tom Walden na Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau Building Background Writer and Rebel During the two years that Thoreau lived at Waiden Pond (from 1845 to 1847), it was an isolated spot; he had few neighbors and certainly none that he could see from his cabin in the woods. Thoreau used the pond for drinking water and washing and occasionally relied on its fish to provide him with dinner. It was. hile living here that Thoreau completed his first book, A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Fivers, and began recording his ‘experiences at Walden Pond in his journal. His solitude and productivity were interrupted briefly in 1846, however, when he was jailed for refusing to pay his poll tax. Thoreau had stopped paying this Hay Dovid Thoreou tax in protest of the war with Mexico. His eventual arrest inspired the Aarne famous essay, “Civil Disobedience.” Henry David Tooreawfathtuly Aept a journal after his neigh- Literary Focus tor Ralph Waldo Emerson, Allusion You may have heard the saying, “A picture is worth a suggested he use dary entries thousand words.” An allusion does the same thing because it allows ‘sanoutet forthe thoughts an author to suggest an entire philosophy or line of thought with just @ ‘hat swirled around in his few words. For example, if you were to refer to your friend as a “major ‘wa. Fo the net twenty league in-line skater” it would conjure up images of someone who is a years, while working various ‘serious professional and has reached the top of his or her field. As you ial ote ie cra ete read the selections, watch for the allusions Thoreau uses, ‘sa handyman for Emerson, where is tasks included raking gloves for his Writer's Notebook chicks to protect the garden Getting Away from It All If you were given the chance to get away fom tet tawe—Thoreau from your everyday life—school, homework, and any other responsi- recorded his observations, bilities you have—and be alone for a while, what would you do? ‘ought, opinions, and ‘cvs. From his journal «ati, he composed his | mostfamous work, Walden, | Where would you go? Jot down a few ideas, and then outline some of the pros and cons of taking a solitary journey. Later, you'll want to compare your imagined journey to Thoreau’s life in the woods. Walden 225In 1845 Thoreau built a cabin in the woods by Walden Pond and lived there for two yenrs. He wanted to simplify his life to the point where he could learn what the true essentials in life were. While there, he planned to write and study nature. Thoreau began his book, Walden, after he lett pond, and finished it in 1854. Modern photographer Elliot Porter, who tok the photo om the right, has found inspiration for his work in Thoreau’s writing HENRY DAVID THOREAU When first I took up my abode in the woods, that is, began to spend ar nights as well as days there, which, by accident, was on Independence Day on the fourth of July, 1845, my house was not finished for winter, but ws merely a defense against the rain, without plastering or chimney, the walt being of rough weatherstained boards, with wide chinks, which made t cool at night. The upright white hewn studs and freshly planed door ané window casings gave ita clean and airy look, especially in the morning, when its timbers were saturated with dew, so that I fancied that by noon some sweet gum would exude from them, To my imagination it retained throughout the day more or less of this auroral character, reminding me of a certain house on a mountain which I had visited the year before. This was an airy and unplas- tered cabin, fit to entertain a traveling god, and where a goddess might trail her garments. The winds which passed over my dwelling were such as sweep over the ridges of mountains, bearing the broken strains, or celestial parts only, of terrestrial music. The morning wind forever blows, the poem of creation is uninterrupted; but few are the ears that hear it. Olympus' is but the outside of the earth every where. I was seated by the shore of a small pond, about a mile and a half south of the village of Concord and somewhat higher than it, in the midst of an extensive wood between that town and Lincoln, and about two miles south of that our only field known to fame, Concord Battle Ground; but I was so low in the woods that the opposite shore, half a mile off, like the rest, covered with wood, was my most distant horizon. For the first week, whenever I looked out on the pond itimpressed, me like a tarn high up on the side of a mountain, its bottom far above the surface of other lakes, and, as the sun arose, I saw it throwing off its nightly clothing of mist, and here and there, by degrees, its soft ripples or its smooth reflecting sur- face was revealed, while the mists, ike ghosts, were stealthily® withdrawing in every direction into the woods, as at the breaking up of some nocturnal conventicle. 1. Olympus (6 lim/pos), mountain home of the gods in Greck mythology. 