Allusions and Metaphors in Letter from the Birmingham Jail

Martin Luther King, Jr., in his famous Letter from the Birmingham Jail, responds forcefully yet politely to a public statement made by eight Alabama clergymen in 1963. He defends his position as an African American and strongly advocates racial equality, citing countless sources and employing several literary devices. Most significantly, King uses frequent allusions and vivid metaphors, to relate to his audience and convey his passion for equality.

Martin Luther King, Jr. uses allusions not only to display his incredible knowledge, but also to connect with his audience, primarily the religious leaders. Almost all of his references come from the Bible, with a few exceptions. For instance, when he speaks of just and unjust laws, he calls upon the reasoning of a Catholic saint: “To put in the words of Saint Thomas Aquinas, an unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal and natural law. Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any laws that degrades human personality is unjust”(712).

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Approximate Word count = 725
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)