The mighty river flows through the mountains with liquidity and nourishment providing life to all who wish to take a sip. Yet the river is powerful with its own strength and destroys even the largest rocks, crumbling them into small pieces. Maybe people manage to stop the river for a short time or even dry it up, but the water always returns in one form or another, every dam is doomed to collapse. Some people have managed to harness the power of the river, redirecting the mighty water and making it flow constructively. Similar to the river, the language is influential. Its true power is not seen with the naked eye but those who study it, those who use it as an ally in a linguistic war. In Martin Luther King Jr.'s letter, Birmingham City Jail is able to use all three rhetorical appeals to demonstrate that demonstrations lead to negotiations and benefit both sides of an argument. Martin Luther King Jr. uses the rhetorical appeal of Logos to provide a sense of logic and reason in his letter. When accused of resorting to demonstrations rather than attempting negotiations, King provides his four-step plan for a successful nonviolent campaign, listing direct action as the final step and negotiations as the second. This point peacefully refutes the priests' accusations and does not provoke a new discussion. King also uses facts to prove a point such as: “There have been more unsolved bombings of Negro homes and churches in Birmingham than in other cities in the nation.” (King, ¶-5) This quote validates King's reasoning of being in Birmingham for demonstrations and not just negotiations. In addition to the use of logic, King also uses the rhetorical appeal of Ethos to show his credibility and explain his reasoning for the proofs. ... middle of paper ... Using the example of a river and the tongue it is easy to see how Martin Luther King Jr. uses the destructive force of the river to his advantage. He is able to combine diction and syntax to form the perfect letter full of logical, believable and emotional appeal to the audience. His words flow together in harmony while having an atmospheric effect on the mind, heart and soul. This is why Martin Luther King Jr. is able to successfully use rhetorical appeals to demonstrate that nonviolent demonstrations will lead to negotiations and benefits for both sides. Birmingham City Jail was a private letter not meant to be read by the entire world and yet it still has the capacity to stimulate a response in its unintended audience. What literature today can do this? Maybe we can create it by simply pursuing what we believe in and showing the world that we are right.