Emily Jolley

Journal #4
RSS 100 (Mr. Callahan)
January 28, 2013

Bibliographical Information

King, Martin. Letter from Birmingham Jail. Critical Reading. Eds. John Callahan, Beth
Marquardt, and Kathleen Mayberry. np: McGraw Hill, 2012.14-25. Print.

Brief Summary

This story was about a man in jail writing a letter to clergymen. He was writing everything of
how he felt towards things that were going on. As an example is removing racial signs from
stores. He talks about his feelings toward human rights and what should be changed. Because
he doesnt like some things that people were doing. He gives many examples why people
should change these things because they are not right. This essay was a persuasive essay to
show people what happened in the past life.

Reflection on the Reading Process

While I was reading this essay I was actually watching my show on t.v. I was losing track on
it. I wasnt very interested in it. I had to have my boyfriend read it to me because as I read it
so many times it felt like it was coming through one ear and out the other. As he read it aloud
I could understand it better even though my show was on while he was doing so. I tried to
keep up while he was reading. But I honestly couldnt keep my head in this passage. I didnt

like it too much. I had a difficulty reading it. There were some hard words in there also. This
passage does show some interesting facts of what should of changed early back in time.

Reaction to the Content of the Article

This reading was not a good reading for me. I was not in it at all. I couldnt keep up with it. I
truly didnt understand some parts but I just kept reading on. The words were a little to
advance for me that I had to reread some parts. I thought this passage was difficult for me to
read because I just couldnt keep my head in it. But I really liked when he talked about racial
signs. I was really big about how blacks and whites were treated back then. Because no one
is really different. My mom has always told me color never matters, never judge by the book.
As reading it this is what came to my head. It also hurts to see some people are still racial
against blacks and whites. But, you also cant change people and how they feel about others.
I do wish people would stop and see people for who they are.

Spin- Off
1. Human rights Movement
2. Racial Seperation