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| MLK (http://amandainmaine.wordpress.com/2012/01/16/dr-martin-luther-king-jr/ ()) |
Christopher Murphy
April 3, 2012
IGS 200-02
Dr Shelton
Writing Assignment #4
The Brave Hero of Peace
Based off Joseph Campbell's methodology of a hero, my hero is Martin Luther King Jr., and throughout his whole life it follows what it means to be a true hero. Referring to the 12 states of "The Hero's Journey", I will help explain, step by step, from the beginning of his life to the end. Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. He graduated Morehouse College with a degree in Sociology in 1948, received his bachelor degree of Divinity in 1951, and lastly a PH.D in Boston in 1955. He was a family man with two sons, two daughters, and a wife. While he was getting a good education, in 1954, he was just a simple pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist church in Montgomery.
Around the same time he was serving as pastor, Rosa Parks, a black woman who refused to give up her seat for a white man, was arrested. Martin Luther King was elected president of the Montgomery Improvement Association, and this is the start of how his journey of becoming a hero begins. Approximately around this time, this is where the Bus boycott was organized, basically a majority of all the African-Americans refused to ride the buses unless justice was served and rights were equal when riding the buses. Martin Luther King said that if they can get a majority of the percent of black people to not ride the bus, then basically it will have a big impact in the decision to change the laws.
With every great hero, there is always a problem that happens during his journey; during the boycott, the house of Martin Luther King Jr. was bombed while he was at some type of rally about the bus boycott. The bomb exploded on the front porch of his house, he rushed inside to find his wife and kids in the back of the house, and they were safe and not injured. That did not stop our young hero, because regardless of the bombing, he continued his journey concerning the bus boycott, and stayed proud and dedicated; he wasn't easy to scare off. He was also arrested a little while after because of some conspiracy charges, which were probably not true, but they would do anything to charge Dr Martin Luther King Jr, especially during the bus boycott.
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| MLK ((http://eoccstech.blogspot.com/2012/01/remembering-martin-luther-king-jr.html ) |
The next step is a hero has a mentor, someone who gives them advice, or someone they look up to, like parents, or anyone who you feel proud to be like. I think for Martin Luther King, his mentor would have to have been Gandhi. Gandhi's teachings stood for peace and love, basically saying that being violent isn't the answer. This was where Martin Luther King learned the non violent method, and he also read several of Gandhi's books, and convinced himself he could use this to help blacks obtain civil rights in America.
After the boycott was over, King continued in his journey to fight for civil rights for African Americans. He used the teaching of Gandhi about civil disobedience and peaceful protest to help fight against discrimination and segregation. Dr Martin Luther King was a big apart of theses protests, and again he was arrested many times, especially at a sit-in where some restaurants refused to serve colored people. Martin Luther King was actually arrested for not leaving during one of the sit-ins. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote "The Letter from a Birmingham Jail", which stated through visible protest and disobeying unjust laws while he was in jail. The thing about a hero is, doesn't matter how hard times seem to get worse or what obstacles they have to overcome and get through, you should never give up on hope or yourself, and he understood that fully.
Going to jail wasn't a major setback for our hero. Most heroes based on Campbell's methodology, have set backs, enemies, challenges and problems that they eventually overcome. King spoke and walked all over, and made tons of speeches to influence and persuade people that everyone deserves equal rights, and should all be treated the same. Politically, it seems like a lot of political leaders like Lyndon B Johnson, John F. Kennedy, and etc. understood the cause, and helped him on his way to achieve equality; when he spoke, he made a whole room to believe anything is possible, as long as we don't give up hope.
About towards the end of his journey, during the March on Washington In 1963, Dr King gave his most memorable and legendary "I Have a Dream" speech. He persuaded many, talked about how it doesn't matter what color our skin is, where we come from, or even who we are, we should all be treated equal and come together and love one another like brothers and sisters. He also discussed this with John F. Kennedy about more equal rights amongst African Americans, and especially to end segregation throughout America. Occasionally a hero will be faced with death, not necessarily means they will die. On 1968, while standing on a balcony at a motel where he was at in Memphis, Tennessee to lead a garbage workers protest, he was assassinated. Martin Luther King Jr.'s death was a tragic one, but he didn't die in vain; everything he did was for a purpose, and he knew that no matter what happened God would always be there with him.
The world seemed to change after he died, so much has altered because his kind influential words, and his heart full of bravery during his journey to end segregation. Even today, African Americans are more involved in politics, more equality, more rights, not as much racism, and there are a lot of other things that would not have changed if it wasn't for him, especially having our first African American President, Barack Obama. Dr Martin Luther King Jr. is a great leader, and forever a hero to everyone in the world.
Page created on 4/5/2012 12:00:00 AM
Last edited 4/5/2012 12:00:00 AM
