Wil Langley
February 21, 2017
American Lit
Exam 1
1. Through readings of “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry” and Moby-Dick, it can be seen that Walt Whitman and Herman Melville are expressing different opinions on common people and city life. Early in these pieces, both authors begin to develop how he feels about normal, everyday life. Whitman differs from Melville by taking an empathetic approach toward the people around him. He addresses the crowds, saying that they are “more in my meditations, than you might suppose.” Here, Whitman shows that he is often thinking about the people around him. He continues by explaining the connection that he has with the crowd, with lines such as “These, and all else, were to me the same as they are to you” and …show more content…
This work most notably speaks against strong government presence and slavery, telling readers to take action against them. Both of these topics point back to Thoreau's transcendental views, and equality. Thoreau's dislike of the government originates in the idea that all men are equal. If all humans are equal, none is more fit to rule over another. His views on the government can be seen in several different lines throughout the essay, such as, “The mass of men serve the state thus, not as men mainly, but as machines”, and “Let your life be a counter-friction to stop the machine.” These lines show that Thoreau believes that the government is abusing those who blindly follow it; which is unjust as all men are equal. Following this train of thought, Thoreau expresses his views on slavery. This is shown in lines such as, “if one HONEST man, in this State of Massachusetts, ceasing to hold slaves, were actually to withdraw from this co-partnership, and be locked up in the county jail, therefore, it would be the abolition of slavery.” While this is still a statement targeting the government's injustice, it serves also to show Thoreau's opinion that slavery would be, and should be, abolished if people would only take action against
February 21, 2017
American Lit
Exam 1
1. Through readings of “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry” and Moby-Dick, it can be seen that Walt Whitman and Herman Melville are expressing different opinions on common people and city life. Early in these pieces, both authors begin to develop how he feels about normal, everyday life. Whitman differs from Melville by taking an empathetic approach toward the people around him. He addresses the crowds, saying that they are “more in my meditations, than you might suppose.” Here, Whitman shows that he is often thinking about the people around him. He continues by explaining the connection that he has with the crowd, with lines such as “These, and all else, were to me the same as they are to you” and …show more content…
This work most notably speaks against strong government presence and slavery, telling readers to take action against them. Both of these topics point back to Thoreau's transcendental views, and equality. Thoreau's dislike of the government originates in the idea that all men are equal. If all humans are equal, none is more fit to rule over another. His views on the government can be seen in several different lines throughout the essay, such as, “The mass of men serve the state thus, not as men mainly, but as machines”, and “Let your life be a counter-friction to stop the machine.” These lines show that Thoreau believes that the government is abusing those who blindly follow it; which is unjust as all men are equal. Following this train of thought, Thoreau expresses his views on slavery. This is shown in lines such as, “if one HONEST man, in this State of Massachusetts, ceasing to hold slaves, were actually to withdraw from this co-partnership, and be locked up in the county jail, therefore, it would be the abolition of slavery.” While this is still a statement targeting the government's injustice, it serves also to show Thoreau's opinion that slavery would be, and should be, abolished if people would only take action against