Question

Which excerpt provides the best example of ‘’ cruel jest’’ Dr. King refers to in the final paragraph of ‘’ Why we can’t wait?’’

Answer 1

The best example of the 'cruel jest' Dr. King refers to is possibly the passage about a child questioning racial mistreatment. Additionally, descriptions of segregation's brutality and personal accounts of discrimination illustrate the 'cruel jest' of racism and the urgency for civil rights.

Step-by-step explanation:

The excerpt that provides the best example of the ‘cruel jest’ Dr. King refers to in the final paragraph of ‘Why We Can’t Wait’ could be the passage detailing the agonizing pathos of a child's innocent question: “Daddy, why do white people treat colored people so mean?” This passage exemplifies the cruel nature of systemic racism, capturing the painful reality of having to explain a prejudiced society to the pure-mindedness of a child, thereby highlighting the urgency of civil rights efforts.

Another strong example of ‘cruel jest’ is the vivid description of the brutal reality faced by African Americans at the hands of segregationists and the police brutality inflicted upon the Black community. This excerpt vividly demonstrates the extent of the inhumane and degrading experiences that made waiting for societal change an unbearable option for the African American community.

The personal recollections of African Americans, as mentioned in the oral histories excerpt, can also provide a striking illustration of ‘cruel jest’, where personal degradation unexpectedly rises from an impersonal and inhumane system, further emphasizing the immediate need for change and equality.

Answer 2

The best example of the cruel jest in Dr. King's 'Why We Can't Wait' is the child's innocent question about racial prejudice. Vivid descriptions of the violence of segregation also exemplify the cruel jest of being told to wait for justice.

Step-by-step explanation:

The excerpt that provides the best example of the cruel jest that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. refers to in the final paragraph of 'Why We Can't Wait' could be identified within the passage where King speaks about the agonizing pathos of segregation and inequality. An example of such a cruel jest is when a child naively questions the injustices of the world, asking, "Daddy, why do white people treat colored people so mean?" This reflects the innocence and confusion of youth confronted with the harsh realities of racial prejudice, a questioning that King might find emblematic of the immense cruelty embedded within systemic racism and segregation.

Another poignant example is found in the vivid description of suffering under segregation: "...when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate-filled policemen curse, kick, brutalize, and even kill your black brothers and sisters with impunity..." This passage confronts readers with the violent realities that African Americans faced, and underscores the callousness with which their lives were treated, further illustrating the cruel jest of being told to wait for justice in the face of such brutality.

The ongoing struggle for racial equality and the deep psychological impact of systemic racism are crucial themes in King's writing, which speak to the broader context of the civil rights movement. As King poignantly describes, the mocking of African Americans' dignity and humanity is a stark example of the cruelty he denounces.