In 1849, Henry David Thoreau’s essay, Resistance to Civil Government, was published. The essay pushes for the opposition of the Mexican-American War and slavery, but also discusses the role of citizens in the government and the flaws in “majority rules”. Through his clever use of paradoxes and anecdotes he illuminates the complicated relationship between citizens and their government. Thoreau’s use of paradoxes reflects the contradictions and double-standards that citizens face when dealing with their government. For example, he opens with the statement, "That government is best which governs least". A government is instituted to protect the people and keep society structured, but how can it do so if it cannot regulate, or govern, them? He
“…this government never of itself furthered any enterprise…” (Thoreau, 1). Thoreau states his belief that the government never has its people in mind and only takes action when it will benefit the few rather than the majority. In this elaborate rant, Thoreau criticizes the government and the people who fail to make change in the country. Thoreau heavily relies on ethical and logical appeals to convey his clear message. “This is the whole history of ‘My Prisons’” (Thoreau, 10). Although Thoreau talks about how it is unethical for the country to go to war and promote slavery, to get people to sympathize with him, Thoreau summarizes his experience in jail for partaking in civil disobedience and not paying a tax. This anecdote depicted the country in a terrible light due to Thoreau’s description of the hateful jail experience. Although this strategy does emotionally appeal greatly to the audience, the full essay isn’t effective. Thoreau discusses many topics ranging from his personal experiences to flaws in the government, people, and legislature. In the eighteen pages of “Civil Disobedience”, Thoreau does not use transitional phrases when he switches between topics. Rhetorical questions’ abundance distracted the readers and it more than likely made them forget about the central theme. “Now what are they? Men at all? Or small movable forts and magazines, at the service of some unscrupulous man in power?” (Thoreau, 2). Rhetorical questions are used to evoke thought, but the use of some of them when they are not even related to the main message can distract the audience and make them think about something completely different. Thoreau also alluded to different events and people of the time. He also tended to allude to specific excerpts in literature in which he felt were related to what he was discussing. “Not a drum was heard, not a funeral note, as his corse to the rampart we hurried; not a
In Thoreau's "Civil Obedience" metaphor and parallelism are utilized to support his notion that the government fails to be one that is satisfactory. Thoreau's usage of metaphor expresses the uselessness that the government is. He writes, " It is a sort of wooden gun to the people themselves..." Here, Thoreau compares the government to a wooden gun, saying that it is as useless as one. He believes that the government is but a wooden gun to the people meaning that it is as useful for the people as a wooden gun would help a person, not useful at all.
“Government show thus how successfully men can be imposed on, even impose on themselves, for their own advantage.” – Henry David Thoreau.
Henry David Thoreau, an American essayist, philosopher, and historian around the 1800s, composed “Civil Disobedience” to uncover the rapid downfall of the American Government. Thoreau highlights “That Government does best when it does not govern at all”; and when the men are most ready for It, that will be the type of Government they will have, a Government-free one (Thoreau 1). Thoreau expresses his bravery in his writing to bear his nationalistic attitude, showing his hostility towards the American Government during that time; he asserts that the Government, in it’s present state is sinister and corrupted because the Government favors slavery and the Mexican war. Throughout his explanations, Thoreau argues that the American citizens should take complete control by being the true leaders of the government and not allow the Government to rescind or decay their consciences. To grab the reader’s attention and to lead them to a new kind of nationalism and it’s circumstance, Thoreau exquisitely makes use of the rhetorical elements of ethos, logos, and pathos.
Henry David Thoreau was an American philosopher known for his interest in politics; specifically raising awareness about the injustice committed by the American government. He’s the author of prominent works like Civil Disobedience and Slavery in Massachusetts, which set the setting for the United States at the time. Both of these works follow a common theme of perseverance through difficult times and the role of the self when choosing right from wrong. Thus, he was deeply engaged in the idea of individualism, suggesting that we are “men first and subject after”. His beliefs led him to refuse to pay taxes as an act of protest against the Mexican War; he was imprisoned for a night and this sparked in him the inspiration to write Civil
From the start of man fighting for freedom or his beliefs, the question has consistently been whether a person can wage a battle using words rather than actions. The notion of civil disobedience would seem to be an inept weapon against political inequity; history, however, has persistently proven it to be the most dynamic weapon of the individual. By refusing to pay his taxes and subsequently being imprisoned, Henry David Thoreau demonstrated this very defiance. Thoreau’s Resistance to Civil Government conveys the effectiveness of the individual conscience, renounces hypocrisy, and cultivates a sense of urgency where inaction creates a moral conflict. This path of responsibility paved by Thoreau gave our leaders of today the means they
In his expository essay Resistance to Civil Government, Henry Thoreau compares men serving in the armed forces of The United States to wooden statues and he discusses how the government has manipulated and used their men. Throughout the course of Thoreau’s essay, he challenges his reader to look beyond the superficial aspect of their country and address the issues that often go unnoticed. Thoreau dares readers to respond boldly to topics and decisions that they might consider unfair or unjust. Prompted by an instance in which he stood up for a tax that he thought was unjust, Thoreau writes a provoking, almost taunting essay in which he describes some of the abuses that the government has forced on its people.
