Question

Read the excerpt from Dr. Martin Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”

Just as Socrates felt that it was necessary to create a tension in the mind so that individuals could rise from the bondage of myths and half truths to the unfettered realm of creative analysis and objective appraisal, so must we see the need for nonviolent gadflies to create the kind of tension in society that will help men rise from the dark depths of prejudice.

Why does King use this allusion?

to appeal to his critics’ intellect
to define democratic principles
to commemorate a famous leader
to decry the bondage of ancient Greece

Answer 1

A.) To appeal to his critics' intellect.

Answer 2

To appeal to his critics’ intellect.

Step-by-step explanation:

In these lines, Martin Luther King makes an allusion to Socrates, one of the most important philosophers of Ancient Greece. Socrates is a very admired figure in the West, and most people believe him to have been intelligent and just. Therefore, by making an allusion to this character, King wants to increase the credibility of his actions. He wants readers to intellectually agree to the quality of King's argument, and in this way, be supportive of his course of action.