Henry David Thoreau's Beliefs

Emerson’s book on Self-Reliance was one of his greatest books of all time. His way is what shaped a person's independency from society. This would come to explain one of his greatest followers on his teachings which was Henry David Thoreau. Henry David Thoreau was heavily influenced by Emerson’s ways. If anything Thoreau fit Emerson’s definition of Self-Reliance. This can be proven by how Thoreau heavily opposed slavery, how he was able to move into the Woods to start his journey, and lastly how he deeply opposed to the Mexican-American war that he went on strike and decided not to pay war taxes. These actions based on Emerson’s definition on Self-Reliance would well describe Thoreau way of life. Thoreau’s idea on Civil Disobedience was that there is a need to prioritize one’s conscience over the dictates of laws. To criticizes American social institutions and policies, but importantly the slavery and the Mexican-American war. In the beginning Thoreau goes on about how he disapproves about

Thoreau never said he felt alone, felt the need to go back to society. Instead he said “ Some of my most pleasantest hours were during long rainstorms in the spring or fall, which confined me to the house for the afternoon as well as the forenoon”. From this Thoreau was clearly staying that even alone he had no need for society for he enjoyed every moment which came to him in his journey, from the positives to the negative moments in life he enjoyed every second. He also goes on to mention that “If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer”. Thoreau in this quote I believe is trying to say that if a man is not able to stay with what he originally thought was right, then perhaps it’s because he think someone’s way is better. From this Thoreau’s thoughts from Nature still lean towards that of Emerson’s definition of