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Thoreau Spent In Jail: The Drawbacks Of Isolation

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The Drawbacks of Isolation
Without a doubt, people of all ages are constantly trying to fit in.They try to mold themselves into the type of person society says they should be in order to be accepted. Some are too concerned with gaining the approval of others that they lose themselves along the way. Eventually, they'll stop listening to society and try to figure out who they are as an individual. In the play The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail, which was written by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, the protagonist named Henry David Thoreau encounters challenges because he goes against the norms of society. He isolates himself from everyone to figure out his purpose in life only to rejoin society later on. There's two common methods people use when …show more content…

There may be some influence but at the end of the day we are the ones who consequently have control over our own beliefs and views. We can chose to agree with what others and what society thinks or we can disagree. While squabbling over how to make a difference to Waldo, Thoreau interjects, “Cast your whole vote. Not just a strip of paper! Your whole influence” (Lawrence and Lee 92). Waldo thought he could make a difference by simply casting a vote but Thoreau argues that one has to actually go out and do something about the issue at hand. Even though Thoreau respects and agrees with most of Waldo’s beliefs, he is still able to generate his own opinions. It can be beneficial to hear someone else’s beliefs because one can determine whether or not they agree and they can learn about multiple different viewpoints. Overall, they will gain more knowledge from other people that can help them figure out what they …show more content…

Obtaining even the smallest ounce of new knowledge can completely change one’s opinion on something. When Thoreau is in jail, he shares his cell with Bailey. During their time in the cell together, Thoreau opens Bailey up to a bunch of new possibilities just by sharing what he knows. At one point Thoreau exclaims, “Everything’s wrong-- when a man only thinks about himself” (Lawrence and Lee 108). This shows how we need, maybe even crave, interactions with other humans. We can truly learn from the success and failure of others but that is only feasible if we share our encounters with each other. The exchange of knowledge is all a person needs to realize something about themselves. This cannot be achieved through

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