Martin Luther King Probedience Vs Thoreau

Thoreau refused to pay the poll ax because the money was being used to finance a war he was against. This war was over Texas, which was to enter the Union as a slave state. He wrote Civil Disobedience while in the Walden jail. Thoreau wrote how disappointed he was with the government by forcing him to pay a poll tax that supported a war and slavery. King would later go to jail acting on his beliefs. Martin Luther King and Henry David Thoreau used civil disobedience to change people’s ideas and beliefs to stop the injustice brought against them and their nation.

In Martin Luther King’s essay “Letter to Birmingham Jail”, he discusses racial injustice and peaceful protest. He talks on how brutal negroes were treated in jail and by policemen. King was jailed for parading around without a permit. In Henry David Thoreau’s essay “Civil Disobedience” Thoreau spoke on the unjust government, nonviolent revolt, and against slavery. Thoreau went to jail for not paying his poll taxes because he refuses to align himself with the state. These essays show some similarities and differences that I want to bring to light. Two similarities that I found are that they both advocated for civil disobedience and they were willing to break the law if necessary. A difference that I discovered, was that in the two essays Thoreau and King focus on different issues for some matters.

Although Martin Luther King jr. is now known as a great leader, similarly to Thoreau, people often disagreed with his views and ideas. To prevent backlash from the

King, however, approaches the situation with a better response. He does criticize the government and their abuse of power like Thoreau, but he does so without attacking the government. King is respectful and calm through his writing and keeps his audience engaged throughout the letter. Thoreau immediately attacks and does not give an explanation on how to fix the situation. Even though, their writings and approach to the subject are different, they are still able to convey their message to their audience and to other who may read their

The two essays, "Civil Disobedience," by Henry David Thoreau, and "Letter From a Birmingham Jail," by Martin Luther King, Jr., effectively illustrate the authors' opinions of justice. Each author has his main point; Thoreau, in dealing with justice as it relates to government, asks for "not at once no government, but at once a better government. King contends that "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Both essays offer a complete argument for justice, but, given the conditions, King's essay remains more effective, in that its persuasive techniques have more practical application. Both essays extensively implement both

     Martin Luther King and Henry David Thoreau both believed that one should stand up for what he believes in, as wells as accepting the consequences for his actions. Even though they also had different views about what makes law just or unjust. First of all, Martin Luther King believed that a law that is just should be square with the moral law or the law of God. This basically means a law should pertain to the Ten Commandments according to the bible. He also thought an unjust law was one that was inflicted on to a minority who did not even have the right to vote for this law in the first place.

Thoreau and King use many similar strategies in their writings. One uses these strategies to make their piece more effective. King 's persuasive letter to the clergyman, Letter from Birmingham Jail was far more effective than Thoreau’s Lecture On the Duty of Civil Disobedience directed towards americans ready to change things, and here is why. King’s article was more effective because he strives towards tugging on the audience 's heartstrings rather than the logical side, his repetition proved to be more effective, he has a unique organizational structure, King stays more on topic, and was more passionate about his disquisition.

While both Martin Luther King Jr. and David Thoreau recognized that society needed modification, they acquired contrasting perspectives about the dilemma. King writes out of concern for the African-American race and believes that even though law states, something is wrong, it could be right. Thoreau believes writes out of frustration and that "Government is best which governs not at all." (Thoreau 407). King and Thoreau agree that everyone has the ability to take charge, on the other hand, their actions are distinct in many ways.

King’s position on unjust laws was very close to Thoreau’s position on unjust laws. In his famous letter written when he was in jail, “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” King wrote to the ministers who did not like his protests to desegregate the city of

One of the most evident differences between the two papers is the way they are written. Dr. King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” is undoubtedly much easier to follow and understand compared to Thoreau’s “Civil Disobedience.” King’s tone is very calm and respectful, which is expected as he is a minister and advocate, compared to Thoreau, who sounds disgusted, judgmental, and angry at the government; this is important because if King’s tone was more like Thoreau’s he may have been unable to explain the importance of civil disobedience to his audience. In addition, King alludes to the bible and history and provides examples of events that have occurred in order to get his point across whereas Thoreau only uses his personal experience and forces his ideas on his audience. One such example is when King is explaining the difference between just and unjust laws as he writes, “An unjust law is a code inflicted upon a minority which that minority had no part in enacting or creating because it did not have the unhampered right to vote. Who can say that the legislature of Alabama which set up the segregation laws was democratically elected? Throughout the state of Alabama all types of conniving methods are used to prevent Negroes from becoming registered voters, and there are some counties without a single Negro registered to vote, despite the fact

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

Henry Thoreau’s essay influenced MLK immensely. Before Kings untimely death, said, “Fascinated by the idea of refusing to cooperate with an evil system, I was so deeply moved that I reread the work [Civil Disobedience] several times.” This essay really changed his life and paved that way to change led by MLK. “If the injustice is part of the necessary friction of the machine of government, let it go, let it go: perchance it

Thoreau believes in a strategic way to get the government's attention, don't pay taxes. He himself had used this plan for six years, which is how he found himself in jail. He, “...did not for a moment feel confined…”, for he was free in his mind, only his body was being punished (Thoreau 9). King believes in a different way. Sit-ins and marches and boycotts are more adequate for King. Despite the fact that they had different ways of executing their plans, they stood for the same principle- do not discriminate against any one

Henry David Thoreau was an American writer and protester, who wrote the influential essay “Civil Disobedience”. In his essay, he advocates for citizens to protest against government actions that they deem unjust and to stand up for one’s rights, putting morals before law,