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Similarities Between Grapes Of Wrath And Civil Disobedience

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Amidst tension, society’s view of government is controversial. The role of government, and whether interference with everyday lives is necessary, is essential in shaping the writings and beliefs of author John Steinbeck and transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau. Both men express the idea that government should not have an increasing role in the lives of people through their works, The Grapes of Wrath and Civil Disobedience, respectively. They emphasize that complexities in government are the root of the problem. Despite these similarities, Steinbeck’s view of a limited role of government strongly differs from Thoreau’s transforming view of a better government. Both Steinbeck and Thoreau clearly advocate their stance against increasing government interference in everyday lives. Steinbeck incorporated the philosophy of …show more content…

He suggests that the best solution is “not at once no government, but at once a better government” (Thoreau 1). Instead of condemning government as a whole, Thoreau seeks for it to understand that “there will never be a really free and enlightened state until the state comes to recognize the individual as a higher and independent power, from which all its own power and authority are derived” (Thoreau 4). Rather then stepping away from the affairs of the people, Thoreau simply wants the government to adapt to the power of the people. Through this, he reinstates a sense of democracy. Thoreau’s open mindset to change is proof that conditions will be better for those who are suffering, “for it matters not how small the beginning may seem to be: what is once well done is done forever” (Thoreau 7). Steinbeck, meanwhile, offers no clear alternative as to what the government should be, rather only offering what the government is. Thoreau elevates Steinbeck’s claim by shifting the meaning of authority, so that it can better resolve the problems of

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Thoreau believes that government should be lenient with their people and work with them for their common good, Gale actions as an individual shows that he agrees. In “Civil Disobedience” Thoreau explains his belief that the government should be tolerant. He explains, “[He] heartily accepts the motto, ‘That government is best which governs least’

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1995 Words | 8 Pages

Thoreau gives examples of slavery practice and the Mexican-American war to establish his point further. He asserts that the government itself becomes an obstacle between achieving its purpose, the purpose for which it was created. However, Thoreau makes it clear that he is against abolishing the government,

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943 Words | 4 Pages

Thoreau and Steinbeck’s Ideals for Government Since the beginning of early societies, people have evaluated the written rights in which the government provides its people, and the unwritten rules that keep many from living freely. Henry David Thoreau, in his essay, “Civil Disobedience”, discusses the importance of protecting one’s rights and using those rights to protest the government for its discrepancies. John Steinbeck, in his novel, Grapes of Wrath, presents a similar argument in Chapter 17, through the story of a community of families with a set system of governing.

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631 Words | 3 Pages

The Grapes of Wrath vs Civil Disobedience In the novel The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck and the essay On the Duty of Civil Disobedience by Henry Thoreau, both authors explore the individual’s role in society, as well as the individual’s rights. One of the main similarities between Thoreau’s essay and Chapter 17 of Steinbeck’s novel, is the idea that the government should have minimal involvement in the lives of the people. Although Thoreau takes a more aggressive stance on challenging the government, Steinbeck’s ideas of self-governing do resonate with Thoreau’s. However, the authors do contradict each other in regards to how the people should go against the government. Both authors’ work are similar in that they highlight the ideality

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897 Words | 4 Pages

Henry David Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience heavily criticizes the government for being too corrupt and also argues that the people have the right to refuse allegiance to the State. Because the government is unjust and corrupt, Thoreau calls for a change in how the government operates rather than abolishing the government entirely. Thoreau’s idea of a better government is a government that governs the least. This claim is elaborated as Thoreau states in his essay that the individuals with consciences should rule instead of the government officials that lack said consciences. For example, in part 1 paragraph 4, he mocks individuals such as soldiers and privates for showing respect to the government through marching admirably because they are going

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424 Words | 2 Pages

Thoreau states that, “no government would be best.” However, as a citizen what does in call for at once? Why? Thoreau is basically telling us that we need to rebel against the bad government.

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By making people ponder on the unjust laws in society Thoreau hopes that it will draw more attention to the matter and convince people to help support the cause. Thoreau utilizes this strategy again to draw people’s attention towards the malfunctioning of the current government. He attended to make people question their attitude towards their government. Thoreau asks “how does it become a man to behave towards this American government today? [He answers], that he cannot without disgrace be associated with it.

