Civil+Disobedience-Part+1

Focus questions


 * __Thesis and Argument__**

The government is relatively ineffective in acting on the citizens’ behalf, while practicing immoral expediency. For this reason Thoreau is correct in thinking that the government should have a much smaller, or have a more considerate role in society while the American people, unlike their government, need to put their moral sense first at all costs.

He uses his ideas and facts about the time period (mid-19th century) to persuade people to be more individualistic, take action, and to act in justice no matter what the costs. He applies his ideas to current events such as slavery and the Mexican American War, and explains his views on the way government and society should be structured.

--“That government is best which governs least”.

Thoreau sees that the government has the ability to be “abused and perverted”, so that even though the people elected them to execute their will, they can change and no longer represent the will of the people.

--“Witness the present Mexican war, the work of comparatively a few individuals using the standing government as their tool; for, in the outset, the people would not have consented to this measure.”

He mentions the Mexican war because it is the perfect example of government acting on its own, and against the will of the people. He argues that the government somewhat stands in the way of the American people.

---“It is not a man's duty, as a matter of course, to devote himself to the eradication of any, even the most enormous wrong; he may still properly have other concerns to engage him; but it is his duty, at least, to wash his hands of it, and, if he gives it no thought longer, not to give it practically his support.”
 * __Persuasion__**

Thoreau uses Logos persuasion, which means he uses reason to persuade the audience. Thoreau says that while everyone recognizes the right to revolution when faced with an intolerably tyrannical or inefficient government, most people say that such a revolution would not be warranted under current conditions. But in this situation of having one sixth of the population in slavery and the country in a war that is supported by the majority, not necessarily the most virtuous people; there are tremendous injustices shown that Americans can’t allow to go on.


 * __Tone and Mood__**

The overall mood put on to the reader by Henry David Thoreau is a mood of seriousness. Thoreau evokes the reader to take action. He uses real examples such as the Mexican- American War that deal with real issues. These examples make the reader frustrated and help them understand Thoreau’s point. This is Thoreau’s goal so that the reader will challenge the government.

Thoreau uses a strong and convincing tone. This tone adds to what he is writing because the reader takes the document seriously as well as the ideas that Thoreau has. The overall tone is also a worried and cautious because he is trying to seek the best government possible for his country and fears what might happen if the people don’t take the innovative.

Thoreau uses formal and appealing language. He is trying to persuade the reader to listen to his ideas. Thoreau does this by using smart language that appeals to the reader. It makes him sound more knowledgeable and believable.

"This American government — what is it but a tradition, though a recent one, endeavoring to transmit itself unimpaired to posterity, but each instant losing some of its integrity? It has not the vitality and force of a single living man; for a single man can bend it to his will."


 * __Organization__**

He uses rhetorical questions throughout this section to stimulate reader’s minds and to emphasize his points. His questioning and answering technique really helped him to get his point across.

--“Can there not be a government in which majorities do not virtually decide right and wrong, but conscience?”

Thoreau says that by answering to the majority, democracies answer the desires of the strongest group, not necessarily the most virtuous or thoughtful. He argues that a government founded on this principle cannot be based on justice.

--“Must the citizen ever for a moment, or in the least degree, resign his conscience to the legislator? Why has every man a conscience then?”

He insists that it is more important to develop a respect for what is right, rather than a respect for law, because people's obligations are to do what is right.

--“Now, what are they? Men at all? Or small movable forts and magazines, at the service of some unscrupulous man in power?”

He discusses how too much respect for law leads people to do many unjust things, as is seen in the government sanctioned standing armies. Soldiers become only a shadow of their humanity; the government shapes them into machines. Soldiers have no opportunity to exercise moral sense, reduced to an existence like a “horse or dog.”

__**Literary Terms**__ The language does not have very much rhythm because it is separated a lot using colons and has a lot of run-on sentences throughout the whole essay. Sentences are both long and short; most of his long sentences are long because he is listing things to emphasize what is wrong with society and the government. His long sentences that are run-ons are run-ons because they show how things can be so chaotic. “A common and natural result of an undue respect for law is, that you may see a file of soldiers, colonel, captain, corporal, privates, powder-monkeys, and all, marching in admirable order over hill and dale to the wars, against their wills, ay, against their common sense and consciences, which makes it very steep marching indeed, and produces a palpitation of the heart.” Thoreau's shortest sentences are questions that emphasize a specific point which is then answered by a sentence using powerful words. “Now, what are they? Men at all? or small movable forts and magazines, at the service of some unscrupulous man in power?” Thoreau uses a variety of different sentence structures. Most of them however are compound-complex sentences separated by a colon. He does this to emphasize the idea that there are many reasons why the government should be changed and is not helpful. He chooses to repeat it because he is showing how the government should not run the country because the government is not the one that is helping the people directly. //“It //<span style="color: rgb(227, 108, 10)"> does not keep the country free. //It// does not settle in the West. //It// does not educate.” <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(227, 108, 10)">Thoreau uses //“It”// to emphasize the government. <span style="color: rgb(227, 108, 10)"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(227, 108, 10)">Thoreau also emphasizes the word conscience. <span style="color: rgb(227, 108, 10)">“It is truly enough said that a corporation has no conscience; but a corporation of conscientious men is a corporation //with a// conscience.” <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(227, 108, 10)"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(227, 108, 10)">Thoreau uses very empowering words such as palpitation, unscrupulous, and also italicizes words to emphasize their importance. <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(227, 108, 10)">“//It… It… It..”, “…//but //at once…”, “…with// a conscience.”, “…//posse comitatus// etc.”//,// Bibliography Thoreau, Henry. "Civil Disobedince Part I." 30 Mar 2008 <[|http://thoreau.eserver.org/civil1.html>.]

JWachman EEdles TAndrews

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