Know Thy Reader Essay -- Analysis, Letter from Birmingham Jail

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail" is a defense of the kind of non-violent direct action that King promoted and used during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and '60s. It is a response to statements of disapproval made by the clergymen of Birmingham, Alabama, and is obviously written in a way that appeals directly to this audience. King uses his knowledge of this audience's identity to design highly targeted arguments and to choose relevant historical examples for citation, and uses his personal experience in writing sermons and speeches to construct moving sermon-like passages that complement and reinforce his arguments. The arguments' basis in terms that the clergymen will find to be familiar and agreeable, in combination with sympathy evoking references to historical events, is particularly effective in causing the clergymen to seriously reconsider their statements. The strategy that stands out the most is King's usage of religious references. He supports his arguments with passages from the Bible and statements or philosophies put forth by prominent theologians, such as St. Thomas Aquinas. The clergy is very familiar with these sources. Their entire belief system is based on them! By using these sources as a basis for his arguments, King makes it very difficult for the clergy to disagree with the reasoning behind his actions. For example, in response to the accusation that he and other protesters are "outside agitators," he references the story of Paul of Tarsus's mission to spread Christianity: "†¦just as the Apostle Paul left his village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to the far corners of the Greco-Roman world, so am I compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own h... ...rtight cage of poverty in the midst of an affluent society†¦. then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait† (166-167). In other words, he uses passages like these to â€Å"drive the point home.† As a whole, â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† is a thorough and well-executed defense of non-violent protest. Even readers who do not need to be persuaded, readers who are already in general agreement with non-violent methods of protest, will still find deep insights into how this form of protest works (such as the concept of â€Å"negative peace† (169)), and why it is necessary. King combines the strategy of appealing to the audience's identity in various ways, powerful passages that reinforce arguments, and some general deductive reasoning and insight to construct an argument that is very clear, rational, and effective in explaining and defending non-violent direct action.

Gender Preference Essay

Nowadays, most people have accepted many new ideas, such as couples living together before marriage, men staying home as home-husbands and divorce. However, in developing countries, a significant proportion of the population are still holding a very serious preference for male offspring and yearning to have a male baby, despite the fact that females can take care of their parents physically and psychologically far better than their male peers. It is worth looking into the reason for and some negative ongoing consequences of this male preference. The explanation can be traced to the traditional male-centered culture. Since the primitive era, women have become the belongings of their husbands, and their major job was producing a male heir for their husband. This is because only males can preserve the family name and the inheritance. In addition, as Tina Rosenberg described in her article â€Å"The Daughter Deficit†, a son is a financial necessary for parents. Only sons take responsibility to look after their aged parents, and daughters have limited contact with their parents soon after they become someone’s wife. If a couple couldn’t produce a son, they would think they are the most miserable couple in the world and would suffer long-term loneliness in their old age. Moreover, some countries hold a very strange superstition, that if a woman gives birth to more than 3 daughters, her husband will die. It is hardly surprising that the strong determination to have baby boys can lead to catastrophic consequences. After a long history of son preference stemming from the old culture, some countries are now facing very serious gender imbalance. This results from the extreme measures which have been used to get rid of an unwanted baby girl, for some people decide to go to any lengths to get the type of baby they want. The first of them is sex-selective abortion. Now, high technology like ultrasound scanning makes it very easy and convenient to achieve that goal. Its popularity and prevalence has caused numerous fetuses to die before they can see their Mom’s face. The second action is infanticide. Some infants have chance enjoy the sunshine and mom’s smile for a little while before their parents arrange their death just because they are not male descendants who can carry their family name and bring honor to their family as their parents think. Although some girls are lucky enough to stay with their dear mommy for several years, at last their mothers have to abandon them due to the family or society pressure. Even worse, some girls are neglected to death. These facts are heartbreaking, these parents are unforgivable and the consequences are very serious. According o the observation of Tina Rosenberg in her article, â€Å"The Daughter Deficit†, in India and China, more than 1.5 million fewer girls were born each year than i t is predicated. Also, according to census data released by the National Bureau of Statistics of China, the gender ratio was 117.7 newborn boys for every 100 girls in 2012 in China. This means that millions women are missing and there would be a dramatic excess of men. However, the impact of male preference goes beyond the immediate consequence of the disordered ratio of males to females, and it brings about more complicated implications in the long term. This unbalanced population can lead to a series of social problems. The serious gender imbalance has produced a large number of extra young men. Obviously, when they reach adulthood, some of them would find it extremely difficult to get married. With the poor prospect of getting a wife, some young men would resort to alcohol and drugs as comfort, while some of the others might take risks or get into fights in order to improve their prospects. Even more, some desperate young men are likely to blame their whole predicament on the society and government. As a result, they would pursue revenge on society, and cause a lot of trouble for innocent people. Eventually, everyone, including people who criticize the unfair treatment towards girls, will suffer from the serious consequences of an unstable society. In conclusion, the essential reason for the bias in favor of male offspring is the traditional man-centered culture, and it causes a series of negative effects. If society doesn’t take it very serious and make some changes, it can be foreseen that our brilliant culture would collapse due to this unfair preference.

