Civil Disobedience Part 1 Questions

1. What belief does Thoreau present in the first sentence of the essay?

In the first sentence of Civil Disobedience, Thoreau presents the belief that
the government should not be very powerful. He states that he agrees with
the motto the government

2. How does the statement about a government which governs not at

all develop an idea introduced in the first sentence of the essay (part
1, par. 1)?

3. What is the meaning of the sentence Government is at best but an

expedient (part 1, par. 1)? How does the word but clarify the meaning
of the sentence?

4. What can you infer about Thoreaus point of view regarding the
military?

5. How does the final sentence of paragraph 1 clarify the meaning of

abused and perverted in the preceding sentence?

6. How does Thoreau develop the relationship between the people and
the government in part 1, paragraph 1?

7. How does Thoreau express his beliefs about the American

government?

8. How does the comparison to a single living man develop an idea

about government?

9. How does the wooden gun metaphor in paragraph 2 develop an idea

about government and the people?

10. How does Thoreaus reference to complicated machinery

develop an What does Thoreau mean when he says that government
never of itself furthered any enterprise, but by the alacrity with which
it got out of its way? To which enterprises is he referring?

11. What does Thoreau mean when he says that government never
of itself furthered any enterprise, but by the alacrity with which it got
out of its way? To which enterprises is he referring?

12. What is the italicized it in paragraph 2, and how does placing it

in italics affect the meaning of the text?
13. How does Thoreau support his claim that government never of
itself furthered any enterprise?

14. How does the meaning of expedient change within part 1,

paragraph 2?

15. What is the meaning of letting one another alone and let
alone in part 1, paragraph 2?

16. How does Thoreaus statement, I ask for, not at once no

government, but at once a better government (part 1, par. 3) relate to
his earlier idea that government is best which governs least (part 1,
par. 1)?

17. What distinction does Thoreau draw in paragraph 3 and how

does it support his point of view?

18. What does Thoreau recommend as a step toward establishing a

better government?

19. How does Thoreau develop the relationship between conscience

and government?

20. What distinction does Thoreau establish between law and the
right?

21. How does Thoreaus description of the undue respect for law
(part 1, par. 4) develop a central idea?

22. How does Thoreau use the example of the military in part 1,
paragraph 4 to develop his ideas about conscience?

23. What distinction does Thoreau make between the ways in which
men serve the state?

24. How does Thoreaus description of those who serve the state
with their bodies develop the ideas that Thoreau introduces in part 1,
paragraph 4?

25. How does Thoreaus use of figurative language develop a central

idea in the text? (L.9-10.5a)

26. What does Thoreau mean when he says that those who serve the
state with their consciences resist it?
27. How does Thoreaus reference to clay further develop his ideas
in part 1, paragraph 5?

28. Paraphrase Thoreaus description of how men who give

themselves entirely and those who give themselves partially are
treated by their fellow-men (part 1, par. 6).

29. How does part 1, paragraph 6 further develop a central idea that
Thoreau discusses in part 1, paragraph 5?

30. What does Thoreaus metaphor of the machine describe (part

1, par. 8)? (L.11-12.5.a)

31. What is the right of revolution and when should people exercise
that right (part 1, par. 8)?

32. How does the first sentence of part 1, paragraph 8 develop a

central idea in the text?

33. What does Thoreau mean by friction (part 1, par. 8)? (L.9-
10.4.a)

34. What does Thoreau believe should be done when oppression

and robbery are organized (part 1, par. 8)? How does Thoreaus
solution develop the central idea of the relationship between the
individual and the state?

35. How does Thoreau use the metaphor of the machine differently
in part 1, paragraph 5 compared to part 1, paragraph 8?

36. What reasons does Thoreau give for why the merchants and
farmers are opponents to a reform (part 1, par. 10)?

37. What does Thoreau claim is the difference between a patron of

virtue and a virtuous man?

38. How does Thoreau use metaphor to develop his point of view on
voting? (L.11-12.5.a)

39. How do Thoreaus ideas about voting develop a central idea in

the text?

40. What does Thoreau claim is the difference between a wise man
and one who votes (part 1, par. 11)?
41. What does Thoreau believe is a mans duty (part 1, par. 13)?
How does Thoreau use figurative language to develop this idea?

42. How does Thoreaus distinction between what is and is not a

mans duty develop a central idea in the text?

43. What does Thoreaus use of the phrase gross inconsistency

suggest about his townsmens response to slavery and war (part 1, par.
13)?

44. How do Thoreaus townsmen directly provide a substitute for

themselves? How do they indirectly provide a substitute (part 1,
par. 13)? How does Thoreaus discussion of practically giving
support develop a central idea in the text (part 1, par. 13)?

45. What effect does supporting an unjust government have on the

individual?

46. According to Thoreau, how does this sin make people feel at
first? How do feelings change over time?

47. How does Thoreaus explanation of sin clarify the distinction he

establishes between immoral and unmoral?

48. What happens to life when people sustain an unjust government

(part 1, par. 13)?