Prejudice and Racism in Heart of Darkness, A Grain of Wheat, and A smal

The Literary Response to Racism in Heart of Darkness, A Grain of Wheat, and A small place   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Racism and prejudice can be regarded as both societal and individual phenomena, developed and manifested at all levels of society; from government policy through organizational structures, inter-group and interpersonal interactions to intra-personal attitudes and feelings. Media and literature react to these perceptions and have taken part in shaping the attitudes and feelings of society. The novels "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad, "A Grain of Wheat" by Ngugi wa Thiong'o, and Jamaica Kincaid's essay "A small place" represent a literary response to the insidious tool of racism in colonial and postcolonial history.    Racism has typically been reflected by structural inequalities rooted in history and been perpetuated over time. The belief that one group was inferior to another was essential in order to justify the process of dispossessing indigenous groups of their land during colonization. The colonial powers instituted and maintained differentials between different ethnic and cultural groups by parceling out admission to education or employment, and by restricting access to law and medical care. These inequalities consequently served to emphasize difference rather than similarity among the colonized and the colonizer, thus reinforcing stereotypes of superiority or inferiority. The policies and practices were aimed to reflect a belief that the dominant culture is the "normal" one, which served as a standard by which all else could be judged.    Ngugi wa Thiong'o is an African post-colonialist writer who portrays his experience of colonial racism from a native's view. In his novel A Grain of Wheat, he picture... ...o. 7 The Post Colonial Studies Reader: Editors Bill Ashcroft; Gareth Griffiths, Helen Tiffin. Publisher: Routledge New York, 1999 DiBeta, Karen: A Grain of Wheat: Dispelling the Great Myth http://www.tcnj.edu~lmccaule/emposit.htm   Accessed June 29, 2001 Human Rights Watch: Leave No One to Tell the Story. Genocide in Ruanda.Doc.# 171-1 http://www.hrw.org/reports/1999/rwanda/Geno1   Ã‚  Accessed June 19, 2001 Eurofic: European Forum for International Cooperation. Platform of the European Commission on Development and Cooperation, 115 Rue Stepin, Brussels, Belgium http://www.oneworld.org/eurostep   Accessed June 21, 2001 Omoregie, F.K: Rodney, Cabral and Ngugi as Guides to African Postcolonial Literature English Department, University of Botswana http://landow.stg.brown.edu/post/africa/omoregie11.html#mungoshi1   Accessed June 28, 2001   

Reflection on Concussions

I learned many things from the completion of my senior exit project. My research has taught me the most because it furthered my thesis statement. The research proved that if the padding was reorganized and strategically placed into the helmet, that more protection would be offered to players and the severity of the injuries would be significantly less. When I discuss this topic with my teammates, they strongly agree with my new placement of the padding because they themselves have suffered concussions and other serious injuries due to the poor choice of padding placement in helmets.I have also suffered many injuries myself due to the lack of properly placed padding, but I have never had a concussion. I learned many things about myself throughout this project. I learned that I can manage my time a lot better than I thought and stick to scheduling in order to complete this project without getting distracted. I demonstrated that I am able to do extensive research on a topic that I am in terested in as well as being involved with by being an athlete, without getting bored.Lastly, I learned I can push myself to strive to be my best. In the past I have struggled with staying on task and battled Attention Deficit Disorder which I thought would have hindered my progress, but to my surprise, I was able to finish this project with confidence. I feel that I possess the qualities needed to succeed later in life because my confidence has risen. The research developed, gathered, analyzed, and studied from this project has helped me to gain a new perspective of myself when it comes to studying and working hard.

