Comparative Essay on Henry David Thoreau in Civil...

Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King, in Civil Disobedience and Letter from Birmingham Jail, respectively, both conjure a definitive argument on the rights of insubordination during specified epochs of societal injustice. Thoreau, in his enduring contemplation of life and its purpose, insightfully analyzes the conflicting relationship between the government and the people it governs. He considerately evokes the notion that the majority of people are restrained by the government and society from making decisions with consideration of their conscience and that people need to overcome the reign of the government to realize their own ethics and morals. King, in accordance, eloquently and passionately contends the injustice presented†¦show more content†¦Leaving no loopholes behind his reasoning or ambiguity in his purpose, King competently succeeds in proficiently perpetuating his views on injustice and civil disobedience. In addition to appeals, each writers conclusion ca uses different reactions that relate to the effectiveness of their persuasion. While Thoreau develops a pessimistic view of society and its corrupt fabrications, King builds on a more optimistic view of the future and how society should reform to a better state of equality. Thoreau temporarily expresses hopefulness in his description of a utopian society; however, at the end, he concludes with a pessimistic foresight of the future, stating A state which bore this kind of fruitÂ…which also I have imagined, but not yet anywhere seen. His negative attitude towards future hope ironically works against his description of achieving a utopian society, for, without hope, there is neither any reason nor willpower to attempt the seemingly impossible. King evidently proposes his expectant hope for the future in his conclusion: I hope this letter finds you strong in faith. I also hope that circumstances will soon make it possible for me to meet each of youÂ…Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass awayÂ… His hopefulness further convinces the reader of the possibility of equal rights for all; that, it is notShow MoreRelatedCompare And Contrast Martin Luther King And Thoreau Civil Disobedience1497 Words   |  6 PagesWhen It’s OK to Disobey Martin Luther King Jr.’s â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† and Henry David Thoreau’s â€Å"Civil Disobedience† collectively persuade their audiences to disobey authority when it concerns social injustice. King takes a more assertive yet respectful approach, and makes it a point to explicate the intolerable treatment that the black community had to endure under the encroachment of segregation laws. In addition, Thoreau expounds why it is so important for citizens to object and take