Social Stratification in MLK’s “Letters from Birmingham...

Martin Luther King Jr. was an eloquent speaker and a powerful figure during the Civil Rights Movement. In â€Å"Letters from Birmingham Jail†, his use of the classical rhetoric engaged his audience and presented his thoughts/ideas clearly. Moreover, this particular text was initiated due to the non-violent demonstrations in Birmingham, AL, that lead to the arrest of many African-Americans. Although this was not a spoken document, the letter was targeted for several audiences; first, the clergymen who wrote â€Å"A Call for Unity†, secondly, the average white American, who was on neither extreme, but merely kept life the way that it was, and finally, to black men and women across the nation to stand up for their rights as well. Dr. Martin Luther†¦show more content†¦The posture that is depicted here informs the viewers that there was no intent to instigate physical abuse/violence at any of the peaceful demonstrations that were organized in Birmingham. Although already established as a pacifist, Dr. King is also aggressive in stating that â€Å"Non-violent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue† (42). Through the founding of this hard-felt tension, Martin Luther is able to coerce â€Å"white moderate† (47) and the clergy that now is the time for negotiations. The long drawn out excuses and complacency for the standing social classification have come to pass and now was the time to rise to the occasion. Moreover, Dr. King was able to draw from historical references in order to formulate an educated argument against the violent, racist practices elicited in those times. Arranged in the letter, are the four steps taken for successful non-violent action; â€Å"†¦collection of the facts to determine where injustices exist; negotiation; self purification; and direct action† (41). At this juncture, th e reader can logically follow the speaker and come to the same conclusion; that nowhere in the preparation or the delivery, is there meant to be any form of physical damage to persons or property. Moreover, Dr. King blatantly argues that their â€Å"†¦actions, even thoughShow MoreRelatedRedefining Structure: Social Stratification in MLK’s â€Å"Letters from Birmingham Jail† 1723 Words   |  7 Pagesan eloquent speaker and a powerful figure during the Civil Rights Movement. In â€Å"Letters from Birmingham Jail,† he uses the classical rhetoric to engage his audience and present his ideas clearly. This particular text was initiated due to the non-violent demonstrations in Birmingham, Alabama, which led to the arrest of many African-Americans, including King himself. Although this was not a spoken document, the letter was directed to several targeted audiences: first, the clergymen who wrote â€Å"A Call