The Rape of the Lock as a Mock-Heroic Poem - 943 Words

According to Childs and Fowler, (2006:144) in heroic epic, things that are not ordinary and things that are trivial can exist together and be a part of each other. But in mock-epic the author puts less emphasis on concern in broad discourse, the slowly developing balance of epic narration bonds with the awareness of individual satire. As far as mock-epic is concerned, within the plot the representatives of the ritualistic become given to bouts of ill temper, poise and self-respect transforms into vanity and the state of being esteemed is disguised yet visible and known. Mock-epic makes a parody of whole social classes hence their negative experience of certain lack of maturity, which derives from the feeling of false self-fulfilment which†¦show more content†¦In conclusion, The Rape of the Lock visibly unites both mock-heroic poem and comedy. Despite the comedy is not a parody of tragedy it fulfils the purpose similar to the comic discourse. The gap it creates between the fo rm and the main matter is an artistic way of indicating the significant difference between the looks and the reality. It is the main accusation to the social group depicted in the poem. And so, â€Å"if we take Pope’s intention to be the exposure of this contrast, we can see that the parodic discrepancy between apparent subject and form actually brings about the harmonisation of the real subject with its form, in similar manner to the comedy of the time† (Broich 1990: 115). It means a huge progress, as states Broich (1990: 113) â€Å"from the parodic to the truly independent comic epic†, in which comedy is present in the way the author presents the plot as well as in the plot itself. References: Childs, Peter and Fowler, Roger. 2006. The Routledge Dictionary of Literary Terms, p. 144 (entry: mock-epic). New York: Routledge. Broich, Ulrich. 1990. The Eighteenth-Century Mock-Heroic Poem,Show MoreRelatedDiscuss Alexander Popes The Rape Of The Lock as a Mock Heroic Poem.2174 Words   |  9 Pagesof mock heroic poetry in the English language was composed after John Caryll, a friend of Popes, informed the poet of an incident regarding two land owning, Catholic families, the Petres the Fermors. The young lord Petre had cut off a lock of hair from the fashionable society lady Arabella Fermor, and both she and her family had taken offence. Caryll suggested that Pope should write a poem to to make a jest of it, and laugh them together again. The result was the publication of The Rape of theRead MorePope, Swift, and Aristocratic Women Essay1652 Words   |  7 PagesAlexander Pope’s The Rape of the Lock and Jonathan Swift’s â€Å"The Lady’s Dressing Room†. In Pope’s mock-heroic verse The Rape of the Lock (1717) what is criticised is a moral fault: mainly, immoderate female moral pride. There are several versions of the poem. However, we have preferred the last one which consists of 794 lines in five cantos, as it was revised to be included in Pope’s Works (1717) and is the one which stands now. Written in heroic couplets, this work tells the rape of Belinda’s (theRead MoreRape of the Lock by Alexander Pope Essay596 Words   |  3 PagesRape of the Lock by Alexander Pope Alexander Popes The Rape of the Lock is not studied and admired only because of its style and form, but also for its base content and underlying themes. Popes ability to manipulate text into mock-heroic form, constructing a flow of satirical description is what makes this poem one of such quality. The piece was first published in 1712 by the request of Popes friend, John Caryll. It was to make peace between the Fermors and Petres, two prominent RomanRead MoreTrivial Matters Make A Good Satire1292 Words   |  6 PagesTrivial matters make a good satire. A satire, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is a poem ridiculing prevalent vices or follies by means of elevated language and other poetic devices. Alexander Pope’s The Rape of the Lock poem is a mock-epic, a subgenre of the satire. Pope’s poem follows a pattern that resembles epic poetry – It is relatively long, divided in cantos, developed in heroic couplets in Iambic Pentameter. Also, the action of the story takes place in a single day, in a singleRead MoreAlexander Pope s The Rape Of The Lock1340 Words   |  6 PagesIn the world of literature and poetry, it’s typically not hard to find something written about a hero, or something heroic, like an epic. Epics are long poems, typically told orally in ancient times, about the adventures of a hero or heroine and their deeds. The Iliad should immediately come to the mind of any student proficient in western literature. Nonetheless, the themes and archetypes of these works known as epics are so well-known, that they are even parodied, take completely out of contextRead MoreRape Of The Lock And Paradise Lost1308 Words   |  6 PagesRape of the lock vs Paradise lost The Rape of the Lock employs many of the traditional epic conventions used in Paradise Lost, but instead of recounting a story of a hero whose actions are of great importance or of national significance, The Rape of the Lock tells one of a timid character that makes an adventure out of the attainment of a fair damsel’s lock of hair. It uses the conventions of an epic poem on a miniature scale and the meaning of the subject is