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Throughout history there have been many political changes that are either supported, or not, by citizens. In the given passage from, "Civil Disobedience," by Thoreau, a perspective of disagreeing with the government ways, is provided. Thoreau explains how a government should be in comparison to how it really is by utilizing his words to set the tone and mode, imagery to achieve his audience's understanding, and diction to make his writing scholarly. Although tone and mode are not directly stated, you can infer that Thoreau meant for his writing to be taken as serious and powerful. His implementation of words such as, "inexpedient," "execute," " integrity," and "command," makes one think about their lawful rights and reflect on what rights are supported or

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Thoreau 's views on the government by comparing the government to a machine. He states, ”When the machine was producing injustice, it was the duty of conscientious citizens to be ‘a counter friction’ (i.e., a resistance) "to stop the machine.” The two major issues being debated in the United States during his life was slavery and the Mexican-American War in which were major reasons he wrote his essays. In the mid to late 1840’s slavery has been indoctrinated into American society in which caused rifts between Americans.

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In the essay “Civil Disobedience,” written by Henry David Thoreau, he stated, “Government is at best an expedient, but most governments are usually, and all governments are sometimes, inexpedient.” This expresses his opinion about the government that controlled America during the mid 1800s. His essay expresses that the government only addresses how to deal with a majority of the population, instead of finding a way to serve individuals. Thoreau’s viewpoint on the government is why he feels the need for resistance. For Thoreau, resistance means doing what a person believes is morally right.

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Thoreau believed you should be able to take the consequences to stand up for what you believed in. In this essay I will be explaining that you should be able to stand up against the evil, support your believes, and take the consequences of your actions. Standing up against the evil is something everyone has to do if they want to start turning the wheel. To set an example to everyone why this evil should be stopped Thoreau simply didn’t pay the war tax. He showed that the government was just a machine.

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The individual's relationship to the state is a concept often entertained abstractly; at variance with this is Civil Disobedience, which analyzes Thoreau's first direct experience with state power in his brief 1846 imprisonment. Thoreau metaphorically detailed his search for virtue in the quote, "The finest qualities of our nature, like the bloom on fruits, can be preserved only by the most delicate handling. Yet we do not treat ourselves nor one another thus tenderly." (Thoreau 8) In Civil Disobedience Thoreau as earnest seeker and flawed captive of the conscience concertedly attempts to correct this shortcoming within the context of slavery and the Mexican-American War.

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1332 Words | 6 Pages

Thoreau’s view on the society as he states, “In most cases there is no free exercise whatever of the judgment or of the moral sense; but they put themselves on a level with wood and earth and stones; and wooden men can perhaps be manufactured that will serve the purpose as well” go to show that it was harder to have individuality and to refuse the governments ways. Now-a-days the practice of civil disobedience has allowed citizens to practice non-conformity with the protection of amendments but back then while the nation was just growing they had to have more power and that, “so long as the interest of the whole society requires it, that is, so long as the established government cannot be resisted or changed without public inconveniency, it is the will of God that the established government be obeyed, and no longer" as quoted by Paley. The society was most likely pushed towards acceptance of the government and weren’t as self-reliant to make change in their

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1371 Words | 6 Pages

A government’s improvement revolves solely around recognizing the rights of men: “There will never be a really free and enlightened State until the State comes to recognize the individual as a higher and independent power, from which all its own power and authority are derived, and treats him accordingly” (Thoreau, 1847/1998, p. 146). The people form the government. A

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1365 Words | 6 Pages

Thoreau explains that the state and societies prison “never intentionally confronts a man’s sense, intellectual or moral, but only his body, his senses. It is not armed with superior wit or honesty, but with superior physical strength” and furthermore that he “was not born to be forced. I will breathe after my own fashion” (1990). Therefore, Resistance to Civil Government is validating that prison is confinement and conformity, however, Thoreau will not be conforming to any such conformist state and neither should the reader. Thoreau finally reinforces that he is “not responsible for the successful working of the machinery of society” and that “if a plant cannot live according to its nature, it dies; and so man” (1990), Thoreau is explicating that society needs to be responsible for its self and become self-reliant, just as an individual should be, because it is the nature of the world and society and if it cannot live as such then it will not continue

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