2 (stelth’a Ie), adu. secretly; yy. 226° Uni Tuner: American GiasstcThe very dew seemed to hang upon the trees later into the day than usual, as on the sides of mountains went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essen- tial facts of life, and see if I could not Tearn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear, nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck outall the marrow of life, to live so stur- dily and Spartanlike® as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to rive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest, terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true accountof tin my next excursion. For most men, it appears to me, are in a strange uncertainty about it, whether itis of the devil or of God, and have semewhat hastily concluded that it is the chief end of man here to “glorify God and enjoy him forever.” CLARIFY: What kindof life does Thoreau want to tive? —— Still we live meanly,* like ants; though the fable tells us that we were long ago changed into men; like pygmies we fight with cranes; itis error upon error, and clout upon clout, and our best virtue has for its occasion a superfluous* and evitable wretchedness. Our life istrittered away by detail, An honest man has hardly need to count more than his ten fingers, or in extreme cases he may add his ten toes, and lump the rest. Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand instead of a million count half dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumb nail. In the midst of this chopping sea of civilized life, 228 Unt THREE: AMERICAN CLassic such are the clouds and storms and quicksand and thousand-and-one items to be allowed f¢ that a man has to live, if he would not found and go to the bottom and not make his portatd by dead reckoning, and he must be a great ca lator indeed who succeeds. Simplify, simpli Instead of three meals a day, if it be necessary but one; instead ofa hundred dishes, five ad reduce other things in proportion. Our life sil] a German Confederacy, made up of petty say with its boundary forever fluctuating, so thatex! a German cannot tell you how itis bounded atax moment. The nation itself, with all its so eat internal improvements, which, by the way, ared external and superficial, i just such an unvie’ and overgrown estabiishment, cluttered with niture and tripped up by its own traps, ruined Tuxury and heedless expense, by want of calait tion anda worthy aim, as the million household in the land; and the only cure for itas for theni na rigid economy, a stern and more the Spartan simplicity of life and elevation of px pose. It lives too fast. Men think that itis essentt that the Nation have commerce, and expor is and talk through a telegraph, and ride thi miles an hour, withouta doubt, whether theydor not; but whether we should live like baboons like men, isa litde uncertain. Ifwe do not getat sleepers, and forge rails, and devore days at nights to the work, but go to tinkering upon lies to improve them, who will build railroad! And if railroads are not built, how shall we get heaven in season? But if we stay at home at mind our business, who will want railroads? Wed. not ride on the railroad; it rides upon us. Tleft the woods for as good a reason as I wet there. Perhaps it seemed to me that I had seves ‘more lives to live, and could not spare any mor efor that one, Itis remarkable how easilyax 3. Spartanlike, adj. simply; without frills. In ancient Greece, the inhabitants of the city of Sparta were known for their simple and severe mariner of livieg (men/te), adv. ina smallminded manne: (sii pér’fla 98), adj. more than is nee‘asensibly® we fall into a particular route, and makea beaten track for ourselves. [had not lived therea week before my feet wore a path from my door to the pond-side; and though itis five or six ass since I trod it, itis still quite distinct. It is, ine I fear that others may have fallen into it, and so helped to keep it open. The surface of the earth is soft and impressible by the feet of teen;and so with the paths which the mind trav- ¢ How worn and dusty, then, must be the high- \aysof the world, how deep the ruts of tradition and conformity! I did not wish to take a cabin sesage, but rather to go ‘lore the mast and on the deck of the world, forthere I could best see the moonlight amid the ountains. I do not ih to go below now. earned this, at least, ymyexperiment; that if one advances confi denlyin the direction of tis dreams, and endeav- onto lne the life which he has imagined, he will neet with a success unexpected in common, hours. He will put some things behind, will pass invisible boundary; new, Universal, and more liberal laws will begin to establish themselves sound and within him; or the old laws be panded, and interpreted in his favor in a more liberal sense, and he will live with the license of a higher order of beings. In proportion as he sim- sities his life, the laws of the universe will appear les complex, and solitude will not be solitude, aor poverty poverty, nor weakness weakness, If ypu have built castles in the air, your work need autbe lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them. Why should we be in such desperate haste to sueeed, and in such desperate enterprises?” aman does not keep pace with his compan- ions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he beats, however measured or far away. \ Ifa man does not perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. However mean your life is, meet it and live it; do not shun it and call it hard names. It is not so bad as you are. It looks poorest when youare rich- est. The fanicfinder will find faults even in par- adise. Love your life, poor as it is. You may perhaps have some pleasant, thrilling, glorious hours, even in a poorhouse. The setting sun is reflected from the windows of the alms-house as brightly as from the rich man’s abode; the snow melts before its door as early in the spring. I do not see but a quiet mind may live as contentedly there, and have as cheering thoughts, as in a palace. The town’s poor seem to me often to live the most independent lives of any. Maybe theyare simply great enough to receive without misgiv. ing. Most think that they are above being sup- ported by the town; butit oftener happens that they are not above sup- porting themselves by dishonest means, which should be more disrep- utable. Cultivate poverty like a garden herb, like sage. Do not trouble yourself much to get new things, whether clothes or friends. Turn the old; return to them. Things do not change; we change. Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts. God will see that you do not want society. IfT were confined to a commer of a garret® all my days, like a spider, the world would be just as large to me while I had my thoughts about me. The philoso- pher said: “From an army of three divisions one can take away its general, and put it in disorder; from the man the most abject and vulgar one cannot take away his thought.” Do not seek so anxiously to be developed, to subject yourself to heep pace with his companions, 6. insensibly (in sense ble), adv: in an unconscious oF senseless manner. 7 (en/ar prtz), many undertaking, project, 8 (gar‘it), na space in a house just below a sloping roof, Walden 229many influences to be played on; itis all dissipa tion.? Humility ike darkness reveals the heavenly Tights. The shadows of poverty and meanness gather around us, “and lo! creation widens to our view.” We are often reminded that if there were bestowed on us the wealth of Croesus,!® our aims must still be the same, and our means essentially the same, Moreover, if you are restricted in your range by poverty, if you cannot buy books and newspapers, for instance, you are but confined to the most significant and vital experiences; youare ‘compelled to deal with the material which yields, the most sugar and the most starch. Ttis life near the bone where it is sweetest. You are defended from being.a trifler. No man loses ever on a lower level by magnanimity on a higher. Superfluous wealth can buy superfluities only. Money is not, required to buy one necessary of the soul. ather than love. than money, than fame, give me truth. Isat at a table where were rich food and wine in abundance, and obse- ious" attendance, but sincerity and truth were >t; and I went away hungry from the inhospitable board. The hospitality was as cold as the ices. I thought that there was no need of ice to freeze them. They talked to me of the age of the wine and the fame of the vintage; but I thought of an older, a newer, and purer wine, ofa more glorious, vintage, which they had not got, and could not buy. The style, the house and grounds and “enter- tainment” pass for nothing with me, I called on the king, buthe made me waitin his hall, and con- ducted like a man incapacitated for hospitality. There was a man in my neighborhood who lived in a hollow tree. His manners were truly regal. T should have done better had I called on him. . CLARIFY: Why is Thoreau so scornful of his host? — The life in us is like the water in the river. It may rise this year higher than man has ever known it, and flood the parched uplands; even 430. UNIT THREE: AMERICAN CLASSIC this may be the eventful year, which will drow out all our muskrats. It was not always dry la where we dwell. I see far inland the banks wel the stream anciently washed, before scien began to record its freshets. Everyone has heat the story which has gone the rounds of Nev England, of a strong and beautiful bug whid came out of the dry leaf of an old table of apple tree wood, which had stood in a farmer kitchen for sixty years, first in Connecticut, até afterward in Massachusetts,—from an eg deposited in the living tee many years eats still, as appeared by counting the annual layes beyond it; which was heard gnawing out forse eral weeks, hatched perchance by the heatofa urn, Who does not feel his faith in a resurre: don and immortality strengthened by heariy of this? Who knows what beautiful and winge life, whose egg has been buried for ages unds many concentric layers of woodenness in th dead dry life of society, deposited at first in te alburnum of the green and living tree, whic has been gradually converted into the se blance of its well-seasoned tomb,—heard pe chance gnawing out now for years by th astonished family of man, as they sat round tk festive board,—may unexpectedly come fori from amidst society's most trivial and hand selled furniture, to enjoy its perfect summer at last! Tdo not say that John or Jonathan"? will re ize all this; but such is the character of that mar Tow which mere lapse of cme can never maket, dawn. The light which puts out our eyes is da ness to us. Oniy that day dawns to which weax awake. There is more day to dawn. The suni buta morning star, 9 (dis/a pashan), n. a scattering in dif cent directions. 10. Croesus (kré/s9s), a king of Lydia in the 6th centis 1c. renowned for his wealth, nL. (ob s&/kwé 28), adj. polite or obedient from hope of gain. 12, John or Jonathan, John refers to an Englishman; ‘Jonathan refers to an American,f HENRY DAVID THOREAU EDIENCE Disgusted by a government that permitted slavery and sought territorial expan- sion in the Mexican War (1846-1848), Thoreau refused to pay his poll tax ‘and as a result was put in jail. The following, excerpt describes his thoughts about being jailed. do not hesitate to say, that those who call themselves abolitionists! should at once effectually withdraw their support, both in person and property, from the gov- ernment of Massachusetts, and not wait till they constitute a majority of one,? lulore they suffer the right to prevail through item. I think that it is enough if they have