We have now read Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “A Letter from Birmingham Jail” and analyzed the argument (purpose) of his entire letter. Now, in groups you will rhetorically analyze only a section of his letter and present your analysis to the class in a professional, high-quality PowerPoint presentation. This project is worth 100 points as a Summative Assessment.
The overall steps of this project include:
1. Select a group, read your focus question, and reread the corresponding paragraphs
2. As group, complete the MLK Rhetorical Analysis Chart
3. Input your analysis into a creative PowerPoint presentation
4. Rehearse your presentation
5. Present to the class
Below are specific guidelines for the individual parts with a suggested number of corresponding slides:
Rhetorical Analysis Triangle Diagram (pathos/ethos/logos and audience/speaker/subject of your designated paragraphs—1 slide only
o Argument/Purpose is provided for you in your focus question
Outline of the main points of his argument—minimum 1 slide per paragraph
o Minimum one main point per paragraph
2 Rhetorical Appeals (Ethos/Logos/Pathos)—minimum 1 slide per appeal
o Identification of appeals used to strengthen his argument (Ethos/Logos/Pathos)
o Textual example of appeal from MLK’s “Letter” (Actual quotation)
o Analysis of Effect of his rhetorical appeals (Why did he write the passage this way?)
2 Rhetorical Arrangement Strategies (Style Strategies)—minimum 1 slide per strategy
o Identification of strategy used to strengthen his argument (Style Strategies)
o Textual example of strategy from MLK’s “Letter” (Actual quotation)
o Analysis of Effect of his rhetorical strategy (Why did he write the passage this way?)
Personal Overall Evaluation of his Argument’s Effectiveness—minimum 1 slide
o Evaluate MLK’s argument in your designated section
o Defend your evaluation by mentioning the rhetorical situation (speaker-purpose-audience interaction)
Symbolic Representation to Express the Meaning of his Argument—minimum 1 slide
o Select or create any visual (image/audio/video) that symbolically represents your section’s argument
o Explain your symbolic representation with at least one specific example to the “Letter”
o NO CLIP ART!
PowerPoint Presentation Requirements:
o No less than 10 slides
o Slides are clear, visually pleasing, and all content may be seen from the rear of the room
o Presenters act like professional experts, contributing equally with evidence of rehearsal
o Vocal volume and eye contact is appropriate
o All PowerPoint slides are handed in before presenting/on due date
In order to succeed with this project, work efficiently at school and at home, and recognize that you are going to have to use your brain the whole time. There are no shortcuts with this one so give it your best!

I.    Introduction

King’s thesis: Reasonable refutation of the white clergymen’s criticism of his direct action-nonviolent resistance campaign as “unwise and untimely.”

II. Body: Refutation

1. Refutes idea that he is an outside agitator that doesn’t belong in Birmingham

1.  He was invited to Birmingham.

2.  He has organizational ties in Birmingham

3.  He has a right to fight injustice anywhere in the United States

2. Refutes idea that direct action is “unwise and untimely”

1.  Not unwise:

a.   Direct action campaign is the only alternative when negotiations fail due to white             leaders refusing them.

2. Direct action creates tension that forces them to negotiate.

2.  Not untimely:

a.       Refutes idea that he should have given new administration (Boutwell) time to act by saying that Boutwell is still a segregationist and still will not change without pressure.

b.      African Americans have waited more than 340 years for their rights!  Can’t wait any longer (supports with list of injustices that arouse righteous anger in audience—pathos)

3. Refutes idea that he is hypocritically supporting some laws (Supreme Court integration of schools) while breaking others (segregation laws) by making a distinction between just and unjust laws (all of this is deductive reasoning)

1.  Moral argument: Just laws fulfill God’s laws; unjust laws violate God’s laws; thus, segregation laws are unjust

2.  Political argument:

a.       Unjust laws = don’t apply to everyone; just laws = apply to everyone; thus, segregation laws are unjust

b.      Unjust laws don’t follow democratic process; segregation laws violate democracy because blacks can’t vote, so they must be unjust.

c.       Law can be just on paper, but applied unjustly (Parade law that put him in jail is just in letter but unjust when applied to violate constitution)

3. Conclusion: Therefore, we must break unjust laws because that shows the highest      respect for law.

4. Justifies his breaking laws by citing historical examples of civil disobedience (Old Testament, Early Christians in Rome, Socrates, Boston Tea Party, Freedom Fighters against Hitler).
5. Expresses disappointment with the white moderate

1.  Worse than rabid segregationists; greatest obstacle to freedom

2.  Refutes idea that his actions create tension, as he only exposes existing tension so that it can be cured

3.  Refutes idea that he causes violence by using causes argument and analogy of robber/robbed

4.  Refutes idea that time itself will heal the problem by arguing that time is neutral and that people use it for good or ill

5.  Refutes criticism of his extremism

a.       King is really a moderate between two extremes of black action (do noting v. hate whites completely).  He warns that without his movement, the extreme of hating whites will win out and cause more violence.

b.      Oppressed blacks will express discontent (human), so without his non-violent methods, the natural consequence will be violence.

c.       Extremism can be good and necessary (allusions to biblical and historical figures, esp. Christ)

6.  Accommodation through recognition and praise of those whites who have helped his cause

6. Expresses disappointment with the church

1.  Church leaders should see the justice in his movement, but they fail to do so and thus are inactive.

2.  Modern church, in its mere reflection of society, has lost the power to change society that it once had.  Thus, it is ineffectual and irrelevant.

3.  Even though church leaders fail to act, he has faith in individual members who have worked with him.

4.  He will succeed even without the church.

III.               Conclusion

A.     Refutes audience’s praise of police’s actions in Birmingham

B.     Redirects praise to the “true heroes”—the civil rights demonstrators

C.     Reestablishes a harmonious relationship with white clergymen using ethos and a final unifying vision of hope.

from:  http://dante.udallas.edu/schofield/05-06_Courses/III-IB/4/L_B_J_Outline.htm

 Open House:                     http://www.mdc.edu/openhouse/

American Dream              http://www.mdc.edu/main/americandream/

Scholarship:

After the break we will write several argumentative essays.  During the break, enjoy your respite from academic books, and get in some much-needed freely-chosen reading.

and
CATEGORIES FOR ENTRY
http://www.artandwriting.org/Awards/Categories#WRITING *

Only the online portion is due today; you can mail the form anytime from now until January.

Fourth period, remember 704-05 exercises 1-2.  Sixth period, remember to reread Ch. 1 and read Ch. 2 of the Scarlet Letter (we will ignore “The Custom House,” Hawthorne’s preface, for the time being — leave it for class unless you just can’t stand waiting).

ALSO:  check out this article on “The Science of Sarcasm.”  What would Swift think?

a. sensory imagery that confronts the reader directly to make the abstract idea come alive — try organizing by senses, as Parker does

b. repeated words or phrases at the beginning of successive sentences or paragraphs (anaphora)

c. simple, direct sentence structure

d. movement between the first- and second-person (I and you) that forces the reader to “walk in your shoes”

e. a call to action

f. any other features you think worthy of notice and inclusion

If you have not yet completed the Lippmann essay (see page 10  here), please do so; many of you are revising, which is to be commended.

You can write a brief report for credit if you attend.

Other events this coming weekend include this one on Newspaper Columnists and others here http://miamibookfair.com/events/events/default.aspx?lg=en

Sat. 4:30 p.m.

this icon means you have to reserve a free ticket for it — click the link

Deadline Artists: A Conversation with Stanley Crouch, Mike Barnicle, Errol Louis, Pete Hamill and John Avlon