Henry David Thoreau And Transcendentalism Essay

There have been hundreds of writers that have left their mark the American literature. Many writers use their ideas and beliefs when they write their stories. These stories are then in society forever and they influence future writers. Writers are influenced by the stories they read or grow up reading. Every writer touches American literature in their own unique way. Henry David Thoreau influenced American literature the most because he inspired future writers to have and use a connection to nature in their writing, he changed writings to focus on using the imagination, and he influenced writers to be individuals by not sticking to conformity as people or in their works. Although in modern times there are countless numbers of programs, novels,

Thoreau was taught while being raised to not stick to conformity. This also led Thoreau to be a transcendentalist as was his mentor, Ralph Waldo Emerson. Transcendentalism is a wide range of beliefs under one category. One belief that Thoreau felt strongly for was that there was a need for reform. In spite of the need for reform, it could not be forced upon people by legislation. Henry David Thoreau believed that in order for reform to be permanent it had be each individual reforming oneself. This played into Thoreau’s belief in every person being their own person and not in uniform with the others. Thoreau influenced many notable people who had revolutionary ideas, such as Martin Luther King Jr. and John F. Kennedy. King Jr. admitted that he and some of his writings were influenced by Thoreau’s work, “Civil Disobedience.” In his work, Thoreau describes how the individual should have a say and not be told what to do by those above him in government. Thoreau wrote this essay after spending a night in jail for not paying taxes. Thoreau did not agree with the government about the Mexican War and refused to support it. He describes how society should be ruled more by the people. Henry David Thoreau was telling people to not fall in line with the government’s decision but to stand up for what they want. Thoreau wanted people to act for what they all believed and not what the government did. Walter Harding describes what Thoreau wants, “The government he idealized was not a government by force but a government by co-operation. He fully realized that certain functions could best be conducted by society rather than by the individual.” (Harding). Thoreau wanted the government to have less control and the people to have more control. The government is called a people’s government, but it isn’t the people running