In a five-minute presentation this Friday, stand together at the front of the class and give your Group’s response to your assigned
question. Use PowerPoint slides to show
relevant information or text, highlighting figurative language, rhetorical
strategies, and other answers to your question.
GROUP 1. “How does King balance the twin appeals to
religion and patriotism throughout ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’? Do you think he puts more emphasis on
religion or patriotism? Why do you think
he makes that choice?” (Discussion Question 3, p. 274). Make
an argument: religion or patriotism. Cite language from the “Letter” in your
PowerPoint to support your views.
(P.S. If there is disagreement in
your group, MAKE TWO SEPARATE PRESENTATIONS, forming a mini-debate about King’s
priorities.)
GROUP 2. “In the long sentence in paragraph 14 (pp.
264-265), why does King arrange the “when” clauses in the order that he
does? Try repositioning them, and then
discuss the difference in effect.”
(Rhetoric & Style Question 5, p. 274). Begin
by showing a slide of the original
paragraph, and read it out loud and make general comments on the “when”
clauses. Then show your “repositioned
version” of the ‘when’ clauses. How does
the “repositioned” sequence disrupt King’s original purposes. Finally, return to King’s original language,
and talk about the effect King achieves with the original sequence of “when”
clauses.
GROUP 3. “What rhetorical strategies are used in
paragraph 25? Identify at least
four.” (Rhetoric and Style Question 6,
p. 274). Explain the effects MLK
achieves with these rhetorical strategies.
Show the original paragraph
first, and read it out loud. Then, for
each rhetorical strategy, “light up” the specific words you intend to discuss
for each rhetorical strategy. (Consider using contrasting colors for the texts of your respective rhetorical strategies.)
GROUP 4. “What are the chief rhetorical strategies
used in paragraph 31? Identify at least
five.” (Rhetoric and Style Question 8,
p. 275). Explain the effects MLK
achieves with these rhetorical strategies.
Show the original paragraph first, and
read it out loud. Then, for each
rhetorical strategy, “light up” the specific words you intend to discuss for
each rhetorical strategy. (Consider using contrasting colors for the texts of your respective rhetorical strategies.)
GROUP 5. “Trace one of the following patterns of
figurative language throughout King’s letter:
darkness and light, high and low, sickness and health.” (Rhetoric and Style Question 10, p. 275) For
the imagery you choose to trace, make PowerPoint slides of at least four
passages from the “Letter.” Use
PowerPoint color to “light up” specific instances of imagery. Talk about why you think King decided to
dwell on this pattern of language so persistently. What does he achieve over the course of the
whole letter?
GROUP 6. “Considering the final three paragraphs as
King’s conclusion, discuss whether you believe it to be rhetorically
effective.” (Rhetoric and Style Question
12, p. 275) Make a PowerPoint slide of the three concluding paragraphs on pp.
273-274. Talk about the persuasive
effects King achieves within these paragraphs, highlighting phrases,
clauses, or sentences with PowerPoint color.
Make another slide that helps you explain the overarching effect of the
conclusion: how well – or how poorly –
does this conclusion work in relation to the preceding 10-12 pages of the
letter? Explain your thinking. If there are debates within your group (i.e.,
if some think the conclusion is strong and others think it’s weak), then
have those debates as part of your presentation: expose your disagreement in a wee debate!
GROUP 7. Occasion – What is the broader occasion of MLK, Jr.’s speech? Why did King and the SCLC choose Birmingham
in the first place? What made Birmingham
an ideal location for King’s direct-action campaign? Who was the governor of Alabama at the time? Was Birmingham an integrated city or a
segregated city? What was the symbolic
importance of the year 1963 in relation to the emancipation of southern slaves
during the Civil War? (See, especially, the Stanford.edu web explanations of
the wider context of the demonstrations in Birmingham in 1963.) For
your PowerPoint, it’s fine to include news footage, music, newspaper
photographs, and other documentary evidence.
Your job is to set the stage for the controversial social and political
context of Dr. King’s “Letter.” THIS
GROUP WILL GO FIRST ON FRIDAY.
