Question

read the excerpt from dr. martin luther kings \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

Explanation:

Analyze the allusion to Socrates

Using the Allusion Analysis and Letter from Birmingham Jail Analysis knowledge points

Dr. King compares nonviolent activists to "gadflies" and references Socrates, a highly respected classical philosopher, to establish a parallel between philosophical tension and social tension.

Determine the author's purpose

Using the Letter from Birmingham Jail Analysis knowledge point

King's primary audience consists of local white clergymen who criticized his methods as untimely and disruptive. By aligning his actions with Socrates—a foundational figure of Western intellectual history—King appeals directly to his critics' intellect and education, justifying the necessity of constructive, nonviolent tension.

Evaluate the answer choices

Using the Allusion Analysis knowledge point

• to appeal to his critics' intellect: Correct. Referencing Socrates elevates the argument to an intellectual and philosophical level that his educated critics would respect.
• to define democratic principles: Incorrect. The passage focuses on intellectual tension and creative analysis, not the definition of democracy.
• to commemorate a famous leader: Incorrect. Socrates is referenced as a philosophical parallel for creating tension, not to commemorate him.
• to decry the bondage of ancient Greece: Incorrect. The mention of "bondage of myths" is a metaphor for intellectual ignorance, not a critique of historical Greek society.

Answer:

• (A) to appeal to his critics' intellect (Correct answer)
• (B) to define democratic principles
• (C) to commemorate a famous leader
• (D) to decry the bondage of ancient Greece