God ca their side, without waiting for that other one. Moreover, any man more right than his neigh- tors constitutes a majority of one already. I meet this American government, or its representative, the State government, directly, in the and face to face, once a yeat—no more: eson of its tax-gatherer; this is the only mode inwhich a man situated as I am necessarily neets it; and it then says distinctly, Recognize ne;and the simplest, the most effectual, and, inthe present posture of affairs, the indispens- ablest mode of treating with it on this head, of cxpressing your little satisfaction with and love frit, is to deny it then. My civil neighbor, the tacgatherer, is the very man I have to deal vith—for itis, after all, with men and not with yarchment that T quarrel,—and he has volun- tuilychosen to be an agent of the government. How shalt he ever know well what he is and does as an officer of the government, or as a san, until he is obliged to consider whether he tall treat me, his neighbor, for whom he has respect, as a neighbor and welldisposed man, or as a maniac and disturber of the peace, and see if he can get over this obstruction to his, neighborliness without a ruder and more impetuous thought or speech corresponding with his action. I know this well, that if one thousand, if one hundred, if ten men whom I could name,—if ten honest men only,—ay, if one HONEST man, in this State of Massachusetts, ceasing to hold slaves, were actually to withdraw from this copartnership, and be locked up in the county jail therefor, it would be the aboli- tion of slavery in America, For it matters not how small the beginning may seem to be: what is once well done is done forever, . Thave paid no polltax for six years. Iwas put into a jail once on this account, for one night; and, as I stood considering the walls of solid stone, two or three feet thick, the door of wood and iron, a foot thick, and the iron grating which strained the light, I could not help being struck with the foolishness of that institution which treated me as if I were mere flesh and 1 “person who advocates doing away with aan institution or custom, such as slavery. 2, amajority of one, “A majority of one” was a popular saying among the abolitionists. Ie dates back to Scottish theologian John Knox (1505-1572), who declared that aman with God is always in the majority.” Civil Disobedience 231blood and bones, to be locked up. I wondered that itshould have concluded at length that this was the best use it could put me to, and had never thought to avail itself of my services in some way. I saw that, if there was a wall of stone between me and my townsmen, there was a still more difficult one to climb or break through before they could get to be as free as I was. I did not for a moment feel confined, and the walls scemed a great waste of stone and mortar. I felt asif [alone ofall my townsmen had paid my tax. They plainly did not know how to treat me, but behaved like persons who are underbred.* In every threat and in every compliment there was, a blunder; for they thought that my chief desire was to stand the other side of that stone wall. 1 could not but smile to see how industriously they locked the door on my meditations, which followed them out again without let or hin- drance,‘ and they were really all that was dan- gerous. As they could not reach me, they had resolved to punish my body; just as boys, if they cannot come at some person against whom they have a spite, will abuse his dog. I saw that the State was half-witted? that it was timid as a lone woman with her silver spoons, and that it did not know its friends from its foes, and I lost all my remaining respect for it, and pitied it.. When I came out of prison,—for someone interfered.® and paid that tax—I did not per- ceive that great changes had taken place on the common, such as he observed who went in a youth and emerged a tottering and gray-headed man;and yeta change had to my eyes come over the scene,—the town, and State, and country,— greater than any that mere time could effect. I saw yet more distinctly the State in which I lived. 1 saw to what extent the people among whom I lived could be wusted as good neighbors and friends, that their friendship was for summer ‘weather only; that they did not greatly propose to do right; that they were a distinct race from ime by their prejudices and superstitions, as the Chinamen and Malays are; that in their sacrifices to humanity they ran no risks, not even to their 232 Unrr THREE: AMERICAN CLASsic ‘property; that after all they were not so noble they treated the thief as he had treated the and hoped, by a certain outward observance an a few prayers, and by walking in a particu straight though useless path from time to ting to save their souls. This may be to ie neighbors harshly; for 1 believe that many them are not aware that they have such an ins] tution as the jail in their village. . If others pay the tax which is demanded of me, from a sympathy with the State, they do bit what they have already done in their own cas; or rather they abet” injustice to a greater exter than the State requires. If they pay the tax from a mistaken interest in the individual taxed, save his property, or prevent his going to jail « because they have not considered wisely h far they let their private feclings interfere wi the public good. The authority of government, even suchasl am willing to submit to,—for I will cheerful obey those who know and can do better than} and in many things even those who neithe: know nor can do so well,—is still an impure one; to be strictly just, it must have the sanction and consent of the governed. It can have td pure right over my person and property by what I concede to it, The progress from a absolute to a limited monarchy, from a limited monarchy to a democracy, is a progress towatt a true respect for the individual. Even te Chinese philosopher was wise enough to regaré the individual as the basis of the empire. iss 3. underbred (un/dar bred”), adj of inferior breeding or manners. 