Martin Luther King Rhetorical Analysis - 1154 Words

Much of argumentative writing centers around rhetoric, the art of persuasion. Writers use certain rhetorical devices to engage and persuade their readers. Generally, we think of persuasion in terms of three rhetorical appeals. Aristotle first categorized these appeals based on logic (logos), ethics (ethos), and emotion (pathos). Most strong arguments have a balance of all three appeasl, although logos has proven to be more essential than the other two for a valid argument. In the same way these appeals aid writers in getting their points across, they can also be misused, stretching facts to agree with their argument. In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King was arrested for participating in a march that did not have a valid city issued†¦show more content†¦Dr. King also uses logic to address the clergymen’s claim that he has broken the law. Dr. King devotes eight paragraphs to build a logical reasoning that explains why he broke the law. He first admits that yes, he did break the law. He then goes on to postulate that there are just laws as well as unjust laws. All people have a legal and moral responsibility to obey just laws but an equally strong moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. To develop this argument, Dr. King then makes a distinction between just and unjust laws using three points. Just laws square with the law of God and are in harmony with moral law. An unjust law is out of harmony with moral law, is devised without universal consent, and then compels one group to obey another’s rules that they themselves are not obligated to follow. Dr. King then applies his reasoning to segregation laws and specifically the laws that prohibit his public demonstrations. Lastly, Dr. King cites historical incidents when unjust laws were broken to include early Christians, Socrates and the patriots of the Boston Tea Party. Pathos is from the Greek words â€Å"suffering† and â€Å"experience† and is for the most p art an emotional appeal. As the name implies, emotional appeal targets the emotions and feelings of the audience to create a type of relationship with the author. Because humans are such emotional creatures, it is helpful for writers to employ this strategy in their rationalizations. It is an appealShow MoreRelatedMartin Luther King Rhetorical Analysis806 Words   |  4 PagesRhetorical Analysis of Martin Luther King’s Speech â€Å"I Have a Dream† Likita M. 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