Henry David Thoreau

His protege Henry David Thoreau is best known for his works “Civil Disobedience” and Walden. “Civil Disobedience” revolutionized the overall American belief system. Thoreau professed every individual’s right to defy unjust laws, and made key points that people did not have to blindly follow the government or laws. However, he also made it clear that every individual had to be prepared for whatever consequences were to follow these actions (“Civil Disobedience” by Henry David Thoreau). In the…

thinkers promoted an idea called transcendentalism. It was a literary movement that focused on ideas such as self reliance, being yourself rather than trying to impress others, and human reason. (Barcelo). Various icons such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry Thoreau, expressed their ideas of the movement of independent thinking in essays such as “Walden”, “Civil Disobedience”, and “ Self Reliance”. In addition, movies such as “Dead Poet’s Society” also reflect the ideas of transcendentalism.…

Thoreau describes his journey into nature as an attempt to “live deliberately.” In saying this, Thoreau illustrates the notion of living for one’s own individual purpose rather than being just another cog in the machine that is society. He describes his concept of living as using nature to build on what he already understands about life. He hopes to learn something more about nature than previously possible when situated within the rest of society. At last, Thoreau finds himself alone…

Goodbye to the Government Henry David Thoreau was an influential philosopher, journalist, and poet who opposed the government because of all the racism and unjust actions occurring in his time. In his piece called “Civil Disobedience,” he shares his belief that there is no purpose in having the government because it is used in terrible ways and can sometimes take advantage of people and their rights. He expresses his opinion about the government by attempting to connect with his audience…

Henry David Thoreau, Mohandas Gandhi and Nelson Mandela all fought for peoples rights against their government. They all stood up for what they thought was right and unfair against the people. Mohandas Gandhi protested against the British government and when the British started taxing salt on the people of India, he didn’t think it was right. He peacefully protested by marching to the ocean and claiming that the salt belonged to the people. Gandhi stated “ you may choose any device to break the…

Resistance to Civil Government The main theme in Henry David Thoreau’s Resistance to Civil Government is that the individual should carry the responsibilities of a good citizen within himself and, therefore, not need to be suppressed by an oppressive government. He felt that people owed it to themselves and their fellow man not to blindly follow their government if they believe their rules and laws are unjust. Thoreau's essential idea is that a higher law than civil law demands the compliance of…

Henry David Thoreau was one of America’s famous writers. He was an amazing philosophical and naturalist writer. Henry was a good carpenter and farmer. He was born on July 12, 1817 in Concord, MA. Thoreau attended school at Harvard College (now Harvard University). He graduated college in 1837. In the 1840s he began writing poetry and he was mentored by Ralph Waldo Emerson. A few years later Thoreau started his life in the woods a place two miles South of Concord called Walden Pond. His love for…

Avery Aschenbach Mr. Thompson English 11 12 November 2014 Analysis of Transcendental Writers Thoughts On Rebelling Against Societal Conformity Henry David Thoreau and others who rebel against the norm of societal conformity must accept the consequences that entail. During the Transcendentalist era of writing, writers such as Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman, and Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote about demonstrating how an individual must rebel against societal conformity in order to seize…

movement that developed in the late 1800s. Transcendentalists believed in many aspects, however their central ideas focused on the inherent goodness of both people and nature. Influential Transcendentalists included Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Frederic Henry Hedge. They believed that that the purity of the individual could be corrupted by society and its institutions, some of which include organized religion and political parties. They had faith that people are at their best…

what some considered radical positions on women 's property rights, immigration, and labor issues” ("Walt Whitman Biography Poet, Journalist (1819–1892)"). Major figures who influenced Walt Whitman during his lifetime were Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Bronson Alcott. Originally these men were dispatched to meet Whitman because they were impressed and were moved by this newcomer’s poetic skill. The basic beliefs that Walt Whitman practiced were closely related to that of Ralph…