David Thoreau - biography essays

David Thoreau - biography essays Henry David Thoreau harbored many anarchist thoughts toward the American government of the decades before the Civil War, which he collected and wrote about in the essay, Civil Disobedience. The essay contains a powerful message that would not only reflect Thoreau's own views toward the Mexican war, but also give the essay a powerful anti-slavery message, as well as affect the whole idea of Civil Rights, as well as shape the leaders of Civil Rights. When examining the essay, Civil Disobedience, you must also learn the reasoning of the essay. Henry David Thoreau lived a quiet life in a small cabin he had built in Walden. Thoreau thought paying his taxes was wrong in principal, Thoreau declares that he cannot associate with the American government, because it is a slave's government. In comparison with the Civil Disobedience essay, is the John F. Kennedy innaguration speech. In the speech, he says ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country. In comparison to the government, Thoreau states that it does not keep the country free. It does not settle the West. It does not educate. Thoreaus view of the government is the exact opposite of John F. Kennedys. As Kennedy is trying to promote citizen involvement in the government, Thoreau discourages it, since the citizen has kept the country free, settles the west, and educated the public. The two views of Kennedy and Thoreau were quite different, as were there times of life. Thoreau would much rather overthrow the government than help it, the exact opposite of Kennedy, trying to restore faith in the government. Thoreau lived in a period were there was not much faith in the government, protests were very common, and the nation was about to split into two parts, partially explaining his quote. This comparison is just showing how much more different that views have become since the Civil War, faith in the government, ...