Letter From Birmingham Jail Analysis

In his famous essay, “Letter from Birmingham Jail,’’ Martin Luther King, Jr. cites conscience as a guide to obeying just laws and defying unjust laws. In the same way, Henry David Thoreau wrote in his famous essay, “Civil Disobedience,” that people should do what their conscience tells them and not obey unjust laws. The positions of the two writers are very close; they use a common theme of conscience, and they use a similar rhetorical appeal of ethos.

Have you ever felt a rule you had to follow was unjust? Have you ever felt your moral instinct tell you not to follow it? Prominent figures in American history, Martin Luther King Jr. and Henry David Thoreau, felt this way and decided to not follow the rules imposed on them by indulging in “civil disobedience”. Civil disobedience is the act of peacefully disobeying laws or customs with the purpose of combating moral injustice. This form of protest has proven to be quite effective in making change in history. In “Civil Disobedience” and the “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”, both Thoreau and King Jr. write their justification for their actions as well as their feelings regarding the particular disputed

Example, quote, detail, or fact from the text:Kings notions that a person who breaks an unjust law that restricts people of their said rights is in fact respecting the law and providing justice.

Movements have always been apart of American history, whether religious or political. Two literature pieces strongly centered behind a movement are Martin Luther King Jr.’s “A Letter from Birmingham Jail” and “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards. Both pieces were influential to their movements; although, different techniques were used by both authors. Given that both of these pieces had influence on the movement, it raises the question of which argument was more effective. Under the definition that effectiveness is the amount in which something creates a long term desired result, one of these pieces is clearly more effective, which can be determined with an in depth analysis.

Live oak lined drives across the Southern United States are often filled with recognizable scenes from the past. Large planation homes with beautiful alleyways and gardens are swept in seas on cotton and sugar cane. Commanding statues of generals in grey salute onlookers and remind visitors and residents alike of the complicated past in the South. Symbols and memorials alike are often vessels for pride or disgust depending on how one chooses to view them. It is easy to get lost in the beauty of the homes or history of the landmarks, but a palpable tension of a marred past can transform these symbols into something sinister.

The Letter from Birmingham Jail is an open letter that defends the strategy of nonviolent resistance to racism. It says that people have a moral responsibility to break unjust laws, and to take direct action rather than waiting potentially forever for justice to come through others or the government. Responding to the critisms of his nonviolent approaches and willingness to cause tension within the community he wrote "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." The crisis and tension causing methods Dr. Matin Luther King Jr. used were organized marches and sit-ins against racism and racial segregation.

“A Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King Jr. was written in the margins of a letter posted by the clergymen of Alabama at this time that sparked his interest and while he inhabited the jail cell for parading around without a permit. This time allowed him the ability to respond wholeheartedly to this cynical oppressing. King’s letter addresses specific points presented in the Clergymen’s and this direct response distinguishes King’s strong points through his powerful writing.  Unethical and immoral mentions came to the attention of the Minister through the letter, and he expressed his differing views and defended his ideals and actions through Aristotle’s three rhetorical devices, ethos, logos, and pathos.

The “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is the letter written by Martin Luther King Jr. to the clergymen of Birmingham, in which he speaks up against the nonviolence demonstration criticisms by white modernists. In it King suggests that Socrates is civilly disobedient, despite Socrates’ assertions of breaking the law in the Crito, the prison conversation between Socrates and his friend Crito days before his death. Socrates repeatedly states that it would be morally wrong for him to escape prison and go against the laws, however, King believes that he is civilly disobedient. I, too, believe that Socrates was in some form rebellious to the law, and that he was misunderstood and rejected by society. The Apology and Crito are two dialogues that discuss the intent of Socrates’ “crimes;” and the “Letter from Birmingham Jail” goes along the reasoning behind King’s claim against Socrates.

When choosing to break an unjust law there is something that needs to be remembered most people will not have the guts to do so out of fear or whatever the case may be. But what these two authors agree on is if action isn’t taken no change will occur, things don’t just fix themselves. Thoreau states, “They hesitate and they regret and sometimes they petition’ but they do nothing in earnest and with effect. They will wait, well disposed, for others to remedy the evil, that they may no longer have it to regret (309).” There are many people who claim to be against slavery and the war but don’t do anything to stop either one. King states “We know through painful experience that freedom is never given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed (381).” Like Thoreau he was tired of people saying they would do something but didn’t so he decided to take direct action. They both believe that anyone who takes direct action and chooses not to follow an unjust law is already making a difference.

In the comparison essay between the two philosophers and the topic of civil disobedience, Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King believe that corruption is not an alleged source on government but the citizens who ignorantly subsidize it to protect what is theirs. These two philosophers relate to each other with having the same mind-set on civil obedience.

The source that I found most helpful for this project is “The Letter from Birmingham Jail.” I think it is the best source because it is a primary source. Also because it explains what it was like to be a civil rights activist. Lastly, the message that MLK was writing was very detailed and easy to visualize. Everything in this passage was true and from an activist perspective.

Both, Thoreau and King, in their works “Civil Disobedience” and “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” successfully and effectively delineates arguments for the importance and necessity of civil disobedience. Although both essays present very similar ideas, it is important to note the similarities and differences which are evident through the use of language and the presentation of the arguments and ideas because if it were not for the proper use of language, tone, and presentation of the idea of civil disobedience in Dr. King’s letter, he might not have been successful in his campaign; Thoreau initially presented the idea of civil disobedience in 1848, but his contemporaries dismissed his political essays.

Martin Luther King and Henry Thoreau both were interested by the idea of civil rights. In “Civil Disobedience” and “Letter from Birmingham Jail” the authors raise different issues to transmit their views on injustice in government. Among these issues the idea of unjust laws and obeying or fighting them is crucially important. This topic is important because unjust laws deprive a freedom of individual or a society, which might lead to disobedience and chaos in the society. Both authors mention that individuals should protest laws if they are unjust, but they both see the problem from different angle. This essay will analyze the views of Martin Luther King and Henry David Thoreau to fight unjust laws. It will claim that the way King wants to

The political concepts of justice and how a society should be governed have dominated literature through out human history. The concept of peacefully resisting laws set by a governing force can be first be depicted in the world of the Ancient Greeks in the works of Sophocles and actions of Socrates. This popular idea has developed over the centuries and is commonly known today as civil disobedience. Due to the works of Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King Jr. civil disobedience is a well-known political action to Americans; first in the application against slavery and second in the application against segregation. Thoreau’s essay “Civil Disobedience” and King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” are the leading arguments in defining

Throughout history the unjust components of government have produced opposition from the people underneath it. At times people would resort to violent action to fix the wrongs of the civil governments of their country, but several social leaders brought people together to do this in a more caring and peaceful manor. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Mohandas K. Gandhi, and Henry David Thoreau all assembled citizens of their respective countries in resistance to the wrongs of their governments. While these three leaders used no violence in their campaigns for justice, they all had different opinions on the approach of the opposition as well as the reasoning behind the resistance.