Thoreau

A detailed Summary of Thoreau


Henry David Throeau's continuous life theme was his struggle to survive in the world without selling out like he felt most of society had already done. From Thoreau's Resistance to Civil Government and Slavery in Massachusetts, I selected six principles that, taken as a whole, create a guide to life for someone who values the self and personal conscience above the group and collective rules.

Principle One: It is better to discern right from wrong, just from unjust, by

conscience than by simply following man-made laws.

Principle Two: Once truth has been discerned, fight for what is believed to be

morally right, even if it involves self-sacrifice.

Principle Three: There is no shame in being poor since virtue is not found in the

accumulation of monetary wealth.

Principle Four: Self-respect is attained when personal opinion is formed based on

conscience rather than external influence.

Principle Five: Look to a higher source than mankind for morality.

Principle Six: Actions reveal true character.

These six principles provide a revolutionary instruction manual for living and express expectations for humanity that are much higher than those expectations expressed by the government through t


he enactment of laws. This is not surprising since Thoreau was a transcendentalist. With this philosophical school of thought as his guide, he endeavored to live a life that transcended the law and looked to a higher substantial truth. His writing abounds with the transcendental principles of self-reliance, personal integrity and

Essay for English Literature II using Norton's Anthology as a text



Some common words found in the essay are:
Six Actions, Government Action, Slavery Massachusetts, David Throeau's, Principle Self-respect, six principles, Principle Five, Norton's Anthology, Literature II, moral conscience, Essay Question, Resistance Civil, resistance civil government, real truth, resistance civil, civil government, live life, guide life, belief people, selected six, values self, selected six principles,

Approximate Word count = 820
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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