Civil Disobedience Thoreau's Diction

246 Words1 Page

"Civil Disobedience" by Thoreau describes the government and what he believes is best. Thoreau implements diction and imagery to support his claim that the best government is one that does not govern at all.

Thoreau utilizes a variety of words that helps persuade his audience into believing his statement. He uses words like "abused", "perverted", and "tool" to presentvus with the idea that the way the government is run now is wring. The government bends the rules to their liking and abuses the trust the citizens give them. By implementing these words , he supports his claim since the words used to describe the government have a bad connotation. Therefore, the citizens are persuaded to believe that the way the government is run is wrong.

Show More
Related

  • 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

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of David Thoreau's Civil Disobedience To The Mexican War

    1646 Words  | 4 Pages

    In 1848, David Thoreau addressed and lectured civil disobedience to the Concord Lyceum in response to his jail time related to his protest of slavery and the Mexican War. In his lecture, Thoreau expresses in the beginning “That government is best which governs least,” which sets the topic for the rest of the lecture, and is arguably the overall theme of his speech. He chastises American institutions and policies, attempting to expand his views to others. In addition, he advances his views to his audience by way of urgency, analyzing the misdeeds of the government while stressing the time-critical importance of civil disobedience. Thoreau addresses civil disobedience to apprise the people the need for a civil protest to the unjust laws created

    Read More

  • On The Duty Of Civil Disobedience Rhetorical Analysis

    765 Words  | 2 Pages

    “All machines have their friction―and possibly this does enough good to counterbalance the evil… But when the friction comes to have its machine… I say, let us not have such a machine any longer” (Thoreau 8). In Henry David Thoreau’s essay “On the Duty of Civil Disobedience,” the author compares government to a machine, and its friction to inequity. He believes that when injustice overcomes a nation, it is time for that nation’s government to end. Thoreau is ashamed of his government, and says that civil disobedience can fight the system that is bringing his country down. Alas, his philosophy is defective: he does not identify the benefits of organized government, and fails to recognize the danger of a country without it. When looked into, Thoreau’s contempt for the government does not justify his argument against organized democracy.

    Read More

  • Civil Disobedience In Thoreau's Occupy Wall Street Movement

    1293 Words  | 3 Pages

    Though Thoreau 's basis was more along the lines of environmentalism he was quite the political man in his essay Civil Disobedience. Thoreau 's thoughts on the American government can be seen in the first few paragraphs

    Read More

  • Thoreau's Proposed Solution in Walden and Civil Disobedience

    1834 Words  | 4 Pages

    In Henry David Thoreau's Walden and Civil Disobedience, a problem is presented in the way in which we live our lives. Thoreau sees this problem and goes to Walden Pond to find the solution. Yet his solution is controversial in that it seems to propose actions that go against human nature. Thoreau's prescription for American desperation cannot be accepted by the masses for it is rooted in anti-socialism when humans are essentially social in nature. However, this conclusion is not entirely accurate, as one needs to explore Thoreau's entire solution and the intent of what he is saying in this work.

    Read More

  • Improving The Government In Thoreau's Civil Disobedience

    378 Words  | 1 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Henry David Thoreau's Resistance To Civil Government

    990 Words  | 2 Pages

    Thoreau understands that it is not the people’s sole responsibility to dedicate their lives in fighting corruption and social injustice, but he does hint at the importance of educating oneself on such matters. Doing so would ensure some change and progression that goes beyond simply voting, which, according to Thoreau, is not enough. In the text, he says, “Even voting for the right is doing nothing for it” (846). Some people, however, may either think this is enough or may be confident enough in the majority’s opinion to decide legislation, but this is imprudent to consider for “a wise man will not leave the right to the mercy of chance, nor wish it to prevail through the power of the majority” (846-847). This is what gives power to the government and allows the government to do as it pleases with its citizens. In other words, this is what creates the “authority” within

    Read More

  • Civil Disobedience

    639 Words  | 2 Pages

    Henry David Thoreau, a philosopher and creative artist as well as an anti slavery activist, wrote his short story “From Resistance to Civil Disobedience”. In this story he’s arrested for not paying his state taxes. At the time the state was engaged in the Mexican-American War that was not only fought over boundaries expanding slavery but was also enacted by President Polk under his own decision. Thoreau thought the war was too aggressive and without just reason.