very much trivial. Since epics areRead MoreAnalysis Of John Milton s Paradise Lost 1253 Words   |  6 Pagesepic not to tell an important tale, but to question much of the life of aristocracy in his time. In his mock epic, Rape of the Lock, Pope alludes to Paradise Lost in order to point out the trivialities of the aristocracy in his life. Pope employs many of the same elements of epic poetry that Milton does in Paradise Lost. One such element is the calling of a Muse; Pope first states in his mock epic: â€Å"What dire offense from amorous causes springs. What mighty contests rise from trivial things, IRead MoreJohn Milton s Paradise Lost And Alexander Pope s The Rape Of The Lock1220 Words   |  5 PagesEpic conventions are things that most epic poems have in common. They are not always identical, but they have common characteristics. Examples of epic conventions are a hero or individual that is beneficial in some way to a community, a journey in which the narrative takes the reader to different regions, and supernatural forces. The most common epic conventions are a long narrative poem about the great deeds of a human hero, recounting past events, elevated language, invoking a muse, the hero’sRead More Comparison of Popes The rape of the Lock and Swifts A Modest Proposal765 Words   |  4 Pages Although Alexander Popes, The Rape of the Lock, and Jonathan Swifts A Modest Proposal are both witty satires, they differ on their style, intention, and mood. To begin, in The Rape of the Lock, Alexander Pope uses satire to invoke a capricious, melancholy mood to illustrate the absurdity of fighting over the cutting of ones hair. Hidden inside this poem is a crafty criticism of the society that helps create the crisis over the stolen lock. A Society in which appearances ere more importantRead MoreCritical Analysis of the Rape of the Lock by Pope1633 Words   |  7 PagesThe destruction of the grand style of the epic is just what Pope was after in his mock epic, The Rape of the Lock. Pope had no such universal goal, or moral pronouncements to make as did Milton. His purpose was merely to expose the life of the nobility of his time. While Milton chose blank verse to express the immensity of the landscape of his epic, Pope chose to utilize the heroic couplet to trivialize this grandeur. Popes quick wit bounces the reader along his detailed description of his parlor-room

Exploring Fear in Howl, Basketball Diaries, and Cats Cradle

yacketayakking screaming vomiting whispering facts and memories and anecdotes and eyeball kicks and shocks of hospitals and jails and wars (Ginsberg 11). Like many authors of the modern literature movement, Allen Ginsberg explores the bombs psychological affects on many Americans during the 1960s. Modern literature describes the chaos of the 1960s, caused by increasing societal problems and fear of the new atomic bomb. Writings such as The Basketball Diaries, Howl and Cats Cradle express concepts of fear, power, governmental control, and death. Government uses societys fear of death and the end of the world to keep control and power over the people. The atomic bomb generates such universal fear and the corrupted government fails†¦show more content†¦Dr. Hoenikker is oblivious to the consequences of his actions and inventions. He thinks of life as a game: Why should I bother with made-up games when there are so many real ones going on? (Vonnegut 17). He doesnt understand the seriousness of the products of his power. Felix illustrates, on an individual level, the type of corruption in government that Carroll and Ginsberg describe in The Basketball Diaries and Howl. The government not only lacks an understanding of the people, but seems not to care. The governments control of the world, like Dr. Hoenikkers, includes the tremendous power to end existence. The governments power is playing games with society when considering the use of the nuclear bomb. The government causes the people of the world to live in fear, waiting for the bomb to drop. This power that Dr. Hoenikker and the government hold could be used in a much more constructive way, to help society instead of destroying it. An image in Cats Cradle that proves how fear is used to control a population, is that of the hook in San Lorenzo. The hook, and fear of it, parallels the bombs significance according to Carroll and Vonnegut. The hook is supposedly used in San Lorenzo to execute anyone who practices the illegal faith, Bokononism. Though everyone in San Lorenzo practices this faith, and the hook hasnt been used in many years, the fear that is stimulated by the hook

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury Essay - 569 Words

Enjoy: Fahrenheit 451 is a book for a variety of people. The main age of when this book should be read is when a person is above the age of 14 years old. This book is recommended for ages 14 and up because of the content in which the story is told. Also the compression of this book is in depth and important to the making of our future. Ray Bradbury uses strong words that help build up the story. This book is a dystopian book written in the 1950’s and having the book takes place in the 21st century. A recommended for this book is to people who are interested in dystopian novels. Also that the reader can relate the story to real life situation, for some things in the book did come true. Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 is recommended for†¦show more content†¦I like science-fiction and dystopian novels because it allows me understand different views of how the world will be in the future. This dystopian novel allows me to help the future to become a place that is go od and allows me to change the future and protect it into becoming a society in which is dystopian or a utopian novel. I also like the foreshadowing of the book and events that happened in real life. This book was written in the 1950’s and since it was a dystopian novel, it talked about the future. In this book, Bradbury talks about a seashell that people can listen to music with, which lead to the iPod that Steve Jobs created in 2001. Also, in this book an interactive TV was used that was the size of a wall. This interactive TV was foreshadowed and now with the technology advancements, having an interactive TV is now possible. Also in Fahrenheit 451, it said that there was a TV that was a size of a wall in a room. This huge TV that was foreshadowed is now used in sports arenas and other venues. Setting: This story takes place in the future in an unknown city. This book takes place in the future where there are no speed limits. Characters: - Guy Montag Guy Montag is a firefighter and he is the protagonist. He is on a quest to find his purpose in life through books. He is wakes up with a feeling of emptiness in knowledge. He goes out to find out more about books and what they have to offer in life. - MildredShow MoreRelatedFahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury719 Words   |  3 PagesThe flash point of paper, or the temperature at which paper will burst in flames, is 451 degrees Fahrenheit. In Fahrenheit 451, written by Ray Bradbury, the main character, Guy Montag, is a â€Å"fireman† in a futuristic society where he and his coworkers start fires, rather than put them out. Books are banned and burned, along with the owner of the book’s house and sometimes even the owner of the book, upon discovery. Technology has taken over in a sense that social interaction between the average personRead MoreFahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury1952 Words   |  8 Pagesis clearly displayed in the plight of Ray Bradbury’s novel about a dystopian American society, Fahrenheit 451, which contains many ideas and bits of content that some people believed should be censored. In fact, one of the reasons that this novel was censored for displaying the dangers of censorship, which is both extr emely ironic, and telling as to where this society is going. Thanks to several distributors and oversensitive parents and teachers, Fahrenheit 451 has been banned in many schools overRead MoreFahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury954 Words   |  4 Pages In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, the author uses allegory (often misinterpreted by readers) to show the dangers of mass media consumption and the decline of reading traditional media. Many readers draw incorrect conclusions (lessons learned) from the book due to how generally the book applies its theme. Government censorship, though an important topic, is not the intended focus of the novel Fahrenheit 451. Finally, Bradbury’s original message of the book shows the beauty of traditional media andRead MoreFahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury1592 Words   |  7 PagesWhen writing the introduction to Fahrenheit 451, author Neil Gaiman stated that â€Å"ideas--written ideas--are special. They are the way we transmit our stories and our th oughts from one generation to the next. If we lose them, we lose our shared history†. Gaiman is absolutely correct; especially because what he is saying heavily applies to books. Books are a critical aspect in shaping humanity as a whole, they create and share a network of creative ideas, history, and overall entertainment; to loseRead MoreFahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury1661 Words   |  7 Pages1.) In the novel, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, Montag’s view on life reverses. Two characters the influence the main character Guy Montag are the old lady whose house and books were burnt down and Mildred. The old lady was caught preserving books in her home. Firemen including Montag were ordered to burn the books. The old lady refused to leave her books, so she too was burned. She bravely gave an allusion as her last words, â€Å"Play the man,’ she said, ‘Master Ridley.’ Something, somethingRead MoreFahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury818 Words   |  4 PagesFAHRENHEIT 451 BY RAY BRADBURY Important People in Montag’s Life In Partical Fulfillment Of English 2 Ms Irina Abramov By Helen Hernandez November 9, 2012 â€Å"There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them† -Ray Bradbury. In the past there were events that affected book writers. People will get together to burn books because they thought it was inappropriate or they were against their literature. Montag is a fireman in a futuristic society who would startRead MoreFahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury918 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Fahrenheit 451,† written by Ray Bradbury, is a futuristic, dystopian novel based upon a society secluded by technology and ignorance. In this future society, books are outlawed and firemen are presented with the task of burning books that are found in people’s homes. Montag, a fireman, finds himself intrigued with the books, and begins to take them home and read them. As the story progresses, Montag learns the truth behind why books are outlawed and flees his city to join the last remnants of age-oldRead MoreFahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury863 Words   |  4 PagesTh e novel, Fahrenheit 451 was written by Ray Bradbury and it took place in the dystopian future. Throughout each novel, we are able to see a major theme, which is censorship. In this essay, I will explain how this theme are explored in the story by using the literary devices. To begin with, in this novel, censorship is not given a straight description, but we can see how the author shows it through many literary elements, such as using the setting, tone and symbolisms even foreshadowing. This novelRead MoreFahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury943 Words   |  4 PagesIn the novel Fahrenheit 451, written in 1951 by Ray Bradbury. There are many similarities between the novel and contemporary society, including technology, family lifestyle and censorship. In Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury’s main focus was on technology, such as televisions. Televisions were a big deal back in 1950, individuals were thrilled to get their hands on the new device. When it comes to Mildred, Montag s wife in Fahrenheit 451 novel. Mildred was so obsessed with televisions. She had three differentRead MoreFahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury1592 Words   |  7 PagesWhen writing the introduction to Fahrenheit 451, author Neil Gaiman stated that â€Å"ideas--written ideas--are special. They are the way we transmit our stories and our thoughts from one generation to the next. If we lose them, we lose our shared history†. Gaiman is absolutely correct; especially because what he is saying heavily applies to books. Books are a critical aspect in shaping humanity as a whole, they create and share a network of creative ideas, history, and overall entertainment; to lose

“Should Fast Food Chains Be to Blame for Childhood Obesity” Free Essays

â€Å"Should fast food chains be to blame for childhood obesity? † As defined by dictionary. com obesity is the condition of being obese; increased body weight caused by excessive accumulation of fat. Obesity is determined by the level of BMI (body mass index). We will write a custom essay sample on â€Å"Should Fast Food Chains Be to Blame for Childhood Obesity† or any similar topic only for you Order Now According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, BMI is calculated from a child’s weight and height, and is compared to a chart that tells you what is along the normal ranges. As you can see, children do not just wake up one day and find themselves overweight, there has to be some kind of influence that is making them that way, whether it be the foods they eat at home, or what they eat while with friends. This is not a matter that should be taken lightly. Who should be blamed? Some people believe the parents are to blame because they should provide their children with healthier meal choices at all times. Others believe the influence fast food companies have through the media and advertising is too great and children would rather have a happy meal that comes with a toy than have a healthy cooked meal from home. The way of living has changed drastically from the 1970s to the present. Back in the 1970s mothers were more likely to be homemakers and had the time to dedicate to homemade meals three times a day. Nowadays, women are more likely to take part in careers and therefore live more hectic lifestyles. People are busier than ever and most of the time it is much easier to drive by a fast food restaurant and pick up dinner than to slave in the kitchen after a long day at work. â€Å"Fewer family meals are eaten together now (less than 5 a week of 21 meals) than in the years past† (King, 28). The fast food business has boomed in the recent years due to this and they tend to advertise mostly to kids using colorful advertisements with their favorite cartoon characters and reel them in by providing a toy along with a processed hamburger and greasy French fries. Being an obese child can have many effects on their health, both physical and emotional health are impacted greatly by being overweight. Some children are never taught proper ways to cope with their emotions and eating is what they turn to make them feel better when nothing else is going right. Obese children tend to suffer from low self-esteem and may develop eating disorders in their quest to become thin. â€Å"Obese adolescents are more prone to emotional and behavior problems and also more likely to develop psychopathologies during both adolescence and adulthood† (Willette, 565). Overweight children are at risk for more diseases than children within their normal weight. â€Å"Adult diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, are being diagnosed in 8-and 9-year-old children† (King, 28). Some parents rely on television and video games to keep their children entertained after a long day because they do not have time to take the