Henry David Thoreaus Civil Disobedience and Martin...

Henry David Thoreaus Civil Disobedience and Martin Luther Kings Letter from Birmingham Jail Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King, in â€Å"Civil Disobedience† and â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail,† respectively, both conjure a definitive argument on the rights of insubordination during specified epochs of societal injustice. Thoreau, in his enduring contemplation of life and its purpose, insightfully analyzes the conflicting relationship between the government and the people it governs. He considerately evokes the notion that the majority of people are restrained by the government and society from making decisions with consideration of their conscience and that people need to overcome the reign of the government to realize their own†¦show more content†¦Relating to several biblical allusions like Apostle Paul and Jesus Christ, he sensuously establishes credible authenticity and significance to his motives of civil disobedience against unjust laws; they assist in accentuating the justice within his â€Å"unjustified† actions. King also pr ovokes compelling emotional tides of sympathy and compassion to overcome his readers when he provides sorrow-filled descriptions of the torments Blacks have to go through everyday. Furthermore, his usage of logic in identifying equality as a natural right of all men firmly defends his reasons on sanctioning desegregation. Leaving no loopholes behind his reasoning or ambiguity in his purpose, King competently succeeds in proficiently perpetuating his views on injustice and civil disobedience. In addition to appeals, each writer’s conclusion causes different reactions that relate to the effectiveness of their persuasion. While Thoreau develops a pessimistic view of society and its corrupt fabrications, King builds on a more optimistic view of the future and how society should reform to a better state of equality. Thoreau temporarily expresses hopefulness in his description of a utopian society; however, at the end, he concludes with a pessimistic foresight of the future, stating â€Å"A state which bore this kind of fruit†¦which also I have imagined, but not yet anywhere seen.†Show MoreRelated Henry Thoreau’s Influence on Martin Luther King Jr. Essay898 Words   |  4 PagesHenry Thoreau’s Influence on Martin Luther King Jr. Henry David Thoreau was a great American writer, philosopher, and naturalist of the 1800’s who’s writings have influenced many famous leaders in the 20th century, as well as in his own lifetime. Henry David Thoreau was born in Concord, Massachusetts in 1817, where he was later educated at Harvard University. 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In the two articles, â€Å"Civil Disobedience† by Henry David Thoreau, and â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† by Martin Luther King, Jr.; both speakers focused on challenging social and political complications for the better of the future, country, and the government. â€Å"Civil Disobedience† by Thoreau, Henry David follows the author detaching himself from the government due to it favoring the majority based on the powers the certain group possessesRead MoreMartin Luther King Jr. And Henry David Thoreau1311 Words   |  6 Pageseverything the general will†, however, it was not always the case, according to influential American authors and civil rights activists Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Henry David Thoreau. Although both of their works were written over a century apart, one cannot deny the fact that both of them successfully and nonviolently converted their ideology into action using different methods of civil disobedience. Their goal was to fight for a better just system of law and restore faith in humanity. Despite their differentRead More Comparing Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience and Kings Letter From a Birmingham Jail1043 Words   |  5 PagesComparing Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience and Martin Luther Kings Letter From a Birmingham Jail The two essays, Civil Disobedience, by Henry David Thoreau, and Letter From a Birmingham Jail, by Martin Luther King, Jr., effectively illustrate the authors opinions of justice. Each author has his main point; Thoreau, in dealing with justice as it relates to government, asks for not at once no government, but at once a better government. King contends that injustice anywhere is a threatRead MoreComparative Essay on Henry David Thoreau in Civil Disobedience and Martin Luther King in Letter from Birmingham Jail820 Words   |  4 PagesHenry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King, in Civil Disobedience and Letter from Birmingham Jail, respectively, both conjure a definitive argument on the rights of insubordination during specified epochs of societal injustice. Thoreau, in his enduring contemplation of life and its purpose, insightfully analyzes the conflicting relationship between the government and the people it governs. He considerately evokes the notion that the majority of people are restrained by the government and societyRead MoreThoreau Civil Disobedience Analysis812 Words   |  4 PagesHenry David Thoreau’s â€Å"Civil Disobedience† and Martin Luther King’s â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† both present similar ideas, as the latter was inspired by the first. This set of principles and ideas is still in being carried out in our nation today, however it is necessary for more people to adopt this way of thinking. Thoreau explains throughout how an individual must conduct civil disobedience to begin a change that is morally correct. He talks a lot about the government and heavily criticizes