Civil Disobedience in American History Essay Example For Students

Civil Disobedience in American History Essay Throughout American history, it is clear that many individuals have fought for justice in a society that has often denied it. We know this information from documents written by these individuals expressing their feelings on a certain subject. On the subject of human rights, two specific men have expanded their thoughts to make a difference. The very popular Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. , whose main philosophy on civil disobedience revolved around nonviolence, wrote a Letter From Birmingham Jail to eight clergymen informing them of the situation in Birmingham, Alabama, in April of 1963. Henry David Thoreau, a 19th century individualist, wrote an essay called Civil Disobedience in which he explained his reasons for not paying taxes to a government that was involved in an unjust war with Mexico. Although these works were written for different causes, the two are similar in some ways. Both are similar in how they get the reader to see and feel what the writter sees and feels. Both men, King and Thoreau, used emotional appeal in their work. This was used to gain support from the reader by creating a feeling of sympathy to be felt by the reader. Dr. Kings most emotional section was his feelings on segregation. His feelings were based on how it was to be black living in a segregated environment. This was extremely important considering that he was directing his thoughts to the eight white clergymen. He started a paragraph referring to the impact of segregation as stinging darts. The following sentences gave examples of the segregation and what it put black people through. In one specific sentence, King used the image of you having to tell your young, innocent child that she cannot go to the amusement park simply because of the color of her skin. King wrote, when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six-year-old daughter why she cant go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in ger little eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored childrenand see her begin to distort her little personality by unconsciously developing a bitterness to white people Most people are more sensitive toward young children and hate to see their feelings hurt. Children are also a symbol of the future. Henry Thoreau also used emotional appeal in Civil Disobedience. During the time he wrote this piece, slavery was the biggest issue among Americans. He told about the injustice in having slavery in a civilized society. He repeatedly referred to slavery whenever he began to talk about the governments unjust laws. Many who believed in the abolition of slavery may have sided with Thoreau on some of his feelings about the government. His thoughts were appealing to many in the North or Abolitionists. In one section of his essay he wrote, When the majority shall at length vote for the abolition of slavery, it will be because they are indifferent to slavery, or because there is little slavery left to be abolished by their vote. One very common feature found in both the letter written by Dr. King and the essay by Thoreau was that prison played a role in their struggles. It is logical appeal to the reader to know that these men were real not phony. They truly believed in what they argued for. Both of these men were incarcerated for doing what they believed was right. Dr. King was locked up for protesting (nonviolently) and Thoreau was put in jail for not paying taxes to the government which he felt was unjust. Martin Luther King Jr. Alexander the Great Essay decided to spend his time in jail writing his letter to the clergymen for support. The fact that he was prison showed the men that a fellow clergyman did in fact need help in Birmingham, Alabama. Henry Thoreau deeply anylized his one night experience. He gave the feeling of total seclusion from the world when describing his jail cell. He spoke of the walls and door being solid stone and a few feet thick. He felt that he was treated as if I were mere flesh and blood and bones, to be locked up. Dr. King and Henry David Thoreau both also referred to the Bible or God in their writing. King compared the injustice of the situation in Birmingham to a similar event in the Bible. He wrote, Just as the eighth century prophets left their little villages and carried out their Thus .