Civil Disobedience
On the Duty of Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau and Luther’s Letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King are important pieces, which are of writing of great significance for both the history and literature. This paper aims to compare and contrast the two pieces of writing pointing out their similarities and differences. In both works of literature, the authors highlight the injustice present in the government of the day by using different styles to express their opinions and dissatisfactions. However, even though their feelings about their country’s leadership are similar, their emotional appeals are portrayed differently throughout their literary pieces. For instance, whereas Luther King uses illustrations to create emotional appeals, Thoreau chooses to utilize metaphors. …show more content…
In this regard, Thoreau’s essay was written in 1849, while King wrote his work in 1963, which is more than a century after the former had been put in writing. Nevertheless, the techniques that each author uses are useful in explaining why injustice in government should be eradicated. Thus, the two authors try to support the rights of citizens to disobey a government that lacks social justice. Thoreau outlines the responsibility and duty of every individual in opposing and taking action against corrupt leadership at a national level. Similarly, Martin Luther King preaches to his audience that there is no way government laws against members of the black community can be tolerated. He advises society to consider civil disobedience as the only instrument of freedom from corrupt government laws. In this case, it is evident that both Thoreau and King effectively show their beliefs that civil disobedience is necessary to free people from political and government
On the Duty of Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau and Luther’s Letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King are important pieces, which are of writing of great significance for both the history and literature. This paper aims to compare and contrast the two pieces of writing pointing out their similarities and differences. In both works of literature, the authors highlight the injustice present in the government of the day by using different styles to express their opinions and dissatisfactions. However, even though their feelings about their country’s leadership are similar, their emotional appeals are portrayed differently throughout their literary pieces. For instance, whereas Luther King uses illustrations to create emotional appeals, Thoreau chooses to utilize metaphors. …show more content…
In this regard, Thoreau’s essay was written in 1849, while King wrote his work in 1963, which is more than a century after the former had been put in writing. Nevertheless, the techniques that each author uses are useful in explaining why injustice in government should be eradicated. Thus, the two authors try to support the rights of citizens to disobey a government that lacks social justice. Thoreau outlines the responsibility and duty of every individual in opposing and taking action against corrupt leadership at a national level. Similarly, Martin Luther King preaches to his audience that there is no way government laws against members of the black community can be tolerated. He advises society to consider civil disobedience as the only instrument of freedom from corrupt government laws. In this case, it is evident that both Thoreau and King effectively show their beliefs that civil disobedience is necessary to free people from political and government