One Pager: Letter from Birmingham Jail

Creating a Rhetorical Analysis "One Pager" of Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail

Objective:  The purpose of this assignment is to develop your skills in rhetorical analysis by creating a concise and visually engaging "one pager" focused on Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail.

Materials Needed:

• Text of Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail

• Paper or poster board

• Markers, colored pencils, or crayons

• Highlighters

• Access to a printer (if creating digitally or printing elements to paste)

Instructions:

Read and Understand the Text:

• • Begin by thoroughly reading Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail. Take notes on key rhetorical devices, arguments, and persuasive techniques used by King.

Identify 2-3 Key Elements for the section you've been assigned:

• • Identify the main thesis (each section may have it's own), key arguments, and supporting evidence presented in the letter.

  • Hone in on 2-3 rhetorical choices, style elements, etc that effect the rhetorical situation.

  • Choose specific passages that illustrate rhetorical devices and style elements.

Choose Visual Elements:

• • Decide on the visual elements you will use to represent different aspects of the text. This could include images, symbols, graphs, or diagrams.

  • Consider how you can visually convey the tone, mood, and main ideas of the letter.

Design Your "One Pager":

• • Create a rough layout of your one pager, dividing the space into sections for different elements such as:

    • Title and author, section #

    • Main thesis or central argument, or purpose

    • Key quotes or passages

    • Analysis of rhetorical devices

    • Visual representations

    • Conclusion or summary

  • Use colors, fonts, and visuals strategically to enhance the overall design and readability of your one pager.

Include Textual Evidence:

• • Incorporate direct quotes and paraphrases from the letter to support your analysis.

  • Ensure that your chosen excerpts effectively demonstrate the rhetorical devices you are discussing.

Analyze Rhetorical Devices:

• • Provide a brief analysis of the rhetorical devices used by Martin Luther King Jr., explaining how they contribute to the effectiveness of his argument.

  • Consider the impact of ethos, pathos, logos, parallelism, repetition, and other rhetorical strategies on the rhetorical situation.

Review and Revise:

• • Review your one pager to ensure clarity, coherence, and accuracy of information.

  • Make any necessary revisions to improve the organization and presentation of your analysis.

  • Proofread for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.

Finalize Your "One Pager":

• • Once you are satisfied with your work, finalize your one pager by adding any finishing touches.

  • Consider adding annotations or explanations for complex concepts or rhetorical devices.

  • If creating digitally, print out your one pager or save it as a PDF for submission.

Sample One Pagers