Question

Lines 62–80: Which text does Euchner use to support his analysis of the bad check metaphor? How does providing this excerpt after his analysis help readers understand his point?

And then King introduces Clarence Jones's[3] metaphor of the
bad check, so simple and so basic. A bad check represents bad faith,
failed promises, broken contracts.
In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash
a check. When the architects of our republic wrote
the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a
promissory note to which every American was to
fall heir. This note was a promise that all men-
yes, black men as well as white men-would be
guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness.
It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this
promissory note insofar as her citizens of color
are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred
obligation, America has given the Negro people a
bad check, a check which has come back marked
"insufficient funds."
The first burst of applauses rises up from the crowd.

from Nobody Turn Me Around:
A People's History of the 1963 March
on Washington

Answer 1

Answer and Explanation:

1. It features a text by Martin Luther King. Although he does not say what text it was, he says it is the text where King quotes Clarence Jones' metaphor. With this, Euchner, uses King's text as a basis for the thoughts he will expound throughout the text, showing that his ideas are supported by someone admirable and easily recognized in society.

2. This helps readers to relate the concept of bad check to American society in relation to racism and the positioning towards blacks. This increases the understanding of Euchener's argument and extends the meaning of the text.