    Read More

  • Civil Disobedience: Henry David Thoreau

    781 Words  | 2 Pages

    Thoreau espouses that the democratic party listens to and answers the majority, which are the desires of the most powerful group. The problem with this is that the most virtuous or thoughtful group is left aside because the government only pays attention to what the strongest group says. A government functioning on this principle cannot be based on justice, because the ideas of what is right and wrong is decided by the majority, not by conscience. Thoreau writes, "Must the citizen ever for a moment, or in the least degree, resign his conscience to the legislator? Why has every man a conscience, then? I think we should be men first, and subjects afterward. (p.178 para. 4)" He claims that it is more important for people to develop a respect for the right, instead of having a respect for the law, for it is people’s duty to do what is right.

    Read More

  • On the Duty of Civil Disobedience

    954 Words  | 2 Pages

    In a concise essay, Thoreau proffers a challenge to all men, "not to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right." Over and over, almost redundantly, Thoreau stresses simplicity and individualism, as most transcendentalists (the new philosophical and literary movement of Thoreau's time) did. Thoreau clearly states, in his On the Duty of Civil Disobedience, that the government is unjust and doesn't represent the will of the people, that one man can't change the government, and that people succumb unconsciously to the will of the government. The first of these is a ridiculous notion; the second contradicted and supported alternately throughout the essay so that one cannot be sure of what they agree or disagree with while reading it because it always contradicts itself in the following paragraph; and the last, a well-thought-out and legitimate concept.

    Read More

  • Similarities Between Walden And Civil Disobedience

    668 Words  | 2 Pages

    These he reflects on his beliefs and upon his release he reaffirms his belief of refusing to pay his poll tax. While he is willing to support parts of the government like building roads and schools he isn’t willing to “abet the injustice to a greater extent than the State requires”. Realistically Thoreau knows he can’t choose where his tax dollars go but still won’t pay full taxes because that is as if he is showing his total alliance to the government.

    Read More

  • Deciding To Die By Henry David Thoreau

    317 Words  | 1 Pages

    The government had always been useless to Thoreau. He lived in the woods on his own, only going into town for a few items. Independence from government was important. “I believe- ‘That government is best which governs not at all’;” ( Thoreau, 1). The less control the government has the more control a person has over their own life. Thoreau strongly

    Read More

  • Henry David Thoreau And The Civil Rights Movement

    1752 Words  | 4 Pages

    Inspired by the Second Great Awakening and his mentor, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Thoreau epitomized the core of the beginnings of the abolitionist movement. From a simple cabin in the woods, Thoreau initiated a counterculture movement of sorts as in Walden, he details his experience living in isolation from society in a cabin. Moreover, Thoreau rebelled against the social norms as he wrote Civil Disobedience, where he protested “this people must cease to hold slaves, and to make war on Mexico” (Thoreau 639). He voiced and introduced the idea of civil disobedience, where a group may refuse to obey a law because they believe the law is immoral as “all men recognize the right of revolution; that is, the right to refuse allegiance to, and to resist, the government, when its tyranny or its inefficiency are great and unendurable” (Thoreau 638). These two literary works encapsulate the atmosphere of the Transcendentalist era and the emergence of a new, raw breed of voices. This leaves us with an underlying question, what effect did their will and literary works have on society and even more,

    Read More

  • Summary Of Henry David Thoreau's Civil Disobedience

    1616 Words  | 4 Pages

    “Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth.” (Thoreau, Walden 246). Henry David Thoreau possessed the mind and spirit of a true individual. Whether writing about nature, government, or the precedents put into place by society, he was unafraid to speak what he felt was the truth. One of his well-known ideas, “out with the old, in with the new, ” held true during most of his life, making him a person who was constantly experiencing the “new” and acquiring insight to various things he felt were important. Even though Thoreau often felt that old ideas should be put to rest, many of his nineteenth century ideas still hold true to this day; these relevant ideas are ubiquitous throughout all of his works. In Walden, Thoreau discusses how without nature, man has no connection to himself. In “Civil Disobedience, ” Thoreau rises up, using the tone of a man who has seen tremendous injustice and blames not the government, but

    Read More

  • The Pursuit Of Freedom In Henry David Thoreau's Civil Disobedience

    829 Words  | 2 Pages

    There have been many controversial events that have happened all throughout history. Many of them due to the fight between your conscience and what you’re supposed to believe. People had to choose if they follow their heart or be like everyone else. Henry David Thoreau, a philosopher, wrote about this struggle in his essay, “Civil Disobedience.” Back in the 1960’s, when African Americans were heavily segregated against many people saw this as unjust and went against the government to fight for what they believe in. Things didn’t change for a long time, even though the job of our government was to protect people and give them their freedom and rights. In this current day a battle between the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline and the

    Read More

More about Civil Disobedience Thoreau's Diction

Open Document