Nurul Mohdazhar

CPCC ENG 112 79

Connie Douglas
November 21, 2014

Reading Assignments
Letter from Birmingham Jail: Martin Luther King Jr.
1. A Letter from Birmingham Jail is a Rogerian argument because Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr. explained that he understood the opponents situation and showed the problem of
what he would like to emphasize. Dr. Kind said that Since I feel that you are men of
genuine good will and your criticism are sincerely set forth showed us that he respects
his opponents point of view and believes that they are good people. This forms of
argument suited Dr. King overall purpose because he wanted to have a calm and fair
resolution, yet, strictly wanted them to agree with him.
2. Dr. King used analogies-historical when he mentioned about what Adolf Hitler did in
Germany was legal, and what Hungarian freedom fighters did in Hungary was
illegal. This shows that he wanted to emphasize how important freedom is for each
individuals, and Dr. King wants to establish justice and freedom between the white
people and black people.
3. According to Dr. King, direct-action being done to dramatize the issue that can no
longer be ignored. The purpose is to create a situation so crisis-packed that it will
inevitably open the door to negotiation.

4. He used more emotional language at the end of his letter when he said that I also hope
that circumstances will soon make it possible for me to meet each of you, not as an
integrationist, or a civil-rights leader but a fellow clergyman and a Christian brother.
This shows that he is trying to tell them that he did not treat or make them as his
opponents, but as his friends and brother. I strongly think that this language effectively
support his argument and appealed to his original audience.
5. First confession in his letter is he has been gravely disappointed with the white moderate
over the past few years. Secondly, he was so disappointed with the white church and its
leadership. He characterized these points as confessions because he has kept the
disappointment to himself for over the years and when he got the opportunity to tell them,
he let it out.