Exploring the Text

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  1. What is Martin Luther King Jr.’s tone in the opening paragraph? How might you make an argument for its being ironic?

    Question

    ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=
    Exploring the Text: - What is Martin Luther King Jr.’s tone in the opening paragraph? How might you make an argument for its being ironic?
  2. How do King’s allusions to biblical figures and events appeal to both ethos and pathos? What about his references to theologians and other religious scholars? Do you see a pattern in their use?

    Question

    ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=
    Exploring the Text: - How do King’s allusions to biblical figures and events appeal to both ethos and pathos? What about his references to theologians and other religious scholars? Do you see a pattern in their use?
  3. What are some of the different ways that King establishes his credibility? Whom does he address in addition to the Birmingham clergymen? How does he establish ethos for the different audiences for this letter?

    Question

    ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=
    Exploring the Text: - What are some of the different ways that King establishes his credibility? Whom does he address in addition to the Birmingham clergymen? How does he establish ethos for the different audiences for this letter?
  4. Studying the long sentence in paragraph 14 (beginning with “But when you have seen”), consider why King arranges the “when” clauses in the order that he does. How would the meaning of the paragraph change if the order were different?

    Question

    ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=
    Exploring the Text: - Studying the long sentence in paragraph 14 (beginning with “But when you have seen”), consider why King arranges the “when” clauses in the order that he does. How would the meaning of the paragraph change if the order were different?
  5. Trace one of the following patterns of figurative language throughout King’s letter: darkness and light, high and low, sickness and death. Look also at the imagery surrounding the terms garment and fabric.

    Question

    ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=
    Exploring the Text: - Trace one of the following patterns of figurative language throughout King’s letter: darkness and light, high and low, sickness and death. Look also at the imagery surrounding the terms garment and fabric.
  6. How does King balance the twin appeals to religion and patriotism throughout “Letter from Birmingham Jail”? Do you think he puts more emphasis on religion or on patriotism? Why do you think he makes that choice?

    Question

    ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=
    Exploring the Text: - How does King balance the twin appeals to religion and patriotism throughout “Letter from Birmingham Jail”? Do you think he puts more emphasis on religion or on patriotism? Why do you think he makes that choice?
  7. King writes as a member of several communities, some overlapping, some in conflict. What are they? Focusing on two or three, explain how he defines himself within each.

    Question

    ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=
    Exploring the Text: - King writes as a member of several communities, some overlapping, some in conflict. What are they? Focusing on two or three, explain how he defines himself within each.
  8. King spends nearly half the letter addressing counterarguments before he launches into his own argument. Analyze that argument, including his claims, assumptions, and evidence.

    Question

    ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=
    Exploring the Text: - King spends nearly half the letter addressing counterarguments before he launches into his own argument. Analyze that argument, including his claims, assumptions, and evidence.