Elements of Literature 5th Course Civil Disobedience Elements of Literature 5th Course

Henry David Thoreau

Mohandas K. Gandhi

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Thoreau In July of 1846, Thoreau’s stay at Walden Pond was interrupted by a night in jail. Thoreau refused to pay a tax to the state because he was opposed to the U.S. war with Mexico. Thoreau believed the war was an excuse to expand slave holding territory. This was a matter of principle.

Thoreau The police in Concord offered to pay the tax, but he refused their gesture. Someone did pay the tax for Thoreau and he was released. Thoreau wrote “Resistance to Civil Government” or “Civil Disobedience” in response to this incident.

“Parting is such sweet sorrow.” Paradox Thoreau used the literary technique of paradox in his writings. A paradox is a statement that appears to be self-contradictory but actually reveals a kind of truth. “Parting is such sweet sorrow.”

Mahatma Gandhi Gandhi was a leader of India’s fight for independence from British rule, and he is considered the father of his country. Gandhi was often arrested and imprisoned for his actions, he urged his followers to hold to their principles of nonviolent resistance even in the face of violent tactics by those in power. Today Gandhi represents the embodiment of the principle of civil disobedience, or noncooperation with unjust laws.

Martin Luther King, Jr. King was the brilliant and eloquent leader of the U.S. civil rights movement in the 1960s. King was inspired by the ideas of both Thoreau and Gandhi. King’s courageous commitment to nonviolence and passive resistance captured the attention and respect of the nation.

In 1963, King led a peaceful march in Birmingham, Alabama to protest racial segregation. King and his supporters were arrested for marching without a permit. While in jail, King wrote a letter that explained his philosophy of nonviolent resistance.

Persuasive Techniques Speakers and writers who want to move an audience to think, feel, or act in a certain way make use of several persuasive techniques: Logical appeals Ethical appeals Emotional appeals

Logical Appeals *Logical appeals consist of facts, examples, and well-reasoned arguments. Because 85 percent of the taxpayers are senior citizens and do not have school-age children, they should not be expected to pay for academic expenses. The school budget should be cut.

Ethical Appeals *Ethical appeals are arguments based on widely accepted values or moral standards. America has a long-standing tradition in which every taxpayer is obliged to support the education of our young people. If it were not for the help of all taxpayers, our young people would not get the future they deserve.

Emotional Appeals *Emotional Appeals consist of language and anecdotes that arouse strong feelings. Senior taxpayers are sick and tired of seeing their taxes used to support expensive nonacademic programs like wrestling.