Effective Argument

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote a very effective persuasive letter. He used an assertive and intellectual tone along with emotion to appeal to readers. As he writes to his jailers, leaders of the community, fellow blacks, and the nation as a whole, Dr. King justifies his actions and encourages those being oppressed to stand together and denounce the hate against them. Emotion was used a few times during the letter, which was an effective way to reach out to the readers and let them feel what Dr. King felt. For example, "But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim..."(p. 158). This thought goes on for many more lines as he describes emotional details of how tormented life is for the blacks. Dr. King uses Bible passages to appeal to his fellow clergymen and others in an effort to demoralize segregation. Overall, his letter was delivered in an effective way in order to convince others of his views and to justify his actions. It was a good example of how a persuasive piece should be written.