46 pages • 1 hour read
Martin Luther King Jr.Letter From Birmingham Jail
Nonfiction | Essay / Speech | Adult | Published in 1963A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Essay Topics
In "Letter from Birmingham Jail," King argues that "[I]njustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" (87). What does King mean when he says this? What does he gain in making this particular argument?
King uses multiple persuasive appeals throughout the essay to support his argument. Identify examples of each kind of appeal used and explain why this appeal is likely to appeal to the particular audience for the essay.
Review the eight Alabama clergymen’s “A Call for Unity,” which is widely available online. To which portions of their essay does King respond? Do you find his responses to be effective? Explain why or why not.
Describe the persona of King in this essay. Based on what you know or discover via research about the context for his letter, discuss why King might have assumed this persona.
A hallmark of effective argument or persuasion is making common cause with your readers. Discuss King’s efforts to find commonalities between himself and his readers.
King offers criticism of several groups in the essay. Identify each of these groups and explain why King disagrees with their perspective on the issue of civil rights.
King makes effective use of literary devices to create a strong statement on his actions in Birmingham. Identify one or more literary devices King uses in the essay and offer analysis of how King uses these devices to enhance his message.
Related Titles
By Martin Luther King Jr.
