Vocabulary/Grammar
“Letter from a Birmingham Jail” and “Civil Disobedience”
An Overview of Sentence Types
A simple sentence has only one independent clause (a complete thought with both a
subject [or two] and a predicate [or two] that can stand alone as a sentence).
As in so many past experiences, our hopes had been blasted and worn away.
(participle)
I have paid no poll tax for six years.
A compound sentence consists of two independent clauses, joined by a coordinating
conjunction or by punctuation.
You deplore the demonstrations taking place in Birmingham, but your
statement fails to express a similar concern (infinitive) for the conditions
making these demonstrations necessary.
A complex sentence contains one independent clause and one or more dependent
clauses (a clause that does not present a complete thought and cannot stand alone
as a sentence). Please see list of subordinating conjunctions.
We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given
by the oppressor.
A law is unjust if it is inflicted on a minority that had no part in enacting or
devising the law. (pink = gerund)
A compound-complex sentence contains two or more independent clauses and one
or more dependent clauses.
An unjust law is a code that (sub. conj.) a numerical or power majority group
compels a minority group to obey, but that (adj.) same majority does not
make binding on itself.
Kinds of Conjunctions
Coordinating –
for, and, nor, but, or, yet, semi-colon (f.a.n.b.o.y.s.)
Correlative (used in pairs) either, or; neither, nor; not only, but also; both, and;
whether, or; just, as; just, so; as, so
Subordinating –
after, although, as, as if, as long as, as though, because,
before, if, in order that, provided that, since, so, so that,
that, though, unless, until, when, where, whereas, while
Note: A relative pronoun relates one part of a sentence to a word in another part
of the sentence. Specifically, a relative pronoun shows that a dependent clause
describes a noun in the independent clause.
Pronouns:
who, whom, whose, which, what, that, this, these, those, myself,
himself, herself, yourself, themselves, ourselves
Ex
Under a government which imprisons unjustly, the true place for a man
is also a prison. (complex)
Any law that degrades human personality is unjust.
“Letter from a Birmingham Jail”
1. Cognizant (adj.)/cognizance (noun) having or showing knowledge or
understanding or realization or perception (simple sentence)
King wishes the clergy to be cognizant of his motives
for being in Birmingham.
2. Statute (noun)
an act passed by a legislative body (compound)
King dislikes the unjust statutes aiding segregation,
and he hoped to influence the clergy to dislike them
too.
3. Estrangement (noun) separation resulting from hostility
(complex)
the feeling of being alienated from other people
Because of the hostility [that] the clergy felt for
King’s actions, he felt estranged from them while in
jail.
4. Sublime (adj.)
elevated or lofty in thought, language, etc.
impressing the mind with a sense of grandeur or power;
inspiring awe, veneration, etc. (compound/complex)
King believed equality was a sublime idea that the
clergy should support, but they were hesitant because
they thought extremism made them look bad.
5. Precipitate (verb) to hasten the occurrence of; bring about prematurely,
hastily, or suddenly (simple)
King wanted to precipitate equality.
6. Extremist (noun)
(compound)
a person who goes to extremes, esp. in political matters
a supporter or advocate of extreme doctrines or practices
King was an extremist, for he took risks in his actions
against segregation.
“Civil Disobedience”
7. Demagogue (noun) a person, esp. an orator or political leader, who gains power and
popularity by arousing the emotions, passions, and prejudices of the
people (complex)
Because he stated arguments logically, Thoreau was
less of a demagogue than the more emotional King.
8. Unscrupulous (adj.) Devoid of scruples; oblivious to or contemptuous of what is right or
honorable. (compound-complex)
Thoreau thinks that the government is unscrupulous,
and he doesn’t pay his taxes for the war he thinks is
unjust.
9. Expedient (adj.)
tending to promote some proposed or desired object; fit or suitable for
the purpose; proper under the circumstances (compound)
Thoreau is expedient in his efforts to encourage civil
disobedience, and he presented his ideas in a logical
way.
10. Alacrity (noun)
cheerful readiness, promptness, or willingness (complex)
Thoreau expressed alacrity for the educational taxes
the government imposed upon him.
11. Martyr (noun)
a person who is put to death or endures great suffering on behalf of any
belief, principle, or cause (compound-complex)
By disobeying the law, Thoreau became a martyr for
equality in hopes of creating a counter friction to the
machine even though some people saw him as an
anarchist, and he didn’t seem to like people.
12. Philanthropist (noun)
a person with the inclination to increase the well-being of humankind, as
by charitable aid or donations (complex)
Thoreau believes being a philanthropist is unjust
because giving money to charity does not solve the
issues of the world.
Page 152 “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”
Diction
Juxtaposition
Tone
Simile
Metaphor
Imagery
Symbol
Personification
Personfication