The government wanted people to see that even though men are hurting they should still defend their country and the democracy that they want the word to share. Explanation: This passage as a whole encourages citizens to take appropriate civic action when they disagree with their government.
Although Thoreau mentions the army, the intended audience is the group of average American citizens, not the minority of leaders in any particular sect of government or religion. This legacy cannot be a bad thing and has to represent a fundamental rationale behind why Thoreau is still important today.
Thoreau argued that the government must end its unjust actions to earn the right to collect taxes from its citizens. As long as the government commits unjust actions, he continued, conscientious individuals must choose whether to pay their taxes or to refuse to pay them and defy the government. He spent a night in jail after refusing to pay a poll tax. Thoreau held deeply felt political views, opposing slavery and the Mexican-American War.
In this chapter, Thoreau encourages us to become independent and to have a purposeful life. Quiet desperation is acceptance of—and surrendering to—circumstances. Thoreau's adoption of Transcendentalist beliefs was reflected in both his writing about nature as well as his political views. The Transcendentalists believed that though the world of the soul was paramount, it was necessary to recognize the truth and beauty of God's creation in the natural world.
Thoreau took that one step farther, arguing in Walden that the divine exists not just in all people but can be perceived in all of nature. Furthermore, the idea of immanence served to strengthen Thoreau's belief in the equality of all people and support his abolitionist arguments. In " Civil Disobedience ," Thoreau urged people to look into themselves, rather than to society, to provide them with values by which to live and to take it upon themselves to oppose injustice in society.
Published in , Walden enjoyed a moderately succesful first-run and continued its popularity into the s. At that time, a series of unflattering biographies and harsh critical responses threatened to do away with Walden. Only in the , when a favorable biography of Thoreau by Englishman Henry Salt sparked a resurgence in Thoreau's popularity, did Walden begin its ascent to the literary fame it now enjoys.
New editions of Thoreau's work were published in and In the s an increase of interest culminated in Henry Seidel Canby's biography of Thoreau. New editions of Walden and of Thoreau's other works have been published continually since then. In , the Thoreau Society was founded in Concord. Their mission is to honor Thoreau, stimulate interest in his writing, life, and times, and collect articles of memorabilia.
The beach at Walden Pond and surrounding woods have long been at the center of an ongoing debate concerning use. Thoreau's house, removed from its site in , was excavated in the s. Bronson Alcott, in his old age, had been marked the spot at which he remembered the house stood with a stone. Over the years, visitors have added stones of their own to the spot.
A replica of the cabin, based upon a sketch by Thoreau's sister Sophia and his description in Walden and his journals, stands near the park. The Question and Answer section for Walden is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. Another advantage Thoreau had was his ability to obtain a loan.
During his time there were many people, mainly minorities who this luxury was completely unattainable. However, Thoreau does not address any of his privilege or advantages in Walden. Levine, Robert, and Arnold Krupat. Norton Anthology American Literature. Edited by Nina Baym, 8th ed.
Thoreau, Henry David. Walden: Life in the Woods. Ticknor and Fields, This is a replica of the home built by Thoreau. This replica of his home is what Thoreau lived in while writing Walden.
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