The Great Depression Of 1929 Essay - 2073 Words

It is almost nine decades since the outbreak of great depression of 1929 and it still haunts the economy of America today. The Great Depression was a time of financial hardships and misery for the Americans. America experienced a time of wreckage and terror. The Great Depression was not a sudden collapse. Many events led up to the most traumatic economic period of modern times. World War I, the â€Å"Roaring Twenties† and unequal distribution of wealth among the people were all origins of the Great Depression but a specific cause to this disaster stills remains a mystery today. After World War I ended Americans wanted a change in their country. Women wanted more rights and were given the right to vote by 1920. Women became more independent and worked to help their family and ease the burden of the men at house. Americans wanted to improve their country. Americans spent their money on improving their roads, bridges and real estate. New technologies like refrigerators, televisi ons, radios and cars were mass-produced to make life easier. With the development of new technologies accessibility were endless. Radios covered news; music and other forms of entertainment, middle class were able to afford cars due to Henry Ford’s method of assembly line. Technology improved productivity in the manufacturing area to an extent that raised living standards for many. Not every Americans were able to afford the latest appliances, in order to make this technological revolution more convenientShow MoreRelatedThe Great Depression Of 19291473 Words   |  6 PagesThe first economic collapse of its magnitude, the Great Depression of 1929, produced devastating effects with lasting longevity. Though born in America, it maintained its origin and spread rapidly throughout the industrial world. The election of President Franklin D. Roosevelt brought upon changes that improved America’s overall economic situation. A new leader’s viewpoint along with The New Deal and its reform programs, and a second World War improved the conditions brought about by the economicRead MoreThe Great Depression Of 19291049 Words   |  5 Pages The Great Depression of 1929 was a deadly blow to the economy. This occurs when the United State won the World War I. After the war people who worked in the factories making weapons lost their job. People who came back from the war did not when back to work they were proud of themselves having fun time buying stocks. Then the disaster happened, on October 29 the Black Tuesday the stock market crashes, the stock drop the banker who bought the stock invest more money into the stock hope the stockRead MoreGreat Depression of 19293549 Words   |  15 PagesThe Great Depression was a worldwide economic downturn which started in October of 1929 and lasted through most of the 1930s. It began in the United States and quickly spread to Europe and every part of the world, with devastating effects in both industrialized co untries and producers of raw materials. International trade declined sharply, as did personal incomes, tax revenues, prices and profits. Cities all around the world were hit hard, especially those based on heavy industry. Unemployment andRead MoreThe Great Depression Of 1929 Essay2122 Words   |  9 PagesThe Great Depression of 1929 is a worldwide depression that lasts until the beginning of World War II in 1939. The Word of Revelation describes this event, as the merchants who are the world’s important people, and they will not hear again. By each magic spell, all the nations find themselves astray† (Revelation 18:23). Here, God instructions the heavens to rejoice over the fall of the United States’ internal and external systems. There is joy in this because this system is an evil system of intoleranceRead MoreThe Great Depression Of 19291125 Words   |  5 PagesThe Great Depression The Great Depression began in 1929 and lasted until 1939. The Great Depression was one of the worst periods in the history of the United Sates. Along with the U.S, many other nations around the globe were also affected. The Depression kicked off when the stock market crashed in October 1929. Many investors were wiped out; as a result, people started to panic. The Great Depression brought about unemployment and poverty. The nation was shaken to its foundation. Everyone from richRead MoreThe Great Depression Of 1929-19392217 Words   |  9 PagesAlthough the Great Depression of 1929-1939 was a detrimental and hard time for America due to increases in crime rates, unemployment rates, and shortages of food, the economic collapse was also a time for President Franklin Roosevelt to reassess the economic situation in America. Roosevelt put in place laws, agencies, and legislature that better shaped the structure of the country, and ultimately created a more powerful and stronger country, both economically and socially. The new legislature thatRead MoreThe Crash Of 1929 : The Great Depression969 Words   |  4 PagesThe Crash of 1929 The 1920’s in America were known as the â€Å"Roaring Twenties.† Americans could all live a life of luxury. Technological advances and new inventions were improving the quality of life in every home. Working class Americans were able to enjoy automobiles, telephones, and new appliances. Banks began to finance these new lavish commodities to citizens using installment plans. No one was deprived the right of living the American dream. However, excessive borrowing, stock speculationRead MoreThe Great Depression ( 1929-1939 )1813 Words   |  8 PagesThe Great Depression (1929-1939) is the worst economic downturn that the modern world has ever seen before. Beginning with the Wall Street stock market crash of 1929, the situation grew worse in the United States, in part, due to the tremendous wealth disparity between the higher class and the lower class. Wages did not grow nearly as quickly as production did during this era, so many people were unable to purchase certain goods. As a result, there was an excess in supply, which prompted layoffsRead MoreThe Great Depression Of 1929 And World War II988 Words   |  4 Pages55 million, but their population is declining. According to extension.missouri.edu, they are retirees in majority and formed the largest voting population. Seniors or veterans also called Silent Generation inherited the consequences of the Great Depression of 1929 and World War II. They feel gratified by the effort or work, they are struggling to work and usually stay for long in the same company. They are obedient and respectful to authority, they are cautious and have a sense of duty but modern technologiesRead MoreThe Great Depression of 1929 vs. the Great Recession of 20082799 Words   |  12 PagesThe Great Depression of 1929 Vs. The Great Recession of 2008 In America there have been great economic struggles and triumphs. The many great leaders of this country have foraged, failed, and overcome some very difficult times. Comparing the Great Depression of 1929 and the Great Recession of 2008 has revealed similarities that by learning from our mistakes in 1929 could have prevented the latest recession. I will discuss the causes of the Great Depression and the Great Recession, and what policies

