It’s the basic things in life that can bring a person down to their darkest points, whether your sex or race is different. That is something that African Americans faced back during the 60’s, even to this day, but this doesn’t mean that all hope is lost. In Dear Martin, Nic Stone shows how the character, Justyce, got motivated from Martin Luther King Jr, a significant leader, just how other African Americans get, therefore asking himself, “What would Martin do” when obstacles seem to dare him.

To begin with, the journal that Justyce wrote, dedicating it to MLK, was created to motivate him. This represents the whole style of the novel. For example, writing in the journal makes Justyce think about what Martin would do. (Stone, 10-13) When Justyce asks himself what Martin would do, he’s relying on MLK’s actions to defeat his obstacles. The purpose of this is to show how others rely on MLK’s great decisions and work efforts. Even though this is a wise choice for Justyce to do, it can also not be enough to motivate him.

Equally as important, inspiring methods can help with some challenges. When Justyce and his friend, Manny, get into trouble with a cop, it leaves him wondering how things would have gone differently if he was a white person in the car. To break it down, a cop, named Officer Garrett Tison, shot Justyce and Manny because they were driving with loud music on. Officer Tison automatically assumed that they were up to no good because they’re black and Justyce reached forward to turn the music down, but was assumed to having a gun, which is the plot of the story. (Stone, 118-119) The purpose of this is to explain how black people’s obstacles can include an assumption to who you really are. Though this made him lose hope in the whole “Dear Martin” belief, he knew that giving up would only make matters worse.

Finally, even talking about motivation can get someone motivated, just like how Martin Luther King Jr gave his “I Have A Dream Speech”. When Justyce is debating with his class or in tournaments against different schools, he still thinks about what Martin would do. An example of this is when he was debating in a tournament. Justyce and Sarah-Jane decided to make their argument about racial profiling because of the struggle of African Americans. (Stone, 79-80) The purpose of this is to inform the reader about how Martin is well appreciated and to persuade the reader about the racial profilings of the world. This is another example of how people see MLK as a motivation.

In conclusion, motivation comes to Justyce when he starts his own project about writing to Martin Luther King Jr, asking himself, “What would Martin do” when life gets hard for him, just like other African Americans. MLK is definitely an inspiration to more than a few, but to a diversity of crowds everywhere. When it comes to motivation, Martin is truly the best motivational human-being to think about.