Write a three to four page-minimum (750-1000 words minimum), MLA-formatted analysis of the letters of the white clergymen and Martin Luther King. Each of the five body paragraphs should contain at least two-three cited references to the letters (page number, in-text citations).
Introduction: Rhetorical Situation (discussed in our text, pages 170-172 of our text)
In the introduction describe some aspects of the rhetorical situation of the letters by the eight white clergymen and Martin Luther King Jr. What is the exigence of these two letters? What caused the authors to write them? What was the problem? Who is the audience for the clergymen’s letter? For Kings’ letter? What is the nature of these audiences? Can they be convinced? What are the constraints? Speculate about the beliefs, attitudes, habits and traditions that were in place that limited or constrained both the clergymen and King. End the introduction with a thesis statement that unifies the content of the rest of your paper.
Body Paragraph 1: Predominant Claim, Proofs of White Clergymen
Identify and discuss the predominant claim of the clergymen; specify its type (fact, definition, cause, value, policy or a blend of types) and explain why you think it is that type. Next, identify two of the principal proofs that the clergymen offer to support their predominant claim. Classify each of the two proofs as logos, ethos, or pathos and also specify the type of proof (For example, if you point out a logos proof, then also say whether it is argument from cause or argument from historical analogy…or one of the other logos proofs). For each proof discuss how/why the proof is effective or not in proving the predominant claim.
Body Paragraph 2: Predominant Claim, Proofs of King
Identify and discuss the predominant claim of King; specify its type (fact, definition, cause, value, policy or a blend of types) and explain why you think it is that type. Next, identify two of the principal proofs that King offers to support his predominant claim. Classify each of the two proofs as logos, ethos, or pathos and also specify the type of proof (For example, if you point out a logos proof, then also say whether it is argument from cause or argument from historical analogy…or one of the other logos proofs). For each proof discuss how/why the proof is effective or not in proving the predominant claim.
Body Paragraph 3: Fallacies of White Clergymen
Identify and explain three to four of the fallacies present in the white clergyman’s letter. For each of the three to four fallacies, identify its type (from the 14 types discussed in the text) and explain why you think it is that type. Also, for each fallacy, explain how/why it weakens the white clergymen’s argument.
Conclusion Paragraph: King’s Ethics
In the fourth body paragraph, focus on the ethics of King’s letter. Specifically, looking at King’s letter, explain three to four key examples/ways of how the letter is ethical. For each example/way, explain how/why the example/way represents ethical argumentation. Just a reminder: your text explains ethics in argument on pages 159
