Throughout American history, revolutionaries have turned to the written word to rally their metaphorical troops and reach new audiences. Whether advocating for abolition or denouncing segregation, the techniques used by our leaders have largely remained the same due to their undeniable success. As evidenced in Henry David Thoreau’s “Resistance to Civil Government” and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” the slight variation in topic does not necessarily dictate a change in strategy when writing the arguments.
Henry David Thoreau’s “Resistance to Civil Government” was written in response to the expected expansion of slave territory that came with the end of the Mexican-American War. In his essay, Thoreau commented …show more content…
Both pieces addressed the controversial issues of the times; “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” was against discrimination and Jim Crow Laws, but “Resistance to Civil Government” opposed slavery. Unjust laws were discussed in both. In addition, the audiences of the pieces were similar. While Dr. King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” appears at first glance to be directed to the clergymen who critiqued him, his letter is in fact meant to appeal to a much broader audience as he addresses the need for civil disobedience as a whole. We are presented this in the first paragraph, when he states, “Seldom do I pause to answer criticism to my works and ideas.” Readers can infer that the clergymen were the catalyst that inspired Dr. King to use “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” to address the buildup of criticism. Similarly, Thoreau’s “Resistance to Civil Government” was also meant to reach a wide audience. While all three of the main persuasive techniques were employed in “Resistance to Civil Government” and “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” ethical appeals were very important to both Dr. King and Thoreau in motivating their audiences into action. Since the overarching theme of both essays was equality, appealing to their audiences’ morals and establishing credibility was an effective strategy. In that same vein, emotional appeals such as when Dr. King described what life was like as an African American in the United States during such a difficult time were meant to stir the readers. For example, Dr. 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 can't go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children,
Henry David Thoreau’s “Resistance to Civil Government” was written in response to the expected expansion of slave territory that came with the end of the Mexican-American War. In his essay, Thoreau commented …show more content…
Both pieces addressed the controversial issues of the times; “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” was against discrimination and Jim Crow Laws, but “Resistance to Civil Government” opposed slavery. Unjust laws were discussed in both. In addition, the audiences of the pieces were similar. While Dr. King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” appears at first glance to be directed to the clergymen who critiqued him, his letter is in fact meant to appeal to a much broader audience as he addresses the need for civil disobedience as a whole. We are presented this in the first paragraph, when he states, “Seldom do I pause to answer criticism to my works and ideas.” Readers can infer that the clergymen were the catalyst that inspired Dr. King to use “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” to address the buildup of criticism. Similarly, Thoreau’s “Resistance to Civil Government” was also meant to reach a wide audience. While all three of the main persuasive techniques were employed in “Resistance to Civil Government” and “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” ethical appeals were very important to both Dr. King and Thoreau in motivating their audiences into action. Since the overarching theme of both essays was equality, appealing to their audiences’ morals and establishing credibility was an effective strategy. In that same vein, emotional appeals such as when Dr. King described what life was like as an African American in the United States during such a difficult time were meant to stir the readers. For example, Dr. 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 can't go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children,