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Letter from Birmingham Jail
[Name of the Writer]
[Name of Instructor]
[Subject]
[Date]

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Letter from Birmingham Jail
Introduction
"Letter from Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King Jr. hits a string along with the
addressers because of his skilled use of pathos and tragedy all through the piece. By the use of
effective pathos, king is invoking various different emotions (Yokosam, p.n.d.). King invokes
sympathy, anger, love and empathy to highlight his theory that injustice and unfairness has
detained the civil rights movement because of which he is confined in the jail of Birmingham
City. King is telling his addressers that injustice has put him into the jail (Dawson, Pp.1-2).
The addressers feel the splendor and magnificence of injustice due to the comparison of
king’s errand to the errands of the apostles of the Lord because of king’s attempt to take the
world to the truth. King considers that civil rights movement is a God-like incident (Dawson,
Pp.1-2).
Discussion
King also argues about Meshach, Abednego and Shadrach who survived the law that is
higher moral and declined to let their standards fall. King asserts that Jesus has been a radical for
love. Accordingly, the question is that what kind of extremist we will be and it is not that we will
be an extremist (Dawson, Pp.1-2). He clarifies that the three men that were put to death on hill
of Calvary were all extremists. He explains that we should not forget for crucifying the three
men for same crime. He considers this crime as extremism (Dawson, Pp.1-2). He said that Jesus
was an extremist for goodness, love and truth and thus rose above his surroundings. King is

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trying to compare the beliefs of such people who know their devotion to truth and light with the
help of religious examples.
King also uses an alternate mode in order to evoke pathos of sadness, sympathy and
disgust by explaining a number of terrible events which took place in the non-volatile protest
(Dawson, Pp.1-2). He says that we all confronted with shining hopes and the dark shadow of
displeasure developed ahead of us. These statements and declarations encourage sympathy,
understanding and pity. King has apparently used vivid and clear images for creating the pathos
of anger and injustice at the criminal acts entrusted. The words chosen by the king include
empathy and sympathy (Dawson, Pp.1-2).
To make stronger the sympathetic and compassionate pathos in his letter, he argues
historical events and people and since somewhat is lawful, like segregation it doesn't make it
correct. He highlights that though all that Hitler did, cruel scientific experiments, killing millions
of Jews etc., was lawful, although it was not fair or just (Dawson, Pp.1-2). King is also
contrasting American separation to anti-Semitic Germany of Hitler.
Many people have belief that whatever Hitler did was unjust and inhumane thus, this
explanation makes leader feel that separation is also unjust (Dawson, Pp.1-2). It is also
noticeable and important that he is not only pointing out his race, however whole human race
encouraging his ethos. King is ready to help those people out who are being treated with unfair
acts (Dawson, Pp.1-2).
Conclusion
Injustice must not be accepted in America as stated by Martin Luther King, Jr. by using
all features of sufferings in order to reveal the audience’s emotions. King’s letter encouraged

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innumerable population due to the imminent into the African American difficulty. With the
usage of correct quantity of pathos in order to move king’s letter along, he extends to the reader
and makes sure that the African American and civil rights movement in their causes.

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Works Cited
Dawson,J.C. Literary analysis: Letter from Birmingham Jail, by Martin Luther King, Jr. (2012)
Pp.1-2, Data retrieved from http://www.helium.com/items/811404-literary-analysis-
letter-from-birmingham-jail-by-martin-luther-king-jr on May 2, 2013
Yokosam Analysis of Martin Luther King's “Letter from Birmingham Jail” (2010) p.n.d., Data
retrieved from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Analysis-Of-Martin-Luther-King-s-
Letter-509007.html on May 2, 2013

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Works Cited
Dawson,J.C. Literary analysis: Letter from Birmingham Jail, by Martin Luther King, Jr. (2012)
Pp.1-2, Data retrieved from http://www.helium.com/items/811404-literary-analysis-
letter-from-birmingham-jail-by-martin-luther-king-jr on May 2, 2013
Yokosam Analysis of Martin Luther King's “Letter from Birmingham Jail” (2010) p.n.d., Data
retrieved from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Analysis-Of-Martin-Luther-King-s-
Letter-509007.html on May 2, 2013