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Similarities Between Thoreau And Martin Luther King Jr

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Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King Jr. never met, but they did have common ideas about civil disobedience. Thoreau went to jail when he refused to pay a poll tax and King went to jail when he marched in Birmingham to protest the injustice there towards African Americans. While they were in jail, they wrote letters on why they chose to be disobedient. In their letters, they wrote for different audiences. Thoreau's letter went to the general public and was about how they should rise up when they feel strongly about an injustice. While King's letter went to other clergymen that had written to him about how he was wrong to go on the march. Even though their letters had different audiences, they had the same theme. They wanted people to …show more content…

Emotional and ethical appeals were used by Thoreau more, and King used mostly logical appeals. This is shown when Thoreau wrote "I think that we should be men first, and subjects afterward" and also when he expressed "the only obligation which I have a right to assume is to do at any time what I think right." On the other hand, King showed his logical writing when he stated that Birmingham was known for its brutality towards African Americans, that they were treated unfairly in the Birmingham courts and that Birmingham had more unsolved bombings of African American homes and churches than any other city. King and Thoreau also stated that, as King put it, "privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily." Their readers needed to protest things that they felt were unjust and immoral. Both agreed that when people do decide to be disobedient, that they should also be willing to face the consequences of their actions. King felt others "cannot sit idly by

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Similarities Between Civil Disobedience And Letter From Birmingham Jail

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"Civil Disobedience" by Henry David Thoreau and "Letter from Birmingham Jail" by Martin Lither King Jr. Both had the same idea but they were shared in different ways. "Civil Disobedience" was written in the 1830's where as "The Letter From Birmingham Jail" was written nearly 100 years letter. Both pieces of writing showed civil disobedience, and they were shared in the same way, but they both had different views. In both pieces of work the authors have different views of the injustice in the government. Both men, Martin Luther King Jr. and Henry David Thoreau, targeted larger groups rather than smaller ones.

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Rhetorical Devices Used In Letter From Birmingham Jail

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At the end of his letter he addresses the clergymen " I also hope that circumstances will soon make it possible for me to meet each of you, not as an integrationist or a civil rights leader, but as a fellow clergymen and a Christian brother" (paragraph 7). This statement makes a claim the king wants to meet these seven clergymen in person and speak about the issues he wrote in this letter. Another rhetorical tool king uses in his letter are similes. This rhetorical tool helps king compare two things and address the point as he sees it. " Over the last few years I have consistently preached that nonviolence demands that the means we use must be as pure as the ends we seek" (paragraph 3).

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Similarities Between Thoreau And Martin Luther King

268 Words | 2 Pages

In my opinion Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King Jr. have very similar purposes in their writings. Both author 's are writing to protest unfair laws. But they also have very different audiences. In Civil Disobediance, Thoreau writes how those who break unjust laws should suffer the consequences as a protest to the laws.

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Summary Of Martin Luther King's Letter From Birmingham Jail

895 Words | 4 Pages

With the help of these four steps, he justifies the need for the demonstration. King illustrates the city of Birmingham as “the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States,” (King 2). Here King is able to show that injustices are present in Birmingham, which further justifies his reason for a peaceful demonstration. King proceeds to speak about his method of protesting. He states that negotiation was not met, and that “[their] hopes had been blasted,” that like “victims of a broken promise,” their wishes had been disregarded, (King 2).

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Similarities Between Karl Marx And Letter From Birmingham Jail

550 Words | 3 Pages

One of the most prominent being the Letter from a Birmingham Jail. The works and beliefs of Karl Marx and King tend to overlap in terms of the oppressed, the law, and alienation.

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Compare And Contrast Martin Luther King And Civil Disobedience

1845 Words | 8 Pages

Civil Disobedience Compare and Contrast Henry Thoreau and Martin Luther King both wrote persuasive discussions that oppose many ideals and make a justification of their cause, being both central to their argument. While the similarity is obvious, the two essays, Civil Disobedience by Thoreau and Letter from a Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King Jr. do have some similarities. King tries persuading white, southern clergymen that segregation is an evil, unfair law that ought to defeat by use of agitation of direct protesting. Thoreau, on the other hand, writes to a broader, non-addressed audience, and focuses more on the state itself. He further accepts it at its current state, in regard to the battle with Mexico and the institution of slavery.

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Thoreau And Martin Luther King Comparison

678 Words | 3 Pages

By analyzing both of these writings it’s almost obvious that Martin Luther King was influenced by Thoreau’s “Civil Disobedience” because they both use very similar writing techniques. King also described a four step to a non-violent protest, and the first one is to collect facts to determine whether an injustice law exists. This relates to Thoreau’s critique of an unjust government because Thoreau believed that every machine had

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Compare And Contrast Letter From Birmingham Jail And Civil Disobedience

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The main similarity in the writings of Thomas Jefferson and Henry David Thoreau is the idea of revolution against an abusive government. The main difference is the context in which each document was written, the Declaration of Independence as the colonies were rebelling against Great Britain and forming their own government, and Civil Disobedience as criticisms of the government developed within nearly seventy-five years after the signing of the Declaration. Both Jefferson and Thoreau share ideas of revolution, although overthrowing the government is seen in many cases as illegal. Both documents share a common theme of revolution, and both authors believe the best way to move toward a better government is civil disobedience. Jefferson and Thoreau believe that whether it is the struggle for independence or being freed from injustices of the government, civil disobedience and revolution are necessary in order to live in a society based on freedom.

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Civil Disobedience between King and Thoreau Martin Luther King, Jr. and Henry David Thoreau were two different people living in different periods, but both their impacts changed history. Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King, Jr. are very similar, but very different people. King has lived with unfair laws and has protested against them along with Thoreau protesting taxes. Despite those similarities, King thinks citizens can find peace by fighting for their beliefs, but Thoreau finds his peace through God and nature. King and Thoreau have greatly impacted today’s society regardless of their similarities and differences.

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Analysis Of Letter From Birmingham Jail

1091 Words | 5 Pages

He gives them the moral reasons and explains “injustices” that was happening in Birmingham. King continues to define the terms “just” and “unjust” laws and gives examples of both, and does so throughout the letter to appeal to his audience’s respect of law. He clarifies the process that made him choose direct action, and the time he chose. He gives a bulk of emotional scenarios and imagery describing the struggle he and his brothers and sisters were going through. He logically gives details to the process of organizing his actions and states “[W]e realized that we were the victims of a broken promise.”

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Essay On Martin Luther King Letter From Birmingham Jail

959 Words | 4 Pages

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