Walden and Resistance to Civil Government

Paper Summary:

While Henry David Thoreau's Walden and Resistance to Civil Government is frequently categorized as Thoreau's effort to escape from the confining nature of social interaction, it is usually overlooked that one of the major themes in his work was his opposition to reliance on government. This paper contextualizes Thoreau's writings with the example of Joseph and Valerie Wilson.

From the Paper:

"While Henry David Thoreau's Walden and Resistance to Civil Government is frequently categorized as Thoreau's effort to escape from the confining nature of social interaction, it is usually overlooked that one of the major themes in his work was his opposition to reliance on government. Thoreau did not find anything wrong with the American government in and of itself: he stressed in Walden that the ideals present within a democratic society are exceptional and a testament to the efforts of humankind. In contrast, however, Thoreau emphasizes that the government should never replace human interaction, or serve as a substitute. This is because government is incapable of helping human beings. Only human beings are responsible for helping human beings."

More papers on Walden and Resistance to Civil Government:

• Analytical Essay # 65101 : "Henry David Thoreau's "Resistance to Civil Government"
• Analytical Essay # 8908 : "Thoreau's Resistance to Civil Government"
• Term Paper # 16408 : "Henry David Thoreau"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: