Rhetorical Situation: Letter from Birmingham Jail

In reading Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” he compiled elements of a rhetorical situation. A rhetorical situation consists of three elements, being audience, purpose, and aim.

He was well aware of whom his audience was and he took that into consideration. He for one dedicated each and every paragraph to importance with much credit and explanation. He did this to thoroughly explain the reason he got arrested is unjust and what he did was nonviolent and his right.

Another component he addressed was his purpose. He fully in depth explained how everything was planned and how his planning was completely just. In his letter he writes, “In any nonviolent campaign there are four basic steps: collection of the facts to determine whether injustices are alive, negotiation, self-purification and direct action” (Martin Luther King Jr. 1963). He goes on to explain how he did just this and how they made a peaceful protest for a law that was already implemented but not being practiced. This was the first amendment.

His aim was to explain, persuade, and express.

He is responding to a public statement of concern essentially making the claim that he did nothing unjust and that he has gathered all his details to prove this to e true. His audience is the public and eight white religious leaders.