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Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau

            In "Civil Disobedience," Henry David Thoreau argues that individuals of good conscience should actively face unreasonable government policies through nonviolent means, such as denying to pay taxes. Thoreau also argues that they should even be eager to go to jail rather than allowing immoral or unethical government laws and activities to take place.
             Thoreau uses several different rhetorical techniques throughout his work in Civil Disobedience. For instance, just in describing his experience in prison, Thoreau includes a strong use of pathos, imagery and symbolism. These various rhetorical techniques contribute in persuading his audience that it is "not too soon for honest men to rebel and revolutionize." The use of pathos is evident in Thoreau's writing, especially when he is speaking about his time in jail. He appeals to emotion and tries to lure sympathy from the audience by talking about his interesting experiences while being there and by how unjust the government is. A great example of Thoreau using pathos is when he is talking about why his cell mate was in jail. In his text, he asks his fellow prisoner why he was in; the prisoner states, "they accuse me of burning a barn; but I never done it." This quote not only makes the government seem that they're unfair, but also when he states that he has been waiting for his trial for around three months, and will most likely have to wait that same amount of time before he actually receives his trial. How Thoreau describes this gives the impression that an innocent man is waiting half of a year just to try and prove his innocence while having to wait in jail. This inevitably draws sympathy from the audience.
             Throughout his writing of the jail, multiple examples of imagery are utilized. Such examples include: "he showed me where to hang my hat.The rooms were whitewashed once a month." Thoreau uses this imagery to help explain the setting in his prison cell which hints to the audience that his sentence really isn't all that terrible.


Essays Related to Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau

1. Civil Disobeidence...Henry David Thoreau

Reflecting on Civil Disobedience and Other Essays written by Henry David Thoreau, the reader is able to capture his life philosophy. For instance, in "Civil Disobedience" he addresses man's obligation to stand up to what is right and moral and in "Life Without Principle" he emphasizes the importance of knowing one's self in order to live a meaningful life. However, in "Walking" I feel we capture the true spirit of Henry David Thoreau. Thoreau starts off his essay by explaining the art of walking. ... That simply shows the feelings that Thoreau has for nature. ...

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2. Henry David Thoreau

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4. Henry David Thoreau

Henry David Thoreau, an American writer, philosopher and transcendentalist, was born in Concord, Massachusetts, on July 12, 1817. ... Although many disagreed with him, Henry David Thoreau expressed his beliefs and ideas through his actions and words. ... Henry David Thoreau wrote five essays and gave many lectures against slavery. ... "Civil Disobedience- is an essay by Thoreau that speaks of being true to one's morals before the laws of the state. ... Henry David Thoreau took a strong opposition to the Mexican War. ...

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  • Approx Pages: 9
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5. Influences of Civil Disobedience

For example, Henry David Thoreau was one of these people. Thoreau, the Transcendentalist author of Civil Disobedience, published in 1849 influenced a number of people that shared his views on social justice. ... Both written works reflected the powerful ideas of Henry David Thoreau's, Civil Disobedience. ... Henry David Thoreau, Howard Zinn, and Martin Luther King all supported the idea of citizens having a strong voice in government. ... Henry David Thoreau, Martin Luther King Jr., and Howard Zinn were all men with good intentions and morals, but definitely not perceived as good citizens...

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6. Civil Disobedience

Henry David Thoreau wrote an essay entitled "Civil Disobedience" in which he explained his reasons for not paying taxes to a government fighting an unjust war. Although Thoreau and Luther both agree on the act of civil disobedience, there is one author, Louis Waldman, who wrote an article entitled "Civil Rights-Yes: Civil Disobedience-No". ... Although Henry David Thoreau did not go out and publicly protest his beliefs, he also was arrested for a cause that he thought needed to be brought to attention. In Thoreau's essay entitled "Civil Disobedience", he explains his reason for not pay...

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Henry David Thoreau Henry David Thoreau was a man who expressed his beliefs of society, government, and mankind while living under his own self-criticism. ... Henry David Thoreau was born on the 12th of July 1817 in Concord, Massachusetts, eighteen miles northwest of Boston (Concise 349). ... Thoreau's father, John, was a small, quiet man who got along with Henry on the surface, but it seems that the two never quite understood each other's desires. ... Cynthia Thoreau, Henry's mother, was more of an outspoken, dynamic, person. ... The Thoreau's were a tight knit family....

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8. Thoreau

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9. Why is Civil Discobedience Necessary?

Although many would point Henry David Thoreau as the father of civil disobedience, since he was the first person using the term when in 1848 he wrote "Resistance to Civil Government," there is existent records that show that civil disobedience has been around for a long time. ... Carried by the motto "that government is best which governs least,"[Thoreau] Henry David Thoreau, defines "Civil Disobedience" as "a pacific act of willful resistance, achieved by not obeying laws he considers to be unmoral and unjust [Thoreau].... What does Thoreau, and Goldman with their re...

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