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Ethos Pathos Logos In Letter From Birmingham Jail

Decent Essays

In “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” MLK uses persuasive techniques like ethos, pathos, and logos. A piece of Ethos he shows is when he establishes his credibility by mentioning his role in the civil rights movement and his reasons for being in Birmingham. A Pathos I have noticed is when he appeals to emotion with vivid descriptions of the struggles African Americans face. Lastly, he uses Logos to argue against the criticism of his actions as “untimely” (in paragraph 10), explaining the urgent need for civil rights. He also uses counterarguments to address the concerns of the priest who criticized his protests, showing understanding but also exposing their points. His use of biblical references and historical figures aligns his civil rights efforts

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