John Thoreau s Walden And Slavery Essay - 1449 Words

The Journey from Enslavement to Freedom, from Society to Nature: A Cross-Examination of Themes in Thoreau’s Walden and â€Å"Slavery in Massachusetts† Working Thesis In Walden, Thoreau explains that to him, slavery is not only as simple as the historically common definition of the physical enslavement of a man or woman to another man. Slavery, in the abstract, is both mental and physical, and society represents a seemingly unavoidable, but somewhat overlooked form of slavery put upon us all. Thoreau hypothesizes and experiments with the journey from enslavement of society to freedom. What characterizes enslavement? Is it mental, physical, or both? How do people go about attaining their freedom? Can we ever achieve it completely? The journey from slavery to freedom is a prominent theme in Thoreau’s writings. This essay cross-examines these themes in the first chapter of Walden (â€Å"Economy†) with a discourse delivered by Thoreau at an anti-slavery convention, â€Å"Slavery in Massachusetts†, and argues for an interpretation of Thoreau’s concept of the journey from enslavement to freedom: All of society represents enslavement, with everyone being slaves in various degrees and forms, such as physical, mental, forced, voluntary, or self-inflicted. For Thoreau, the only paths to freedom are nature and God. TS #1 Slavery is not only physical; it is mental and even emotional with ties to the pressures and demands of everyday life. â€Å"Slavery in Massachusetts† responds to theShow MoreRelatedThe True Transcendentalist: Thoreau and Emerson775 Words   |  3 Pagesthe one that will be focused on is transcendentalism. Transcendentalism is intuition and individual conscience that helps lead to the truth. When transcendentalism began to start two people played a major role Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, but who is truly a transcendentalist. Ralph Waldo Emerson was born in Boston, Massachusetts on May 25, 1803. His father was a minister as well as seven of his male family members. He graduated from Harvard University at the age of eighteenRead MoreNatural Justice : The Crux Of Transcendentalism And Abolitionism1651 Words   |  7 PagesFillmore would not have signed the act without the pressure created by numerous slave rebellions over the last fifty years, with Nat Turner’s 1831 insurrection in Virginia being one of the most notable. Nevertheless, the law didn’t stop dissidents like John Brown in 1859 or Harriet Tubman from committing civil disobedience: in fact, such actions only strengthened the abolitionist movement and increased the likelihood of a civil war. 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She relies on common cliches of the â€Å"mile† walk back to Concord where Thoreau would feast on his mom’s homemade â€Å"cookies.† Contradictions that Thoreau himself commented on in Walden. Thoreau mentions in the book’s first sentence that he is but â€Å"a mile† from the village of Concord, the author seemingly self aware of his situation. Schultz criticism is overly literal, arguingRead MoreYour Freedom Is Not Free Ess ay1645 Words   |  7 Pagesfrom whatever shackles limited them from reaching their potentials, both literally and figuratively. Henry David Thoreau, Fredrick Douglass, and Ralph Waldo Emerson are exemplary writers of the nineteenth century who strove to articulate not only the ideas of freedom and justice, but also the means by which these ideals, which they themselves acted upon, might be realized. Thoreaus Walden and Resistance to Civil Government, Douglasss Narrative, and Emersons The American Scholar are reflectiveRead MoreMakenzie Mcfall. Mrs. South. Language Arts 11 . 2 February1788 Words   |  8 PagesMakenzie McFall Mrs. South Language Arts 11 2 February 2017 Henry David Thoreau Things do not change, we change, wrote Thoreau, in perhaps his most well known book, Walden. He was a most interesting man and lived a life full of changes and his works are still relevant today. Thoreau did not follow the traditional paths that most did during his time. The results of a life lived on its on merits and free to explore and adapt has provided us with invaluable writings that are relevant today.Read MoreThe Legacy Of Henry David Thoreau1991 Words   |  8 Pagessuccess against muscle and weapons. Yet, the enduring leadership and legacy of Henry David Thoreau, an early American author and abolitionist, has shaped the development and evolution of non-violent protest movements worldwide. This is the story of how the power of Thoreau’s words have shaped the arc of history for nearly 200 years: his pen was indeed mightier than the sword. Personal Background: Henry David Thoreau was born on July 12, 1817, in Concord, Massachusetts. He was also raised there for mostRead MoreHenry David Thoreau: The Grat Transcendentalist Essay1932 Words   |  8 PagesHenry David Thoreau along with a select group of people propelled the short movement of transcendentalism during the 1830s to the 1850s and was later brought up during the Vietnam War. Many of the transcendentalist ideas came from student who attended Harvard University during this time period. Henry David Thoreau’s individualistic anarchist views on society were developed throughout his early life and later refined in his years of solitude; these views on society and government are directly expressed