... inherent sense of morality. Henry David Thoreau, the intellectual heir to Emerson's transcendental throne, carries on in this vein in his essay, "Civil Disobedience." Thoreau uses the Transcendentalist philosophy to attack the state from an anti-slavery platform. Thoreau believes, ""That government is best which governs not at all"; and when men are prepared for it, that will ... realize or even address the unattainability of the transcendentalist goals for the majority of the American public. The severe personal, societal, and humanitarian consequences that occur when their philosophy i...

• Word Count: 1633
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... white clergy who had issued a statement urging the blacks not to support the demonstrations. From the Birmingham jail King wrote a letter of great eloquence in which he spelled out his philosophy of nonviolence. This essay, entitled "Letter From Birmingham Jail" demonstrates Kings exceptional literary prowess by his mastery of several rhetorical strategies to persuade. King's rhetorical strategy to influence his audience ... man who presents himself as nearly an unimpeachable and trustworthy writer. Through his references to history, his elegant prose, and his thoughtful analysis of his...

• Word Count: 1317
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate