Summary: The Influence Of Rebellion In Literature

Many patriotic writers use a revolutionary form of literature to manipulate the views of society and culture. Influential writers such as Mark Twain, Arthur Miller, Henry Thoreau and Martin Luther King, use rebellion in a format that changes their readers perspective. Each of these patriotic activists had an enormous influence on our society; they spoke for what they believed in and because of their peaceful disobedience they changed cultural thinking for future generations. True patriots use rebellion to reshape cultural values.

Patriots are willing to expose beloved cultural norms. The changing of a group of people or an individual takes a persuasive person with a strong belief. Many writers like Mark Twain are known for their forward and

McCarthy made unproven accusations that State Department employees had pledged allegiance to the Communist Party. Arthur Miller took McCarthyism as a modern day example of people’s fear of the growing threat and power of the Soviet Union in the 1950’s. Showing how innocent people were being blamed unfairly by the government that was there to protect them. McCarthy’s unsubstantiated claims ruined lives and led to increased hostility just as the delusional girls in the Salem witch trials claimed the existence of witches in Salem without any proof. Miller uses fear of government to start a rebellion in the same way other patriots have used our emotions to change societal mindsets for hundreds of

Thoreau’s use of civil disobedience on unethical issues was a new form of rebellion that activists such as Martin Luther King represented. MLK used nonviolent protest and civil disobedience to create an overwhelming, long lasting effect on his audience, making MLK the most influential patriot of the modern Civil Rights movement. In a popular letter known as, The Letter from a Birmingham Jail, MLK responded to several white ministers, who had written a letter opposing his actions and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference during their peaceful demonstrations against segregation in Birmingham. In this letter he wrote, “An individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law” (MLK__) MLK was a man of great moral values as a preacher, a husband, a father and an inspirational orator. He gained power and fame through the speeches that he wrote and delivered from the church pulpit. His message began to circulate in the hearts of others and circle the towns with a fever for change. His peaceful words were a catalyst for a nation to stand up, rise up and see the errors of our nation, that for many years had threatened us with unrest amongst all citizens alike. MLK’s rebellion against