Henry David Thoreau Great Influence to Dr. Martin Luther...

I strongly believe that just as Henry David Thoreau was greatly influenced by the writer Ralph Waldo Emerson, (who introduced Thoreau to the ideas of transcendentalism) Martin Luther King, Jr.s thinking was greatly influenced by that of Thoreaus. He was most probably influenced more by Indias Mahatma Gandhi; however, Gandhis principles were mainly based on those of Thoreau. Though Thoreau lived more than 100 years before the time of King, his thinking remained an influential legacy. They each wrote based on contemporary events that had been going on in their particular time, pursuing the same type of objective: equality and justice among mankind. Another similarity between these two influential writers is the fact that they had been†¦show more content†¦This nonviolent campaign was somewhat of a rebellion against the injustice he and his fellow black citizens had been enduring for a very long period of time. It involved going against and disobeying unjust laws. As a resul t, King was incarcerated. King went into detailed metaphoric descriptions of injustice just as Thoreau did in Civil Disobedience. Thoreau talks about the politics, power and civil disobedience in his works. He gave a lot of emphasis to the concept of the individual. He presented his idea for a utopian world in which government gave people a choice to live independently of the government itself. I think that Thoreaus intention was to point out that those people who dare to go against what seems to be unjust (whether it meant going against the majority) and stand firm for what they believe in, are the people who transform society as a whole. He believed that when many thought alike, the power was stronger within that minority. Kings ideals were similar to those of Thoreau, though he was more cautious. Thoreau was blunt and was not concerned about how others perceived his works. He was clear and to the point. In the beginning of his essay, Thoreau argued as Machiaveli suggested, that a government does not prove itself worthwhile and that it is often based on theShow MoreRelated Henry Thoreau’s Influence on Martin Luther King Jr. Essay898 Words   |  4 PagesHenry Thoreau’s Influence on Martin Luther King Jr. Henry David Thoreau was a great American writer, philosopher, and naturalist of the 1800’s who’s writings have influenced many famous leaders in the 20th century, as well as in his own lifetime. Henry David Thoreau was born in Concord, Massachusetts in 1817, where he was later educated at Harvard University. Thoreau was a transcendentalist writer, which means that he believed that intuition and the individual conscience â€Å"transcend† experienceRead MoreMartin Luther King Jr And Henry David Thoreau1393 Words   |  6 Pages Martin Luther King Jr and Henry David Thoreau were both two important men in our society that ultimately changed things for the better or at least had some part in our stride for equality in the United States. Whether it be in the Transcendentalist Era of the early 19th century in which Thoreau composed one of the most prominent documents of his time â€Å"Civil Disobedience†, or during the 1960’s fight for racial equality in which Dr. King wrote his powerful â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail†, both seekedRead MoreLiterature: A Reflection of Society1764 Words   |  8 Pagesliterature promotes social change, many pieces of literature have had a profound impact on their respective societies, including Antigone by Sophocles, â€Å"Civil Disobedience† by Henry David Thoreau, and Silent Spring by Rachel Carson. Greek theatre was an extremely important part of life in ancient Athens and held much influence over the people because it was a part of the new political system of democracy. The mythical tragic heroes from the plays written in 5th century B.C. served as an example ofRead MoreThe Letter From Birmingham Jail Essay1773 Words   |  8 Pages On April 12, 1963 Martin Luther King, Jr. composed one of his most famous letters in a Birmingham jail addressing eight prominent Alabama clergymen. This letter known as The Letter from Birmingham Jail has become one of the most important works in the fields of theology and ethics since its composition. In the following essay, I will attempt to provide a brief illustration of the intellectual landscape that King developed over his short life as well as touch major influential experiences that contributedRead MoreEssay His 135 Week 9 Final Project3576 Words   |  15 PagesHistory 135 Week 9 Final Project: â€Å"The Most Significant Events†: When most people are taught about U.S. history, we think of mostly the bad times like the wars, the civil rights movements, President Kennedy’s and M. L. King Jr’s associations, just to name a few. In this paper I will discuss those and more going into the start of the 21st century. The previous five decades consisting of the 1950s into the millennium happened during the U.S. History equally turbulent, but exciting. There