4 (bie/drans), n. person or thing that hin ders: an obstacle 5. half-witted, feebleminded; very stupid foolish, 6. someone interfered, According to legend, Ralph ‘Waldo Emerson paid the tax, but according to ‘Thoreau family reminiscence, it was paid by Thoreau’s Aunt Maria, 7. =» (@ bev’), w. urge oF assist im ang way. impure (im pyir/), adj. not pure; dirty, unclean, 9. limited monarchy (mon/ar ké), monarchy in which ie rules’ powers are limited by the laws of the nation,democracy, such as we know it, the last impro sent possible in government? Is it not possible take a step further towards recognizing and oyanizing the rights of man? There will ny bea really free and enlightened Sate comes to recognize the individual as a higher and independent power, from which all is own power and authority are derived, and eats him accordingly. 1 please myself with which can afford to be inagining a State atl the individual with ‘espect as a neighbor; which even would not think it inconsistent with its own repose, if a few were to live aloof from it, not meddling with it, nor embraced by it, who fulfilled all the duties of neighbors and fellow-men, A State which bore this kind of fruitand suffered it to drop off as fast as it ripened, would prepare the way for a still more perfect and glorious State, which also [have imagined, but not yet ai just to all men, and to tre: where seen, Givil DisobediShaping Your 1 Response 2 Analyzing the 3. Essays 5. Extending the Ideas Making Connections Thoreau believes that we must “simplify, simplify, simplify” our lives. Do you agree that getting rid of unnecessary luxuries, material goods, and responsibilities leads to happiness? Why or why not? ‘What is your opinion of Thoreau's act of civil disobedience? Do you approve or disapprove? Why? What does Thoreau mean when he says, “Our life is frittered away dy detail"? Using a scale like the one below, rate Thereau’s confidence in the development of an “enlightened state.” Explain your rating. 2 3 4 5 a | complete confidence From the tone of “Civil Disobedience,” does Thoreau seem to fee! satisfied or dissatisfied with his action? Why? How does Thoreau use imagery to make his arguments more vivid? Give examples from both selections. 7. Thoreau says, “We do not ride upon the ratiroad:; it rides upon us.” Think about our society. What inventions seem to have gotten the etter of us? ® Thoreau was willing to defy his culture's expectations and be an individual even when the consequence was going to jail. What other historical figures can you think of that have been jailed for carrying Out their beliefs? Literary Focus: Allusion Using the footnote at the bottom ef page 231, explain this allusion: “Moreover, ary man more right than his neighbors constitutes a majority of one already.” What other allusions can you find in Thoreau's writings? 234 Unrr THREE: AMERICAN CLassic10. b Waiting Choices Vocabulary Study On a separate sheet of paper, write correct next to the number of the italicized word that is used correctly. If the sentence is incorrect, write your own sentence using the word correctly. Thoreau lived stealthily in the woods, with few possessions, According to Thoreau, people tend to live meanly, focusing on life's details rather than on the things that are truly important. While food, clothing, and shelter are necessary, video games might be considered superfiuous possessions. ‘The extra-credit project was so difficult, few students chose to pursue the enterprise, Digging a garret is the first step in building a house. If you light a candle in the woods, you can watch the dissipation of insects toward the flame. ‘The gambler's obsequious friends disappeared when she ran out of money. ‘Thoreau's abolitionist beliefs caused him to own very little furniture, To reach the roof, Gladys needed the hindrance of a ladder. ‘Thoreau's goal was to abet the government in the war against Mexico. Other Options Witer's Notebook Update Thoreau chooses ‘oremove himself from society for a period of tine, and talks about his reasons for doing so. lfyou chose to spend a month by yourself, what would you want to accomplish? What «esentials besides food, shelter, and clothing would you need? Thoreau on Trial Thoreau has been charged with tax evasion and has pleaded not guilty. Youare his attorney and you are about to present his case before a judge. What will you say in his defense? Prepare an opening state- ment for the jury and present it to your class. Visualizing Make a sketch of Thoreau’s cabin on Walden Pond as it might have looked in 1845. Use your imagination, or do some research to find out more about the setting. If you have time, add color to your sketch, ‘choosing watercolors or another medium that will fit the mood of the scene. The Whole Truth Some recent biographies on Thoreau have suggested that he did not lead as difficult or lonely a life as Walden suggests. Do more research on Thoreau's life at Walden and report your findings in an oral report. Use graphic aids to compare what Thoreau says to what critics say. Civil Disobedience 235