Improving The Government In Thoreau's Civil Disobedience

378 Words1 Page

In the passage "Civil Disobedience" by Thoreau the author explicitly states that the current government is not sufficiently strong enough for the governed a whole. Thoreau's diction directly states his belief on improving the government into a success. He firmly displays his argument through repetition and metaphors. First, Thoreau profoundly informs the negative downsides of the American Government. For instance he utilizes an example of repetition repeatedly stating, "It does not keep the country free. It does not settle the west. It does not educate. The repeated phrase "it does not" creates a sense of ultimate disapproval. A disapproval in which the author intends the audience to consider as well. Which in fact he disapproves the modifications

Show More
Related

  • Civil Disobedience In The Civil Divergent, By Henry David Thoreau

    1024 Words  | 3 Pages

    It is also a big part of Divergent, because being Divergent is essentially being your own person, you are not able to conform to what the government wants. This to Thoreau would be a great thing, this can be seen when he says, “It has not the vitality and force of a single living man; for a single man can bend it to his will” (Thoreau 255). So Thoreau believes that a single living man has more vitality and force than the traditional government. This is also true in Divergent, because Beatrice fights her government in every movie, she fights and is independent despite the masses who have become accustom to the tradition of relying on the government. Thoreau also goes on to talk about not saying there shouldn 't be a government at all, but one that should be there and eventually fade off. This can be seen when he says, “I ask for, not at once no government, but at once a better government” (Thoreau 255). This quote is significant, because Beatrice also wished this was possible. Throughout the movie she tries to explain why being Divergent is okay, but is essentially “shot down” in regard to her claim. It is also significant for Thoreau because he is independent, but not forceful in asking the government to stop all at once. Thoreau and Beatrice would agree that they do not need a government, and can be self-reliant and would come to an agreement on individualism, but they also would not expect the government to go away entirely anytime soon. Thus they both proposed that the government change in some way or

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Thoreau And Civil Disobedience

    596 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the great era of foundational philosophers, two stand out, Plato and Thoreau. Each had their own opinion on various topics, especially on civil disobedience. Plato’s life span was approximately 428-348 BC. Plato wrote numerous works throughout his lifetime, however we will be focusing on one, the Crito. Thoreau’s life span was 1817-1862. To help us determine what civil disobedience means to both of these philosophers we will first look at a general definition. According to Merriam-Webster civil disobedience is defined as “refusal to obey governmental demands or commands especially as a nonviolent and usually collective means of forcing concessions from the government.” This definition will act as a springboard to compare and contrast both of their thoughts on the topic. We will determine, according to Plato and Thoreau, when we are called to engage in civil disobedience and when the moral parameters of civil disobedience are pushed too far.

    Read More

  • Justice in Henry David Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience

    934 Words  | 2 Pages

    By definition justice means the quality of being just or fair. The issue then stands, is justice fair for everyone? Justice is the administration of law, the act of determining rights and assigning rewards or punishments, "justice deferred is justice denied.” The terms of Justice is brought up in Henry David Thoreau’s writing, “Civil Disobedience.”

    Read More

  • Civil Disobedience In Thoreau's Occupy Wall Street Movement

    1293 Words  | 3 Pages

    Thoreau wasn 't one to take advantage of what the world had to offer and just took life what it was, all while following his motto of doing what was right. Thoreau sees the miracles of the world similarly to the Whitman poem because there isn 't a limit to what can be appreciated. There are quite a few modern views that compare well to Thoreau as they take that step away from society defined by technology and progression and just take a look at the bigger picture, one of these approaches is the recent Occupy Wall Street movement.

    Read More

  • Civil Obedience And Henry David Thoreau's Civil Disobedience

    1338 Words  | 3 Pages

    Civil Disobedience occurs when an individual or group of people are in violation of the law rather than a refusal of the system as a whole. There is evidence of civil disobedience dating back to the era after Jesus was born. Jesus followers broke the laws that went against their faith. An example of this is in Acts 4:19-20,”God told the church to preach the gospel, so they defied orders to keep quiet about Jesus,” In my opinion civil disobedience will always be needed in the world. The ability to identify with yourself and knowing right from wrong helps to explain my opinion. Often in society when civil

    Read More

  • An Analysis Of Henry Thoreau: Resistance To Civil Government

    1206 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Henry Thoreau’s essay, Resistance to Civil Government, the harmless actions he takes to rebel against the government are considered acts of civil disobedience. He talks about how the government acts wrongful such as, slavery and the Mexican-American war. This writing persuades Nathaniel Heatwole, a twenty-year-old college student studying at Guildford College in Greensboro, North Carolina, to take matters into his own hands, by smuggling illegal items on multiple Southwest airplanes. The reason in that being, is to show the people that our nation is unsafe and dangerous. In doing this, he takes his rebellion one step too far, by not only jeopardizing his life, but as well as many other innocent lives.

    Read More

  • Civil Disobedience: Henry David Thoreau

    781 Words  | 2 Pages

    Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) was a philosopher and writer who is well known for his criticism of the American government during the time. During Thoreau’s life, there were two major issues being debated in the United States: slavery and the Mexican-American War. Both issues greatly influenced his essay, as he actually practiced civil disobedience in his own life by refusing to pay taxes in protest of the Mexican War. He states that the government should be based on conscience and that citizens should refuse to follow the law and has the duty not to participate and stay as a member of an unjust institution like the government. I argue that the notion of individualism and skepticism toward government is essential in the basis of many important reform movements in the modern society.