Dramatic Devices Essay Example For Students

Dramatic Devices Essay An Inspector Calls is one of the most famous and well respected plays ever written. It was written by JB Priestley in 1945, although it was actually set in 1912.  The play is about a pretentious, upper class family called the Birlings, who are presented at first to have a lack of respect for other peoples feelings and anybody not as wealthy as themselves. This lack of respect is depicted to us so dramatically that it shows an inequality in there society. However, one evening when the Birlings are happily celebrating the engagement of their daughter, Shelia Birling, to her fiancà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Gerald they are interrupted by a knock on the door. It is an Inspector. The plot then unfolds, when the Birlings are told that a girl has died in the infirmary due to drinking a bottle of disinfectant. Nevertheless it leads to a long and heated interrogation with each person until it becomes clear that the all so innocent Birlings do have to take some blame for this poor defenceless girls death, as she was practically driven to suicide by the ignorance and selfishness of the Birlings. After all of the Birling family and Gerald are proven guilty of something, that could have pushed the girl/Eva Smith over the edge, they find out that the inspector is a fake and is not really any kind of policeman. The Birlings also call the infirmary to check the details of the girls death, but they are astonished to find out that there has not been a suicide in months, let alone that day. So they know that the Inspector must be some kind of power freak or somebody who thinks of himself as a kind of Good Samaritan. Priestly sets his play in 1912 opposed to 1946 for two very good reasons.  One reason was that he wanted to get social morals across, to do with the hierarchy in the class system, in order to show the disparity between the rich and poor. This could only be shown before the social welfare system was put in place, or it wouldnt have the same effect because the difference between the rich and poor wasnt so drastic after the system was introduced. In 1912 the only type of aid for the lower class was charitable organisation and even that was a lost cause, as proved in Inspector calls. This is when Eva Smith went to a charitable organisation for money so she could look after her baby properly. However Mrs Birling (who works at the organisation) takes this case personally, because Eva came to them under a fake name of Mrs Birling. This offends Mrs Birling and she ends up becoming abrupt and biased against Eva Smith. Buy showing the power that Mrs Birling has, a huge social disparity is shown between them. This really shows how much power people like Mr and Mrs Brisling had in the early 1900 hundreds and how little people in the working class like Eva Smith had. The power diversity shown here is a typical display of injustice. Another reason why Priestley set the play in 1912 was because he wanted to show how rich and snobby the Birlings really were. Because the play was released in 1946(the year the war ended) people had not had many luxuries and nice food for quite some time. However in 1912 no time of struggle was upon the nation therefore food and luxuries were as available as ever. So when the first scene depicts a family stuffing themselves with food and whiskey like pigs, people got an immediate impression that these were extremely wealthy upper class people who were being greedy and selfish with the food. .uda9d63233fbeb29b43c6682e4f55468c , .uda9d63233fbeb29b43c6682e4f55468c .postImageUrl , .uda9d63233fbeb29b43c6682e4f55468c .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uda9d63233fbeb29b43c6682e4f55468c , .uda9d63233fbeb29b43c6682e4f55468c:hover , .uda9d63233fbeb29b43c6682e4f55468c:visited , .uda9d63233fbeb29b43c6682e4f55468c:active { border:0!important; } .uda9d63233fbeb29b43c6682e4f55468c .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uda9d63233fbeb29b43c6682e4f55468c { 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; } .uda9d63233fbeb29b43c6682e4f55468c:active , .uda9d63233fbeb29b43c6682e4f55468c:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uda9d63233fbeb29b43c6682e4f55468c .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uda9d63233fbeb29b43c6682e4f55468c .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uda9d63233fbeb29b43c6682e4f55468c .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uda9d63233fbeb29b43c6682e4f55468c .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; } .uda9d63233fbeb29b43c6682e4f55468c:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uda9d63233fbeb29b43c6682e4f55468c .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uda9d63233fbeb29b43c6682e4f55468c .uda9d63233fbeb29b43c6682e4f55468c-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uda9d63233fbeb29b43c6682e4f55468c:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: What does Priestley show the audience about responsibility EssayOne technique which Priestley uses as a dramatic device to display injustice is the use of stage directions, lighting, scenery, character positioning and gestures. He uses them very effectively when he needs to emphasise something dramatic by creating a huge build up to it. Priestley also uses very sudden changes in lighting or movement when he needs to emphasise that there is an atmosphere or tension in the room. The first example of this is when we first meet the inspector. The lighting in the room before the inspector comes is a light pink colour to show how happy everyone is, but when the inspector walks in to the room the lights change to dazzling white light. Priestley does this to emphasise the power of the Inspector so that we almost see him as a god like figure when he first walks into the room. This dramatic device works so well because it makes us as viewers concentrate intently on the Inspector, which allows Priestley to build a complicated and interesting plot through the Inspector.  Priestley uses the stage set in the opening scene to build up an atmosphere and to show how it was in 1912. E.g; good solid furniture of the period and all characters elegantly dressed.

The History In To Kill A Mockingbird Essays - To Kill A Mockingbird

The History In To Kill A Mockingbird The History in, To Kill a Mockingbird. The book, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, has many different relations to American history. The book shows good examples of racism, working life, church, and many other things. The book takes place sometime in the 1930's. It's about two children named Jem and Scout. They are very imaginative kids always making up new games and other things to pass the time. In the beginning of the book they are obsessed with one of their neighbors, Boo Radley. They think that Boo is a crazy man that killed his parents. Jem, Scout, and their cousin, Dill, decide to go up and see if they can see what is going on inside the Radley house. Once they get up to the house they hear a noise and run off, but Jem loses his pants of a fence wire. The entire first part of the book is all about the kids trying to find out all about the Radley's. The second part of the book is about Atticus (Scout and Jem's father) defending a black man named Tom Robinson in court. Tom was accused of beating and raping a nineteen year old girl named Mayella. This is the section of the book with the most examples of American history. Everybody in the town of Maycomb looks down on Atticus because he is defending a black man in court. All evidence in the case shows Tom Robinson innocent, but he is still charged guilty because of the all white jury. The actual rapist was Mayella's father. In the end of the book, Tom is shot so that he wouldn't be found innocent. The part of the book that involves the most American history is the court case where Tom Robinson is found guilty just because he is black. There have been many similar cases to the Tom Robinson trial during this time in history. Most black men would have a very slim chance of being found innocent just because of their race, and the white majority. Another good example of American history in To Kill a Mockingbird, is the way the churches were run. The white people would go to their church every Sunday and worship much like the people do today. The real American history is in the black church. In the black church, very few of the people had the ability to read, so they didn't have any hymn books. One person would start singing a hymn and the entire church would stand up and join in, singing and clapping. The people in the black church during that time were always looking out for each other. In the book, when Tom Robinson was in jail, the black church began collecting money to help support his family while he was away. If they didn't collect enough money the first time the tray was passed around, it would keep going around till the goal was met. These are some of the big relations between Harper Lee's, To Kill a Mockingbird, and real American history. It was a good book, and very accurately written to actual American history. American History