An Analysis Of Samuel Johnson's Letter To Prison

Johnson uses many arguments in his letter that he sent to British Lawmakers. He is anti debtor’s prison and wrote this letter to bring the prison’s troubles to the light. He makes a compelling argument. He states how the people are treated, how many people there are in prison, and how it ruins the lives of good people.

“A debtor is dragged to prison, pitied for a moment, and then forgotten.” The people in prison get punished for not paying their debt. These people aren’t all bad, but get punished because of the lack of money. He says there is no need for this prison. The prison is an “unnecessary misery”. Money is only an object, so why are people’s lives being destroyed?

“Those who are best acquainted with the state of our prisons will confess that my conjecture is too near the truth.” Samuel Johnson inserted this quote to ensure that his points are valid and reasonable. He describes the prisons treatment towards the prisoners. Sometimes food, diseases (which have no treatment), and the other horrors of prison. He includes the number of men who die yearly, one in thirty, and gives examples of their way of life living in the prison. …show more content…
Samuel Johnson explained the troubles with the prison to the lawmakers. He told them how the prisoners were treated bad, how the prison was ran, and explained with some statistics on how many people died over the year. He used details to back up his