Allusions are used in this letter frequently, not only to establish a position, but also to create some emotional appeal for its readers. Martin Luther King Jr. used these allusions strategically, to hopefully convey his message to the eight Alabama clergymen who doubted him and his efforts. Using references to God and the bible are always powerful, for they relate to a well-known and widely accepted, yet highly criticized subject. Religion is a touchy subject, for so many people have their strong, modified beliefs toward it. In King's letter, it's clear to the reader just how strongly he feels in his beliefs, and how he's using that to his advantage.
             Being president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference automatically gave King the image of a respectable man in the leadership of the Christian faith. His reference to the fact that "prophets of the eighth century B.C. left their villages and carried their 'thus saith the Lord' far beyond the boundaries of their home towns," (262) shows just how extensive his religious knowledge is. Adding to this knowledge would be the mention of the Greek philosopher Socrates, and how he "felt that it was necessary to create a tension in the mind so that individuals could rise from the bondage of myths and half-truths to the unfettered realm of creative analysis and objective appraisal."(263-264). King is clearly a brilliant man. These statements clearly show that he has spent much time in the research and study of religious facts. Ethos is appealed to by King's establishment of his position as a knowledgeable, religious, leadership figure.
             Emotions are stirred up well in this letter, with powerful words. "It was practiced superbly by the early Christians, who were willing to face hungry lions and the excruciating pain of chopping blocks rather than submit to certain unjust laws of the Roman Empire" (266). King's use of ph...