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Transcendentalism In Henry David Thoreau's Resistance To Civil Government

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Ralph Waldo Emerson began the Transcendentalist Movement, inspiring several writers, including Henry David Thoreau. Transcendentalism stresses the importance of society, whether society shapes or corrupts an individual. In Resistance To Civil Government the quote, “Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also prison” coincides with the importance of society, and in this instance, corrupting individuals by imprisoning unjustly. Transcendentalism stresses the value of a person’s mind rather than the value of material things. According to Transcendentalism, self-trust and self-reliance are essential parts of living. Intuition and conscience over logic and heart over the mind should have more importance and dictate a person’s actions. Through Thoreau’s quote, aspects of Transcendentalism come forth. …show more content…

Thoreau criticizes American social institutions, preaching to Americans the unjustness of the government. Not only does Thoreau expose Americans to the unjust actions of the government but asks what Americans are willing to do to change the unjustness happening. By not paying taxes, Thoreau expresses his civil disobedience. He chooses to break the law because he prioritizes his conscious over society’s rules. Thoreau expects people to also make the choice he makes of civil

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