The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald - 1438 Words

May Ahmad. Dr. Alexandra Williams. 12 PM. IS GATSBY GREAT? The need to live according to the American dream has been the prime focus of most governments over most of the past decades. Perhaps this has featured in many ways in the country. However, in most aspects, the dream may be noted to be a failure. It is this failure that is associated with the events that point out the fact that Gatsby is not a great person as he is made to look from the introductory sections of the book by Fitzgerald. Just as the better part of the young population have been led to believe that life is a cycle where one goes to school and graduates to get a job and a family is the same way Gatsby idealizes his image through the parties he throws to influence Daisy to fall in love with him. From the presented factors, it is factual to assert that Gatsby’s picture from the onset of the book is an ideal image of what he would want himself to be. Similarly, his conceptualization of Daisy is the ideal picture of what he would want her to be. It ther efore follows that consideration of Gatsby as a great person is the ideal thought of him which in truth is not a reality. Fitzgerald reviews the American dream through different points of view that are significant in making apparent his belief about the aspect of reality that can be perceived from it. On one note, he praises it pointing it out as a way through which great progress can be realized. On the other, he states that the fact that the dream is aShow MoreRelatedThe Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald1393 Words   |  6 PagesF. Scott Fitzgerald was the model of the American image in the nineteen twenties. He had wealth, fame, a beautiful wife, and an adorable daughter; all seemed perfect. Beneath the gilded faà §ade, however, was an author who struggled with domestic and physical difficulties that plagued his personal life and career throughout its short span. This author helped to launch the theme that is so prevalent in his work; the human instinct to yearn for more, int o the forefront of American literature, where itRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1343 Words   |  6 PagesHonors English 10 Shugart 18 Decemeber 2014 The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald s 1925 novel The Great Gatsby is a tragic love story, a mystery, and a social commentary on American life. The Great Gatsby is about the lives of four wealthy characters observed by the narrator, Nick Carroway. Throughout the novel a mysterious man named Jay Gatsby throws immaculate parties every Saturday night in hope to impress his lost lover, Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby lives in a mansion on West Egg across from DaisyRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1155 Words   |  5 PagesThe Great Gatsby The Jazz Age was an era where everything and anything seemed possible. It started with the beginning of a new age with America coming out of World War I as the most powerful nation in the world (Novel reflections on, 2007). As a result, the nation soon faced a culture-shock of material prosperity during the 1920’s. Also known as the â€Å"roaring twenties†, it was a time where life consisted of prodigality and extravagant parties. Writing based on his personal experiences, author F. ScottRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1166 Words   |  5 Pagesin the Haze F. Scott Fitzgerald lived in a time that was characterized by an unbelievable lack of substance. After the tragedy and horrors of WWI, people were focused on anything that they could that would distract from the emptiness that had swallowed them. Tangible greed tied with extreme materialism left many, by the end of this time period, disenchanted. The usage of the literary theories of both Biographical and Historical lenses provide a unique interpretation of the Great Gatsby centered aroundRead MoreThe Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald845 Words   |  3 PagesIn F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, colors represent a variety of symbols that relate back to the American Dream. The dream of being pure, innocent and perfect is frequently associated with the reality of corruption, violence, and affairs. Gatsby’s desire for achieving the American Dream is sought for through corruption (Schneider). The American Dream in the 1920s was perceived as a desire of w ealth and social standings. Social class is represented through the East Egg, the WestRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald Essay970 Words   |  4 Pagesrespecting and valuing Fitzgerald work in the twenty-first century? Fitzgerald had a hard time to profiting from his writing, but he was not successful after his first novel. There are three major point of this essay are: the background history of Fitzgerald life, the comparisons between Fitzgerald and the Gatsby from his number one book in America The Great Gatsby, and the Fitzgerald got influences of behind the writing and being a writer. From childhood to adulthood, Fitzgerald faced many good andRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald2099 Words   |  9 Pagesauthor to mirror his life in his book. In his previous novels F. Scott Fitzgerald drew from his life experiences. He said that his next novel, The Great Gatsby, would be different. He said, â€Å"In my new novel I’m thrown directly on purely creative work† (F. Scott Fitzgerald). He did not realize or did not want it to appear that he was taking his own story and intertwining it within his new novel. In The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, he imitates his lifestyle through the Buchanan family to demonstrateRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1607 Words   |  7 Pages The Great Gatsby is an American novel written in 1925 by F. Scott Fitzgerald. One of the themes of the book is the American Dream. The American Dream is an idea in which Americans believe through hard work they can achieve success and prosperity in the free world. In F. Scott Fitzgerald s novel, The Great Gatsby, the American Dream leads to popularity, extreme jealousy and false happiness. Jay Gatsby’s recent fortune and wealthiness helped him earn a high social position and become one of the mostRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1592 Words   |  7 PagesMcGowan English 11A, Period 4 9 January 2014 The Great Gatsby Individuals who approach life with an optimistic mindset generally have their goals established as their main priority. Driven by ambition, they are determined to fulfill their desires; without reluctance. These strong-minded individuals refuse to be influenced by negative reinforcements, and rely on hope in order to achieve their dreams. As a man of persistence, the wealthy Jay Gatsby continuously strives to reclaim the love of hisRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1646 Words   |  7 PagesThe 1920s witnessed the death of the American Dream, a message immortalized in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Initially, the American Dream represented the outcome of American ideals, that everyone has the freedom and opportunity to achieve their dreams provided they perform honest hard work. During the 1920s, the United States experienced massive economic prosperity making the American Dream seem alive and strong. However, in Fitzgerald’s eyes, the new Am erican culture build around that