Thoreau seems to be a very educated political thinker. He can be very stubborn but humble when it comes to his beliefs, “I have contemplated the imprisonment of the offender, rather than the seizure of his goods -- though both will serve the same purpose -- because they who assert the purest right, and consequently are most dangerous to a corrupt state… ”(Thoreau 24. 218). Thoreau has lived in the woods for over six years, without paying state taxes. When the police officer asked him to pay, the non-violently compiled and spent a day in jail. Thoreau did not want to fund the American Mexican war through taxes and believed that people shouldn't be forced to do what they don't think is right. He is also a very optimistic person and believes that the people themselves should be good people, live good lives and therefore we wouldn't need as many laws, “when men are prepared for it, that will be the kind of government which they will have.” (1. 210). Thoreau believes that the government is doing the best when doing the least, “I heartily accept the motto, -- “That government is best which governs least” …” (1. 210). Although Thoreau might have an unpopular opinion, he sticks with his beliefs throughout this essay. As he presents his opinion, he does it in the most classy yet confident arguments. He had the thought of the people in mind while writing, showing his good intentions of improving our government.
In Henry David Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience, he is writing to the American people. He is trying to spark a desire for change, for people to oppose their government without actions. He uses this work to criticize the American institution of slavery as well as the Mexican-American War. Thoreau is attempting to convey the importance of listening to one’s conscience over the laws, believing that it is more important to do what they feel is right rather than listen to the laws given by the majority. Thoreau feels that people should protest against their government, but not using violent actions. He is trying to persuade the people to voice their opinions and break the chain of majority rule. Thoreau is writing during the time of the war between the United States and Mexico, which took place between 1846 and 1848. He writes to oppose the government’s actions and policies during this time period. He refused to pay a tax that would support the war and was imprisoned for a day. Thoreau uses ethos, logos, and pathos to persuade his audience to agree with his view of the American government and to voice their oppositions.
The Statue of Liberty is an American symbol of justice and freedom from oppression, yet in Henry Thoreau's opinion, the U.S. government is completely antithetical. In Thoreau’s essay on civil disobedience, he introduces and accepts the motto, “That government is best which governs not at all.” In his eyes, the government does more harm than good for its people. Underneath his seemingly main idea, Thoreau implies an overall antithesis where he defines who, in his eyes, is allowed to be disobedient. In order to advance this main idea and reinforce this mottos throughout the essay, Thoreau uses metaphors and juxtaposition to strengthen this subtle antithesis found throughout the essay.
On March 13, 1964, Kitty Genovese was on her way back to her home in Queens, New York. Sometime before her home, she was attacked and stabbed by a serial killer. Despite thirty eight witnesses supposedly on scene, no one attempted to contact the police until the attacker was gone. This situation is a great example of a phenomenon called the bystander effect, which basically states that the more witnesses to a crime or major event, the less likely somebody will help. Basically, everyone believes someone else will be the first to provide assistance. The same applies to society, especially in the institution of politics. United States, a democratic society, allows all their citizens to vote. However, despite a system which enables the citizen to be independent, ironically it may sometimes encourage conformity. Both Henry David Thoreau, famous for his discussions on a subject that is a title of his essay Civil Disobedience and Machiavelli, author of The Qualities of the Prince, notice a pattern of conformity in society. When a major voting decision is not supported by a majority, people will often wait rather than advertise and fruitfully support their cause. Believing that their cause can only succeed if the majority is supportive, they wait until their chance is best to propose change. Machiavelli takes note of this behavior and writes a “manifesto” for a would-be prince to remain in charge and popular within the society. Thoreau’s speech about the factors leading to an
Resistance to Civil Government (Civil Disobedience) is an essay written based on his disproval’s and arguments about mistreatment from the government. Within Henry David Thoreau essay, he points out his views on how he sees people getting treated for being different. Henry David Thoreau believed that people should fight for their rights like everyone other citizens has. Henry David Thoreau illustrates in his essay, “But a government in which the majority rule in all cases cannot be based on justice, even as far as men understand it” . Henry David Thoreau sees and knows that the government has no justice towards the people, those who get their rights see it as
Henry David Thoreau was an American writer and protester, who wrote the influential essay “Civil Disobedience”. In his essay, he advocates for citizens to protest against government actions that they deem unjust and to stand up for one’s rights, putting morals before law,
Thoreau’s essay represents his beliefs about the government in 1849. He uses several logos with credible examples, and uses the emotions of the audience to support his argument. The first example of logos he uses is when he says, “The objections which have been brought against a standing army, and they are many and weighty, and deserve to prevail, may also at last be brought against a standing government.” His claim is that it is unconstitutional to have an army standing or ready when everything is peaceful. The government should act under this same rule; if there is peace then the government should not be standing so to speak. Throughout the essay he continues to provide credible examples of why the government abuses its power and is useless; such as when he says “Yet this government never of itself furthered any enterprise, but by the alacrity with which it got out of its way. It does not keep the country free. It does not settle the West. It does not educate. The character inherent in the American people has done all that has been accomplished; and it would have done somewhat more, if the government had not sometimes got in its