Know Thy Reader Essay -- Analysis, Letter from Birmingham Jail

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail" is a defense of the kind of non-violent direct action that King promoted and used during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and '60s. It is a response to statements of disapproval made by the clergymen of Birmingham, Alabama, and is obviously written in a way that appeals directly to this audience. King uses his knowledge of this audience's identity to design highly targeted arguments and to choose relevant historical examples for citation, and uses his personal experience in writing sermons and speeches to construct moving sermon-like passages that complement and reinforce his arguments. The arguments' basis in terms that the clergymen will find to be familiar and agreeable, in combination with sympathy evoking references to historical events, is particularly effective in causing the clergymen to seriously reconsider their statements. The strategy that stands out the most is King's usage of religious references. He supports his arguments with passages from the Bible and statements or philosophies put forth by prominent theologians, such as St. Thomas Aquinas. The clergy is very familiar with these sources. Their entire belief system is based on them! By using these sources as a basis for his arguments, King makes it very difficult for the clergy to disagree with the reasoning behind his actions. For example, in response to the accusation that he and other protesters are "outside agitators," he references the story of Paul of Tarsus's mission to spread Christianity: "†¦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 am I compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own h... ...rtight cage of poverty in the midst of an affluent society†¦. then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait† (166-167). In other words, he uses passages like these to â€Å"drive the point home.† As a whole, â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† is a thorough and well-executed defense of non-violent protest. Even readers who do not need to be persuaded, readers who are already in general agreement with non-violent methods of protest, will still find deep insights into how this form of protest works (such as the concept of â€Å"negative peace† (169)), and why it is necessary. King combines the strategy of appealing to the audience's identity in various ways, powerful passages that reinforce arguments, and some general deductive reasoning and insight to construct an argument that is very clear, rational, and effective in explaining and defending non-violent direct action.