Redefining Structure Social Stratification in MLK’s...

Martin Luther King, Jr. was an eloquent speaker and a powerful figure during the Civil Rights Movement. In â€Å"Letters from Birmingham Jail,† he uses the classical rhetoric to engage his audience and present his ideas clearly. This particular text was initiated due to the non-violent demonstrations in Birmingham, Alabama, which led to the arrest of many African-Americans, including King himself. Although this was not a spoken document, the letter was directed to several targeted audiences: first, the clergymen who wrote â€Å"A Call for Unity,† secondly, the â€Å"white moderate† (47), and finally, to black men and women across the nation who lacked the initial courage to fight for their rights. Dr. King establishes himself as an authoritative voice†¦show more content†¦Another central component of Dr. King’s persona is his desire to remain pacifistic in his exhibitions. He accentuates the â€Å"workshops on nonviolence and†¦ repeatedly a sked†¦ ‘Are you able to accept blows without retaliating?’† (42). The posture that is depicted here informs the viewers that there was no intent to instigate physical abuse or violence at any of the peaceful demonstrations that were organized in Birmingham. After establishing himself as peaceful in his actions, Dr. King is assertive in his demands of reconstruction, stating that â€Å"Non-violent direct action seeks to create †¦ a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue† (42). Through the founding of this hard-felt tension, Dr. King aims to convince the â€Å"white moderates† (47) and the clergy that now is the time for negotiations. The elongated excuses and complacency for the longstanding social classification have come to pass and now time had arrived to rise to the occasion. Dr. King’s answer to the clergymen is one of non-violence and diplomatic reasoning. He arranges the four steps taken for successful non-violent action: â€Å"collection of the facts to determine where injustices exist; negotiation; self purification; and direct action† (41) to sustain the notion of tactful protests. At this juncture, the reader