Persuasion

Martin Luther King Jr. wrote his "Letter from Birmingham Jail" when he was in jail in Birmingham, Alabama in April of 1963. King was in jail for his non-violent protest against segregation. His letter is a response to the statement of several clergymen who agreed that injustices were apparent in society but that it was the job of the courts to rule on the matter. They did not believe that the issue should be resolved on the streets in society. King's letter is used to disprove the statement made by the clergymen. King believes that the only way to get rid of segregation is for the oppressed people to stand up and show that they will no longer allow it. His persuasive letter aims to show how civil disobedience is effective and that it is the best way to fight for an end to segregation. He encourages a peaceful protest, saying that violence will only worsen the problem for his people.

In his writing, King uses many different elements of persuasion. He uses examples of people in history who have gotten what they wanted through civil disobedience. By showing that other people have successfully accomplished what he is advocating, King shows that his peaceful protest will also work. King also recognizes the arguments of the people who are against him, and he addresses the thoughts of his opponents. He takes their arguments, and he argues against them. He tries to show how their thoughts are faulty, but by presenting both sides, he makes the audience of his letter for those people both for and against him. He already has the support of the people on his side, so he is mainly trying to persuade those against him. He knows his audience, and he knows how to reach them. King is also very successful in his persuasion by bringing in many religious examples. He uses religion to justify his cause.

I found an article about an open position in a child care center in Atlanta. The facility is looking for a manger to oversee all of their programs and to help hire people. Although very different from King's piece, this article can also be seen as a persuasive piece. The article tries to make the job look appealing by giving its description and the benefits. Unlike King's letter, this article has a very narrow audience. This piece is written for people who would want this sort of job. The purpose of the article is much different from King's letter, so it is written in a much different manner. The article does not use flowery language, religion, and historic examples; instead, the article gives a very straightforward description of the job. People reading this piece would already be interested in this sort of work. This article aims to show how their job position may be different from other places, and it is trying to persuade an applicant that their position is the best available. They accomplish this goal by laying out all of the benefits of the job, showing how it may be different from others. The article uses a simple business-like writing style. It is short and to the point. Although King's letter and the article I found about a job opening are extremely different, both are successful pieces of persuasive writing. By looking at these two pieces, it is easy to see how writing has to adapt to the needs of the intended audience.