Civil Disobedience Rhetorical Analysis

In his published essay titled, “Civil Disobedience,” nineteenth century American essayist, Henry David Thoreau, shares his concerns towards the obligatory responsibilities of American citizens. Throughout the years, “Civil Disobedience” has become one of the most important essays, due to the fact that it speaks of the need to resist all the injustices and mistreatments in the United States. The central themes of Thoreau’s composition are slavery, inequality and ways to tolerate injustices. His views on the treatment of slavery in the American South, treatment of Native Americans by the United States government, and the war between the United States government and Mexico urges readers to fight discrimination, which creates images of the American

life.
Throughout the essay, the author expresses his views on the treatment of slavery in the American South. Thoreau critiques the individuals in his native state of Massachusetts who claim to be anti-slavery in the South, but take part in the business and agricultural trade that fully supports it. In “Civil Disobedience,” Thoreau says, “Practically speaking, the opponents to a reform in Massachusetts are not a hundred thousand politicians at the South, but a hundred thousand merchants and farmers here, who are more interested in commerce and agriculture than they are in humanity,” which demonstrates that he believes that the main way to oppose slavery is through strong actions and complete resistance (Thoreau 269). Henry David Thoreau declares that voting for politicians who are not in favor of slavery is a step in the right direction. He also states that the country is full of people who submit to majority opinion and the responsibilities of a political process that offers a restricted number of candidates and choices. In the following quote, he explains how a popular vote can end slavery, but that a vote should not determine a person’s liberty and independence. He asserts, “When the majority shall at length vote for the abolition of slavery, it will be because they are indifferent to slavery or because there is but little slavery left to be abolished by their vote. They will then be the only slaves. Only his vote can hasten the abolition of slavery who asserts his own freedom by his vote” (Thoreau 270). Thoreau’s thoughts between natural and societal change constructs various strong ideas of the government and society of the United States.
In the nineteenth century, Native Americans were not recognized as citizens of the United States. Tension gradually arose between the Native Americans and settlers because the latter mentioned wanted the government to attain Indian terrain for crop use. Henry David Thoreau states his strong outlook on Native Americans and their treatment by the government by describing the changes in a specific society. As a young boy, he searched environments for small remains left by dying cultures that later led to his interest. He soon visited his first Indian island, the home of the Penobscot nation and observed its immense change, due to the politics of the times. Thoreau once shared about his experience and said, “The ferry here took us past the Indian island. As we left the shore, I observed a short shabby washerwoman-looking Indian; they commonly have the woebegone look of the girl that cried for spilt milk…This picture will do to put before the Indian’s history, that is, the history of his extinction.” In his eyes, the Penobscot tribe was losing its idealistic image of the “noble savage” and replacing it for politics. Thoreau saw how the United States government started to grow more in control of these tribes. In fear that the government would entirely eradicate their land, the Natives were forced to comply with the demands of the government, which inevitably led to the decline of many Native American tribes.
The war between Mexico and the United States government is a subject topic that Thoreau mentions many times in his inspiring essay.

The Mexican-American War, fought from 1846 to 1848, was caused by border disputes and concluded with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. In the following quote, he explains how the United States’ first armed conflict with Mexico is unjust and wrong. Thoreau says, “If I have unjustly wrested a plank from a drowning man, I must restore it to him though I drown myself. This, according to Paley, would be inconvenient. But he that would save his life, in such a case, shall lose it. This people must cease to hold slaves, and to make war on Mexico, though it cost them their existence as a people.” (Thoreau 269). Henry David Thoreau states various points in which American citizens contradict themselves by paying taxes, which is one way to take part in injustices. People who declare that enforcing slavery and the war in Mexico is wrong, contradict themselves if they fund both situations by paying taxes. Throughout his composition, Thoreau tries to demonstrate how some individuals believe that the only way to change a law is to respect the ongoing law and patiently wait for a new one. He believes that this method is not effective and that the unjust law deserves no respect and should be broken. Knowing that the government will retaliate, he lives his life in a simple manner and says, “I can afford to refuse allegiance to Massachusetts….It costs me less in every sense to incur the penalty of disobedience to the State than it would to obey. I should feel as if I were worth less in that case.” (Thoreau

277).
When reading “Civil Disobedience,” a reader can quickly catch on to the unfamiliar views of the author. Unlike an archetypal American, he chooses to use civil disobedience to violate the law and go against the government because he will not let them modify his set morals. Living simply has allowed Thoreau the privilege to not fear the government’s retaliation; therefore, in his essay, he states as examples the unfair treatment and insincerity against slaves, natives and the Mexican-American war. Throughout this influential writing, he shares with his audience how civil disobedience is a moral and societal obligation of American citizens. Henry David Thoreau strongly encourages people to stand up for what they believe and to never give themselves to others.