    Read More

  • Civil Disobedience And Letter From Birmingham Jail By Martin Luther King Jr.

    799 Words  | 2 Pages

    To begin with, Thoreau expresses that civil disobedience should be more implemented when the just resistance of the minority is seen legally unjust to the structure conformed by the majority. Supporting his position, Thoreau utilizes the role of the national tax in his time; its use which demoralizes the foreign relationship

    Read More

  • Civil Disobedience, by Henry David Thoreau

    1167 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Civil Disobedience” by Henry David Thoreau was a means of educating people on why they should not settle for a less than perfect government. Thoreau’s work is a reminder that it is our duty to throw off an unsatisfactory government, as stated by Thomas Jefferson in the “Declaration of Independence.” Civil Disobedience touches on the subject of why people choose to do nothing about a government they are unhappy with. People fear the consequences they might suffer if they interfere with the current government. Thoreau stated people "cannot spare the protection of the existing government, and they dread the consequences to their property and families of disobedience to it" (Thoreau 681).

    Read More

  • Thoreau's Power Movement: The Current Mass Movement

    335 Words  | 1 Pages

    Thoreau at the time wanted to stand up for what he believed was right. This being not funding the war which he felt was unjust. So how would he have felt to see our generation? Thoreau would be impressed to an extent because at the time we just went with what the government and others said was “right”. Currently our generation has teens running “Never again” which is the current mass movement to make schools safer. Having a whole list of movement I would feel that Thoreau would say were going in the right place although not there yet. Due to our current leader in office and what trumps is trying to do with his power would seem fairly unjust from Thoreau’s writing. From the way Trump is working with other world powers to the way Trump is handling

    Read More

  • Thoreau's Civil Disobedience and Walden

    1527 Words  | 4 Pages

    In “Civil Disobedience,” Thoreau stated that government should be expedient and conscientious. He started off his essay with his motto, “That government is best which governs least” and “That government is best which governs not at all.” He meant that we did not need a government that made rules and that the government should let the people do whatever they wanted to do. He believed that government should be expedient, not inexpedient. “Government is at best but an expedient; but most governments are usually, and all governments are sometimes, inexpedient.” He used a lot of examples to justify the inexpedient government. One of them was the Mexican-American war. “Witness the present Mexican war, the work of comparatively a few individuals using the standing government as their tool; for, in the outset, the people would not have consented to this measure…” It was inexpedient because war was just a tool for a few powerful individuals and did not have consent of the multitude. He believed that the government should help most of the people, not just a few rich people. In addition, the minority rule, in w...

    Read More

  • Tone And Diction In Civil Obedience By Thoreau

    372 Words  | 1 Pages

    In the passage " Civil Obedience" by Thoreau, Thoreau is utilizing tone and diction to explain his argument of allowing all men to decide their own kind of government.

    Read More

  • Resistance to Civil Government: Henry David Thoreau

    1381 Words  | 3 Pages

    In his essay, “Resistance to Civil Government,” often times dubbed, “Civil Disobedience,” Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) argues against abiding to one’s State, in protest to the unjust laws within its government. Among many things, Thoreau was an American author, poet, and philosopher. He was a firm believer in the idea of civil disobedience, the act of refusing to obey certain laws of a government that are felt to be unjust. He opposed the laws regarding slavery, and did not support the Mexican-American war, believing it to be a tactic by the Southerners to spread slavery to the Southwest. To show his lack of support for the American government, he refused to pay his taxes. After spending a night in jail for his tax evasion, he became inspired to write “Civil Disobedience.” In this essay, he discusses the importance of detaching one’s self from the State and the power it holds over its people, by refraining from paying taxes and putting money into the government. The idea of allowing one’s self to be arrested in order to withhold one’s own values, rather than blindly following the mandates of the government, has inspired other civil rights activists throughout history such as Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Both these men fought against unjust laws, using non-violent, yet effective, methods of protest. From these three men, we can learn the significance of detaching ourselves from the social norm; and instead, fight for our values in a non-violent way, in order to make a change in our government’s corrupt and unjust laws.

    Read More

  • The General Reasons In Henry David Thoreau's Civil Disobedience

    820 Words  | 2 Pages

    The general argument made by Henry David Thoreau in his work, Civil Disobedience, is that we should not follow laws that we do not morally agree to. More specifically, Thoreau argues that the government should not be heavily involved with people and should give more freedom. He writes “I have paid no poll-tax for six years. I was put into a jail once on this account, for one night; and, as I stood considering the walls of solid stone, two or three feet thick, the door of wood and iron, a foot thick, and the iron grating which strained the light, I could not help being struck with the foolishness of that institution which treated me as if I were mere flesh and blood and bones, to be locked up.” In this passage, Thoreau is suggesting that you

    Read More

  • Conscience And Beliefs In Henry David Thoreau's Civil Disobedience

    1098 Words  | 3 Pages

    Thoreau sees government as a means to an end. It continues to exist in our society because

    Read More

More about Improving The Government In Thoreau's Civil Disobedience

Open Document