In "Resistance to Civil Government," why does Henry David Thoreau explain the circumstances of his night in jail?

A.
To build ethos

B.
To create a metaphor

C.
To utilize parallelism

D.
To establish logos

A. To build ethos

The correct answer is A. To build ethos.

To determine the answer, you would need to read "Resistance to Civil Government" by Henry David Thoreau, which is an essay also known as "Civil Disobedience." Thoreau wrote this essay to explain his refusal to pay taxes as a form of protest against slavery and the Mexican-American War.

In the essay, Thoreau provides an account of his experience spending a night in jail after he refused to pay his poll tax. By sharing the circumstances of his night in jail, Thoreau aims to build ethos, which is an appeal to credibility and trustworthiness. He wants to demonstrate that he is willing to suffer the consequences of his actions and that his beliefs are rooted in personal experience. This personal story helps the audience understand his perspective and adds weight to his argument. Therefore, option A is the correct answer.