Friday, December 2, 2011

thoreau

This piece of writing, can be summarized as being about how Thoreau believed in the fact that the government that is better, if it is the least governed. So this shows, how Thoreau had believed that the government should not be so powerful as to dictate the lives of the people. So even though Thoreau believed in there being an government in place, he believed the least the government ruled the better for all.
Thoreau also explained, how if ones allow the government to abuse power, than it will be harder for the people to protest and fight to overthrow the government.
The connection, that I had to this writing, is that it made me think of Gandhi. This is due to the fact, that both men believed in practicing one's beliefs without violence. Gandhi had credited Thoreau with the abolition of slavery in the States. Also, Thoreau's writing appeared to be applicable otowhat the peoples in India were going through.
Also, Gandhi had been an Indian leader that had been impressed by the works of Thoreau. In 1907, he had written an synposis for the opinons of Indians.
One question that came to mind, was "I wonder what Thoreau would have thought of government in America today"?. Also, I wonder what Thoreau would have thought about countries like China and North Korea, were the people live in communism"?. Lastly, this piece of reading could be applied towards other readings that was completed in class. These readings are Emerson's "Self-Reliance". As one reads writings by these two infleuntial thinkers, one cannot help but be able to recognize the similiarities between these two Romantic writers.
Lastly, I feel as though Thoreau provided the way for other Romantic writers. This had been due to the fact, that Thoreau had an sense of wanting to show elements of infleunce and imagination that was an huge part of Romanticism. Thoreau had been labeled as being an Transcendentalism, as well as Ralph Waldo Emerson. I feel as though both thinkers wrre very talented and showed strong ideals about government and society. Thoreau was an huge part of the Romantic movement in America, due to the fact that he seemed to possess an high level moral enthusiasm, an committing to the unraveling of the self and the individual, and an assumption on the fact that the natural world was evil, while the human society was filled with corruption. Also, Thoreau believed in having an emphasis on intuitive perceptions. Lastly, it is important to remember Thoreau in the terms of being an thinker, writer, and poet. Thoreau believed that one should practiced, what they believed in. Thoreau was an person, that believed in many morals.

1 comment:

  1. I have several comments, to make about Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience". One comment, is that Thoreau was not neccessarily against government. However, Thoreau believed in an better government. Also, there is the question, of such an thing as natural laws?. It is believed that if all people were perfect, there would be no need for government of any kind. Also, Thoreau believed in an anti-repressive government. He believed that taxes supported slavery. That was why, Thoreau protested taxes. Thoreau also believed in no proposed way of governing. He thought that, the more government that people were against, the more government that people would have to change. Lastly,Thoreau asked the question if, people should just go along with ideals, to keeep from rocking the boat. Also, is losing things worth the process of protesting?. And if one should break laws, to prove that their ideals are right.

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