Civil Disobedience

An element of transcendentalism in “Civil Disobedience” can be observed in Thoreau’s emphasis on people following their own conscience. Thoreau believes that one must strive to make the ideal real....

In "Civil Disobedience," Thoreau uses several metaphors, including the government as a machine, which he argues citizens must be a counter friction to stop its injustice. He also compares the state...

The tone of Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience" is passionate and indignant as he protests being jailed for not paying his taxes. He is emotionally invested in the idea of a small, moral, and ethical...

In paragraph 21 of "Civil Disobedience," Thoreau primarily uses pathos, appealing to the audience's sense of decency and moral courage by urging citizens to oppose slavery through tax resistance. He...

In "Civil Disobedience," Thoreau criticizes materialism, arguing that wealth corrupts moral integrity, leading people to prioritize maintaining wealth over virtue. He believes that the rich, bound to...

Thoreau’s audience in “Civil Disobedience” is the American public, all those people who pay taxes and are considered to be citizens. It is this group of individuals that has the most power to...

Thoreau predicts that slavery will not be eradicated through democratic processes, as he believes masses lack virtue and majorities act only when indifferent or when little is left to abolish. He...

Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience" contrasts the ideas of a "governing government" versus a "non-governing government," advocating for minimal government interference. He argues that the best government...

Thoreau uses a variety of techniques to create an attitude of urgency in the reader. He makes bold, brash statements, beginning with “That government is best which governs not at all.” His passion...

Thoreau valued citizen liberty more than material equality, as evidenced in "Civil Disobedience." He believed government should preserve individual freedoms and not enforce unjust laws, like...

In "Civil Disobedience," Thoreau does not directly address racism but condemns slavery and criticizes societal inaction against it. He advocates for individuals to follow their conscience over unjust...

Thoreau's essay aligns with American Romanticism through its emphasis on individuality and self-reliance, core Romantic values. He advocates for individuals stepping outside societal or governmental...

Thoreau, Gandhi, and Mandela all reflect optimism through their belief in social justice and the power of individual conscience. Thoreau is optimistic that people can discern and act against unjust...

Thoreau's excerpt from "Civil Disobedience" argues for civil disobedience against unjust laws, emphasizing the moral duty to resist laws that compel complicity in immorality. He criticizes the...

Thoreau categorizes citizens into three main groups in "Civil Disobedience." The first group serves the state with their bodies, like soldiers and police, who follow orders without judgment. The...

The connection between chapter 11 of Walden and "Civil Disobedience" by Henry David Thoreau is that in both writings the author discusses the evolution of humankind in terms of morality and purity....