Thoreaus Writings An Analysis - 716 Words

Let your life be a counter friction to stop the machine. What I have to do is to see, at any rate, that I do not lend myself to the wrong which I condemn, (Thoreau, 1849, Part 2, Section 5). Henry David Thoreau embodied the values he espoused in his essay Civil Disobedience. One of the most meaningful ways Thoreau helped to promote the idea that being a counter friction can stop the machine was by his writing. Thoreau used his writing to promote social justice, thereby refusing to lend himself to the wrong he so disparages. Slavery was one of those wrongs: a facet of the system of government that was so corrupt and yet completely entrenched in American society. Thoreau also acted as a counter friction to the machine of mindless government by extricating himself from the situations he found most distasteful. His experiences living close to nature at Walden Pond prove that Thoreau was sincerely dedicated to being the change that he advocated in his life. The machine Thoreau refers to in Civil Disobedience has many different meanings, the most obvious of which is government. Much of Civil Disobedience is consumed by Thoreaus concern that American government has become farcical, and sorely in need of change. Democracy, claims Thoreau, has become a system that has lost its integrity. It operates at the expense of others, bolstering the needs and wants of persons already in power. As Thoreau (1849) states at the beginning of Civil Disobedience about government inShow MoreRelatedEgoitarianism In Henry David Thoreau1662 Words   |  7 Pageshim as a very conceited, hypocritical, and egotistical individual who had little respect or empathy for humanity. On the other hand, those in praise of Thoreau describe his writing as unparalleled in terms of detailed descriptions, observations, and understanding and explanation of deeper meanings. Through analysis of his writings and the expert opinions of others, evidence exists that Henry David Thor eau was an egotistical and hypocritical person while also one of the most influential writers in AmericanRead MoreHenry David Thoreau s Civil Disobedience1013 Words   |  5 PagesIn Henry David Thoreau’s â€Å"Civil Disobedience†, Thoreau makes the claim that the best form of government is a government that doesn’t govern at all. Thoreau’s paper pushes for the people to begin following the will of their conscience rather than blindly and foolishly follow the unjust idea of â€Å"majority rule†. Throughout the paper Thoreau makes a point of stating that â€Å"majority rule† is simply the will of the upper-class being forced into action over the rights and wills of the poorer minority. 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His literary style interweaves close natural observation, personal experience, pointedRead MoreHenry David Thoreau: The Grat Transcendentalist Essay1932 Words   |  8 PagesUniversity during this time period. Henry David Thoreau’s individualistic anarchist views on society were developed throughout his early life and later refined in his years of solitude; these views on society and government are directly expressed in much of his work. Much of Henry David Thoreau’s work was affected by his early life and education. Henry David Thoreau was born into a normal middle class family in Concord Massachusetts on July 12, 1817. Thoreau’s family were shopkeepers and later operatedRead MoreHenry David Thoreau1930 Words   |  8 Pagesto his disregard for the grading system† (Anderson). His defiance showed that he stood by his beliefs, no matter how much they differed from those of society. This would continue to be a prevalent aspect of his personality, displayed in both his writing and his actions. Regardless of his stubbornness, he graduated from Harvard in 1837 and later returned to Concord, where he met Ralph Waldo Emerson, a poet and leader of the Transcendentalist movement, through a mutual friend. The principles of transcendentalismRead MoreTranscendentalism in Civil Disobedience3710 Words   |  15 PagesTranscendentalism in Civil Disobedience Thoreaus Politics of Individuality and Nature Dannheisig 2 Contents Introduction 1. Transcendentalism a. Nature b. Introspective Conscience and Politics 2. Political Individualism a. Ethical and Political (In)justice b. Critique of Democracy Conclusion Bibliography 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Dannheisig 3 Introduction Henry David Thoreau was part of a movement called American Transcendentalism. To illuminate Thoreaus understanding of democracy, political