children outside to play. †Health concerns such as undernutrition, lack of physical activity and increased incidence of chronic diseases are more common in low-income and minority youth† (King, 28). Everywhere we turn we are bombarded by advertisements for some type of fast food restaurant. Billboards, television commercials, radio ads, and print are just some of the media used to get the message to people to come out to their restaurants, and use catchy slogans with animated characters. It is no secret these ads are mostly advertising to children and teenagers. In 2002, it was estimated that annual sales of food and beverages to young consumers exceeded $27 billion. Advertisers have recognized that young consumers are a valuable market and have begun to advertise directly to them. Food and beverage advertisers collectively spend$10 billion to $20 billion annually to reach children and youth, and more than $1 billion of that is spent on direct media advertising to children (Willette, 565). Children are more likely to be influenced by these advertisements, especially when it involves something they think is cool. These advertisements are mostly found on channels such as nickelodeon or Disney channel. It is very hard because there is no way to avoid these advertisements unless you move yourself and your children to a cave. Parents have an important effect on their children’s development because they are the ones who raise their children from day one. If a child is raised eating healthy foods they are more likely to keep making those choices as they grow older and pass those habits on to their children. Bad eating habits can be passed on as well. Some parents simply don’t know how to make healthy eating choices themselves, and it affects them and their children around the waistline. Parents should lead by example; they should not only encourage their children to eat healthy, but also do the same themselves. So why are parents blaming fast food chains for their children obesity? Well, because no one wants to hold themselves responsible and it is always much easier to point the finger at someone else. No parent wants to be seen as the reason for making their child overweight and want some type of reassurance that their parenting efforts ave not all been ineffective. Parents also are the ones that pay for the fast food and provide it for their children, so it can’t fully be the fast food companies fault, right? Children are going to be children and they are going to always want what is not good for them, but the parents have some control over what they choose to feed their child, and it should be done even if it re quires them to spend more time in the home. In conclusion, the media is always going to have a big impact on the lives of everyone especially children. Childhood obesity is a health epidemic affecting many children in this country today. Parents are the ones who give guidance and should work hard to teach their children healthy eating habits. Fast food companies use advertising and many other things to attract children; but at the end of the day, companies need to make money. So the blame game parents are using needs to stop. Fast food is not going anywhere and the parents should be the ones being held responsible for their children not fast food companies who have no relation to these children. Works cited â€Å"Kaiser Family Foundation Releases Report on Role of Media In Childhood Obesity. † Pediatric Nursing 30. (2004): 165 Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 18 Apr. 2010. Willette, Amanda L. â€Å"Where Have All the Parents Gone? Do Efforts to Regulate Food Advertising To Curb Childhood Obesity Pass Constitutional Muster?. † Journal of Legal Medicine 28. 4 (2007): 561-577. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 18 Apr. 2010. King, Nancy, and Dayle Hayes. â€Å"Shame, Blame and the ‘War on Childhood Obesity’: Confronting the Real Problems, Identifying the Positive Solutions. † Healthy Weight Journal 17. 2 (2003): 28. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 18 Apr. 2010. How to cite â€Å"Should Fast Food Chains Be to Blame for Childhood Obesity†, Essays

King Vs.thoreau Essay Example For Students

King Vs.thoreau Essay King vs. Thoreau By acting civil but disobedient you are able to protest things you dontthink are fair, non-violently. Henry David Thoreau is one of the most importantliterary figures of the nineteenth century. Thoreaus essay Civil Disobedience,which was written as a speech, has been used by many great thinkers such asMartin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Ghandi as a map to fight against injustice. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a pastor that headed the Civil Rights movement. He was a gifted speaker and a powerful writer whose philosophy was non-violentbut direct action. Dr.Kings strategy was to have sit-ins, boycotts, and marches. Dr. Kings Letter from Birmingham Jail was based on the principles ofThoreaus Civil Disobedience. Both Martin Luther King Jr. and Henry DavidThoreau are exceptional persuasive writers. Even though both writers are writingon ways to be civil but disobedient, they have opposite ways of convicing you. Dr. King is religious, gentle and apologetic, focusing on whats good for the group;while Thoreau is very aggressive and assertive for his own personal hate againstthe government. Both Martin Luther King Jr. and Henry David Thoreau have the sameideas, but view them differently. Dr. King wants to ultimately raise awareness andopen doors for the better of a group. Thoreau wants more individual rights forpeople. Dr. King is explaining his view of conscience:I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him isunjust, and willingly accepts the penalty by staying in jail to arouse theconscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing thevery highest respect for the law (Martin Luther King, p. 521). This quote shows Dr. Kings opinion on going to jail. King knows that he wasunjustly put into jail. He accepts going to jail even though he was put in jailwrongly. The community then knows of the injustice and should pressure thegovernment. The other thing that happens is King is respecting the law by obeyingit. He is a peaceful man and wants justice, but believes in following the rulespeacefully to get the job done. Thoreau feels that conscience plays a morepersonal role. Can there not be a government in which majorities do not virtually decideright and wrong, but conscience? Must the citizen ever for a moment, orin the least degree, resign his conscience to the legislator? Why has everyman a conscience, then. I think that we should be men first, and subjectafterward (Henry David Thoreau, p.581).Thoreau is questioning why majorities make the rules. He is questioningdemocracy. Hes telling us to question anything we do and why we should giveinto the government if we do not agree with a rule. Why should we be individualswith brains and have thoughts of our own if we are not allowed to think forourselves and do what we want? If we believe we are free, why do we have somany rules? Thoreau believes we should be real to ourselves and live forourselves, not the government. King wants to change the laws because they aremorally wrong and Thoreau wants to change the law because he personallydoesnt like it. Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King both agree injustice exists. Thoreau thinks of injustice as friction or tension that can wear the machine down. King thinks that injustice just exists and tension must be created with directaction to negotiate with the machine. Thoreau explians, If the injustice is part of the necessary friction of the machine of government, let it go, let it go: perchance it will wear smooth,-certainly that machine will wear out, but if it is of such a naturethat it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another , then, Isay, break the law. Let your life be a counter friction to stop themachine. (Henry David Thoreau, p.587).Injustice is a cause of friction, which is brought on by the government. The government has created something that is working against itself; if thefriction of the injustice is left alone it will continue to grind down the machine. Once again Thoreau questions if you can wait that long and what are youpersonally going to do about the injustice. Thoreau says use your life to stop themachine. Dr. King ex plains, injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality tied in a single garment ofdestiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly (King p.516). If weallow injustice to affect any one place the government knows they can get awaywith it. If people dont fight injustice the government will continue to allow itbecause they know they can get away with it. We are all tied together in a mutualdestiny; we are all in the same boat, what ever affects you affects me. How canyou sit and watch injustice happen, we are all connected; what injustice happensto me happens to you. Both Thoreau and King are trying to prove the point thatwe are our brothers keeper. We all need to fight injustice to save each other. .ub0c755640528edd5e9fa4301d3100bce , .ub0c755640528edd5e9fa4301d3100bce .postImageUrl , .ub0c755640528edd5e9fa4301d3100bce .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ub0c755640528edd5e9fa4301d3100bce , .ub0c755640528edd5e9fa4301d3100bce:hover , .ub0c755640528edd5e9fa4301d3100bce:visited , .ub0c755640528edd5e9fa4301d3100bce:active { border:0!important; } .ub0c755640528edd5e9fa4301d3100bce .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ub0c755640528edd5e9fa4301d3100bce { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ub0c755640528edd5e9fa4301d3100bce:active , .ub0c755640528edd5e9fa4301d3100bce:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ub0c755640528edd5e9fa4301d3100bce .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ub0c755640528edd5e9fa4301d3100bce .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ub0c755640528edd5e9fa4301d3100bce .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ub0c755640528edd5e9fa4301d3100bce .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ub0c755640528edd5e9fa4301d3100bce:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ub0c755640528edd5e9fa4301d3100bce .