Question

King’s Words Start a Fire

Recall the writing prompt for this unit:

What makes King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail" powerful and effective? After reading King's letter, answer the question by analyzing how he uses structure and language purposefully in his text. Provide specific examples from the text to support your analysis.

Your study of language in this assignment will begin to help you answer this question and respond to the prompt later in the unit.

Like protest songs, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” includes many examples of figurative language meant to persuade people to take action.

In each line, an instance of figurative language is already identified for you. Use what you learned in the lesson to identify the type of figurative language, explain what the figurative language means, and explain the tone and mood of the line from the letter.
Some parts of the chart are already completed for you.




The line … from “Letter from Birmingham Jail”

is an example of …

(Which type of figurative language such as metaphor, simile, personification, symbol, or allusion?)

that means…

and creates a ____________ tone
and a
_________ mood.

Example:

This movement is nourished by the contemporary frustration over the continued existence of racial discrimination.



Personification

The movement grows because of the people’s frustration with racial discrimination.

Factual tone

Urgent mood

…and see the tears welling up in her little eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children, and see the depressing clouds of inferiority begin to form in her little mental sky…











There comes a time when the cup of endurance runs over, and men are no longer willing to be plunged into an abyss of injustice where they experience the bleakness of corroding despair.









_______________ tone

Urgent mood

To a degree academic freedom is a reality today because Socrates practiced civil disobedience.





Socrates disobeyed laws that were not fair, which made it so students today can think freely (and possibly differently than their teachers).

_______________ tone

Thought-provoking mood

Like a boil that can never be cured as long as it is covered up but must be opened with all its pus-flowing ugliness to the natural medicines of air and light, injustice must likewise be exposed, with all of the tension its exposing creates, to the light of human conscience and the air of national opinion before it can be cured.







In those days the Church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society.

Metaphor

The church did not just reflect what was happening in society; it actually had the ability to change what was happening in society.



Let us all hope the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away and the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted from our fear-drenched communities…





Optimistic tone

____________ mood

Let us all hope the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away and the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted from our fear-drenched communities…

Answer 1

methapor

Step-by-step explanation:

methapor is par5 of speech

Answer 2

The line "Let us all hope the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away and the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted from our fear-drenched communities" employs a tone of optimism and creates a hopeful mood.

Step-by-step explanation:

The highlighted passage from Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail" utilizes figurative language to convey a sense of optimism amidst challenging circumstances. The metaphorical expressions "dark clouds of racial prejudice" and "deep fog of misunderstanding" symbolize the oppressive and pervasive nature of racial discrimination and lack of understanding prevailing within communities. King employs the metaphor of clouds and fog to vividly depict the pervasive societal issues, emphasizing the depth and wide-ranging impact of racial injustice and misunderstandings.

The tone evoked by the phrase "Let us all hope" is one of optimism. King's deliberate choice of words reflects a hopeful outlook and an encouragement for positive change. By employing the phrase "let us all hope," King not only expresses his own hopefulness but also encourages collective optimism, inviting everyone to share in the aspiration for change. This optimistic tone indicates a belief in the possibility of a better future, inspiring a sense of encouragement and positivity.

The mood created by this passage is hopeful. Through the metaphorical language, King conveys a sense of anticipation for change and improvement. The use of the phrase "will soon pass away" and "will be lifted" suggests an imminent and positive transformation, fostering a mood of hopefulness and anticipation for the eradication of racial prejudice and misunderstanding. Overall, the passage aims to evoke a sentiment of hope and positivity, advocating for societal transformation and an end to racial injustices through collective effort and optimism.