Question

Read the excerpt from Dr. Martin Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”

If I sought to answer all the criticisms that cross my desk, my secretaries would have little time for anything other than such correspondence in the course of the day, and I would have no time for constructive work. But since I feel that you are men of genuine good will and that your criticisms are sincerely set forth, I want to try to answer your statement in what I hope will be patient and reasonable terms.

What is the author’s purpose for including these sentences?
to describe the productivity of his daily routine
to emphasize the significance of his critics’ letter
to establish the impressive credentials of his staff
to explain the nature of his profession

Answer 1

to emphasize the significance of his critics’ letter

He says he can’t answer every criticism but will make an exception because he believes these critics are sincere and of “genuine good will,” showing he considers their letter important enough to merit a response.