Kevin McAdam
AP English 11/ Mr. George
10/7/09
Martin Luther King Jr. Notes

Letter from a Birmingham Jail

I. Diction
A. One of the most important components of MLK Jr.’s letter came from his aggressive word choice
B. His outstanding word choice is very impressive especially since he wrote the letter from a prison cell
C. An example of his incredible diction is displayed several times throughout the letter: “As in so many experiences of the past we were confronted with blasted hopes, and the dark shadow of a deep disappointment settled upon us. So we had no alternative except that of preparing for direct action, whereby we would present our very bodies as a means of laying our case before the conscience of the local and national community” (740).
D. King does a great job of displaying how horrible the past was, and then telling how he has a plan to push forward through the tough times.

II. Syntax
A. King’s syntax is also a vital factor in his speech using antithesis, juxtaposition, and parallelisms.
B. An example of his syntax is the large paragraph on page 742 in which King used periodic sentences to create a sense of exhaustion with the reader
C. Another way King uses syntax is by answering his own rhetorical questions such as on page 740

III. Appeals
A. King forces readers to accept his letter because of the emotion and logical reasons and examples he gives.
B. At first, his character is not respected because he is black, but his writing speaks for itself
C. King smartly kept himself from showing too much emotion by adding in logic to his argument as shown on page 741