moral decision.
His tone throughout the paragraph seems calm and
practical, because he knows the reader will relate to his
examples.
What King argued here helped the readers understand
what he was advocating, leading to more disobeying of
the countrys segregation laws in order to receive civil
rights.

Paragraph 23
Evidence Tone, Commentary, Metaphors, and Effect

The white moderate, who is
more devoted to order than to
justice; who prefers a negative
peace which is the absence
tension to a positive peace which is
the presence of justice


Lukewarm acceptance is much
more bewildering than outright
rejection.


He seems annoyed with the white moderate because
they are the bystanders in the situation
King uses his lukewarm acceptance line to portray to
the reader the confusion that is felt when the white
moderate is accepting them, but not genuinely.
The main audience for this section is largely the white
moderate
Hes holding those accountable who previously went
unblamed.
Paragraph 24
Evidence Tone, Commentary, Metaphors, and Effect

I had hoped that the white
moderate would understand that
low and order exist for.. I had
hoped that the white moderate
would understand that the
present


We merely bring to the surface the
hidden tension that is already
alive
His tone in this paragraph begins as a somewhat
disappointed tone, as if he expected more from the
white moderate
This paragraph isnt as heated as many of the other but
makes the important arguments that racial tensions
already exist which is a very important argument in his
letter


Paragraph 25
Evidence Tone, Commentary, Metaphors, and Effect

In your statement you assert that
our actions, even though peaceful,
must be condemned because they
precipitate violence.


Isn't this like condemning a
robbed man because his
possession of money precipitated
the evil act of robbery? Isn't this like
condemning Jesus because his
unique god-consciousness and
never-ceasing devotion to Gods
will precipitated the evil act of
crucifixion?


MLK boldly justifies his peaceful protests using logic.
He persuades the audience with examples of familiar
events in which we would correct an injustice.
His tone is inquisitorial as he waits for the audience to
realize the answer.
He makes allusions to major characters in history such as
Jesus and Socrates.
MLKs persuasive techniques demonstrate that we knew
the right answer all along and, to continue to stand
against him would also mean opposing logic itself.

Paragraph 26
Evidence Tone, Commentary, Metaphors, and Effect

Such an attitude is a tragic
misconception of time. Actually,
time itself is neutral I feel people
that the people of ill will have used
time much more effectively


Time is always ripe to do right.

MLK conveys a remorse for the opinion some of his allies
hold. His interpretation for the concept of time
demonstrates to the audience how such an opinion only
encourages detrimental effects upon the movement.
His tone and commentary transform into those which
are inspiring, using phrases as time is always ripe to do
right.
He then motivates the audience to think logically,
answer his questions for themselves, and then act upon
his inspirations.