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ub0c755640528edd5e9fa4301d3100bce .ub0c755640528edd5e9fa4301d3100bce-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ub0c755640528edd5e9fa4301d3100bce:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Ancient mariner EssayThoreau and King have said what role conscience plays for them and thatinjustice exists but you must use your conscience to decide what to do. Now theydiscuss just and unjust laws. Thoreau explains,unjust laws exist: Shall we be content to obey them, or shall weendeavor to amend them, and obey them until we have succeeded, orshall we transgress them at once. ( Henry David Thoreau, p.586) Thoreau is acknowledging that unjust laws exist. I think he figured likethe sun rises every morning there will be unjust laws. How you deal with them ifyou do not approve of them is the question. Thoreau asks, will you be happy tojust obey the law for as long as it tak es to change the law by the governmentsrules?Do you want immediate acton? If you follow the governments rules it willtake a very long time to appeal the unjust law in court and they still may notchange the law. Can you wait that long?Or, should you take drastic direct actionto be heard at once. Are you willing to be arrested? Can you handle theresponsibility for your actions, or are you scared. Thoreau is impleying that youshould not wine about something inless you are ready and able to take theconciquinces. Dr. King explains how he justifies breaking some laws andfollowing others; the fact is there are simply two types of laws. Dr. King explainsthere are, just and unjust laws, One has not only a legal, but moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. A just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law or the law ofGod. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law. To put it in the terms of Saint Thomas Aguinas, and unjust law is ahuman law that is not rooted in eternal and natural law. Any law thatuplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades humanpersonality is unjust. ( Dr. King p.519-520).King is saying that just laws should be obeyed because they are the law and theyare morally right. Morally right is being or acting in accordance with establishedstandards of good behavior. So, if a law is legal and good you should fallow it. People should not follow unjust laws because they are wrong; you owe it toyourself morally. A just law is one that God would O.K; God is all loving, blindto any indifference and will forgive. The constitution says that all men are createdequeal; so therefore if the law is not the same to everyone, it is not a just law. Ifanyone is dehumanized it is an unjust law. Plain and simple, an unjust lawmakes you feel bad about who or what you are . A just law should make you feelequal and proud to be a human being. While Thoreau focuses on what you mightdo about a law, Dr. King focuses on what makes a law just or unjust. Thoreauknows there are unjust laws; I believe he thinks as long as laws exist there willalways be the possibility of being unjust laws. Thoreau says yes, unjust laws existbut what are you going to do, just sit there or fight. Dr. King is trying to get in tothe heads of his fellow clergyman that unjust laws are morally wrong. But theyboth want to get the point across that you must do something to change unjustlaws because they are wrong and can take your God given freedom away. Even though both writers are writing on ways to be civil but disobedient, they have oppositeways of convincing you. Their concepts are similar but their approaches are totally opposite. Dr. .u02df92ae15e82871c36e08f09143a0bc , .u02df92ae15e82871c36e08f09143a0bc .postImageUrl , .u02df92ae15e82871c36e08f09143a0bc .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u02df92ae15e82871c36e08f09143a0bc , .u02df92ae15e82871c36e08f09143a0bc:hover , .u02df92ae15e82871c36e08f09143a0bc:visited , .u02df92ae15e82871c36e08f09143a0bc:active { border:0!important; } .u02df92ae15e82871c36e08f09143a0bc .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u02df92ae15e82871c36e08f09143a0bc { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u02df92ae15e82871c36e08f09143a0bc:active , .u02df92ae15e82871c36e08f09143a0bc:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u02df92ae15e82871c36e08f09143a0bc .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u02df92ae15e82871c36e08f09143a0bc .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u02df92ae15e82871c36e08f09143a0bc .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u02df92ae15e82871c36e08f09143a0bc .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u02df92ae15e82871c36e08f09143a0bc:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u02df92ae15e82871c36e08f09143a0bc .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u02df92ae15e82871c36e08f09143a0bc .u02df92ae15e82871c36e08f09143a0bc-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u02df92ae15e82871c36e08f09143a0bc:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Forensic psychology EssayKings religious and moderate tone are totally different from Thoreaus intense hatred forauthority, mostly the government. They both want to point a finger at the government. Thoreaubelieves the best government is one which governs the least. Dr. King believes the principles ofgovernment are necessary to keep order, but need to live up to All men are created equal. Theunderlying meaning that I got from reading both essays was that you should follow your heartand your conscience against injustice and unjust laws, no matter what approach you choose totake. Works Cited:Letter from Birmingham Jail Dr. Martin Luther KingCivil Disobedience- by ThoreauPhilosophy