Letter from Birmingham Jail

In April of 1963 Civil Rights Activist Dr. Martin Luther King wrote an open letter to who ever was willing to read it after being arrested for being apart of the Birmingham campaign. The letter was a response to a letter that had recently run in a local newspaper, which had claimed that the protests were "unwise and untimely". King deliberately wrote his letter for a national audience. The letter reveals King's strength as a rhetorician and his knowledge. At the time it gave a strong well respected voice that jumbled the movement.


"Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust. All segregation statutes are unjust because segregation distorts the soul and damages the personality. It gives the segregator a false sense of superiority and the segregated a false sense of inferiority. Segregation, to use the terminology of the Jewish philosopher Martin Buber, substitutes an "I it" relationship for an "I thou" relationship and ends up relegating persons to the status of things. Hence segregation is not only politically, economically and sociologically unsound, it is morally wrong and sinful."

- Martin Luther King, Letter from Birmingham Jail 

King is using logos when he says, "Any law that uplifts human spirit is just. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust." King is using logos to determine whether a law is just or unjust. Another claim in this paragraph is where King says, "Hence, segregation is not only politically, economically, and sociologically unsound, it is morally wrong and sinful." Again, this is using logic and reason to show that segregating people on account of their skin color is "wrong and sinful." In both of his claims, he is saying because of this, it is this. He is using logic and reason to see why things are wrong and bad. The second claim could also be appeal of ethos because it deals with ethics and morals as well.

Marilyn Monroe

The beautiful and famous Marilyn Monroe was an actress, model and singer but mostly known for being Americas sex symbol. Marilyn is probably one of the most celebrated actresses for her good looks, exquisite physique and charming quotes about life through her eyes.  

“A wise girl kisses but doesn't love, listens but doesn't believe, and leaves before she is left.”

- Marilyn Monroe  

Monroe clearly sets up a rhythm after every comma saying what a girl does but shortly right after says what she doesn't do. Her use of a short sentence gets straight to the point with what shes saying a girl should do but also what they shouldn't do. "listens but doesn't believe", every word she uses in the beginning before each comma relates to the last word; for example listens, doesn't believe. Kisses doesn't love, leaves before left. Her rhythm of sentence structure and word use makes the quote a lot more interesting and easier to believe.

Beastie Boys

The Beastie Boys were the first successful white rap group and one of the few artist from the early to mid 80’s hip-hop that still enjoy major success today. Their rock and punk-influenced rap has had a significant impact on artists both in and outside the hip-hop scene, and they were the first rap group to gain a good amount of fans following with alternative rock fans. The Beastie Boys is still the only group that could mix together rap and rock and still have it be a musical success. 

"We rode for six hours then we hit the spot

The beat was a bumping and the girlies was hot

This dude was staring like he knows who we are

We took the empty spot next to him at the bar

M.C.A. said, "Yo, you know this kid?"

I said, "I didn't." but I know he did

The kid said, "Get ready cause this ain't funny

My name's Mike D. and I'm about to get money."

Pulled out the jammy aimed it at the sky

He yelled, "Stick 'em up!" and let two fly

Hands went up and people hit the floor

He wasted two kids that ran for the door

"I'm Mike D. and I get respect

Your cash and your jewelry is what I expect"

M.C.A. was with it and he's my ace

So I grabbed the piano player and I punched him in the face

The piano player's out the music stopped

His boy had beef and he got dropped

Mike D. grabbed the money M.C.A. snatched the gold

I grabbed two girlies and a beer that's cold."

- Beastie Boys, Paul Revere

The Beastie Boys use imagery and vivid description to paint a scene of them at a club or bar where a robbery ended up braking out with them saving the day and leaving with hot girls and a cold beer. They describe how the beat was loud, boys were staring and the girls were hot there use of rhythm keeps the audience intrigued with the funny story they created.

Paul Revere - Beastie Boys (listen here)

Andy Warhol

The late Andy Warhol was one of the greatest pop artist creating paintings, books, prints and photography. Warhol was best known for his unique and outspoken personality. A soft-spoken homosexual who later in life took to wearing a silver-grey wig, he was said to be obsessed with fame and wealth and was surrounded by outlandish and flamboyant friends. Andy Warhol was a truly different, the type of character that New York seems to create once in a while. 

"I love Los Angeles. I love Hollywood. They're beautiful. Everybody's plastic, but I love plastic. I want to be plastic."

                               - Andy Warhol 

Warhol uses to word "Love" back to back in the first two sentences. Then uses "plastic" in the last two sentences back to back. His use of short sentences show he simply gets straight to the point about how he likes the the unoriginal feel in Hollywood calling everybody "plastic". 

Adorn

Songwriter and producer Miguel came out with a song called Adorn off of his Extended Play (EP) Art Dealer Chic: Volume 1. 

"These lips can't wait to taste your skin, Baby noo

And these eyes, yehh, can't wait to see your grin, ooh ooh baby

Baby these fist, uh, will always protect ya... Lady

And this mind ooh will never neglect you, yeah baby

Ooh baby

And if they try to break us down

Don't let that effect us, noo baby" 

- Miguel, Adorn

I like the way Miguel uses his body objects in a third person because to me it makes it seem as though it adds more feeling to what hes saying. For example when he says "These fist, will always protect you", it makes it seem as though hes sincere and it creates a romantic tone to the song compared to him saying "My fist will always protect you". If he was to come out and say it plainly it would be sort of cliche and it wouldn't set up the same tone I hear in the song. 

Adorn - Miguel (listen here)

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Ferris Bueller's Day Off was and still is every high school students dream scripted up into a Hollywood film. High school senior Ferris Bueller decided to take the day off with his best friend Cameron and girlfriend Sloane and spend the day in downtown Chicago. Throughout the movie Ferris manages to dodge his school principal Mr. Rooney, his spiteful sister Jeanie and his clueless parents. Before Bueller put his plan in full affect he had to convince his easily stressed best friend Cameron. 

"He'll keep calling me, he'll keep calling me until I come over. He'll make me feel guilty. This is uh... This is ridiculous, ok I'll go, I'll go, I'll go, I'll go, I'll go. What - I'LL GO. S***." 

- Cameron

Cameron's use of repetition shows how he was constantly going back and fourth with himself. For every knew thought he continues to repeat himself before he finally agrees to go with Ferris's plan. Towards the end of the quote when he repeatedly says "I'll go" he sets up a serious tone to let himself and Ferris know that he's actually going to go through with his plan to bunk school. I love Cameron's character because throughout the whole movie he's easily stressed and acts like a stick in the mud; until he realizes that its okay to live a little as his friend would say. 

The Breakfast Club

The Breakfast Club is known to be one of the best 80's movies of all time. The comedy-drama stars five different teenagers, from different stances in the high school popularity chain; coming together on a Saturday morning detention. As they spend their Saturday morning together they find a bit of themselves in each other, looking past the stereotypes that they labeled each other as.



                                                                                                       "Dear Mr. Vernon, 

we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. What we did was wrong. But we think you're crazy to make an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us...In the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain…and an athlete...and a basket case...a princess...and a criminal...Does that answer your question? Sincerely yours, the Breakfast Club." 

- Brian Johnson, Andrew Clark, Allison Reynolds, Claire Standish & John Bender 

I like this quote because it shows how all of them came together despite the tears, fears and judgement's they went through to finally realize that they are actually a lot more similar than they thought. "...we found out is that each one of us is a brain…and an athlete...and a basket case...a princess...and a criminal..." they came together and found that they had a lot more in common than they thought; and I think that's what shows the actual glory of this movie that despite their social groups, or how far they are on the social ladder they still came together as one.