Henry David Thoreau Argument

Words: 569
Pages: 3
Open Document
It’s natural, simple evolutionary, biologically, anthropologically, demonstrated fact that humans respect their elders, listen, understand: learn. Evolved from a time where day in and day out all we would do is hunt, gather, forage, build; nothing changed in this ancient, troglodyte lifestyle where gender roles were significant, where race indicated danger, where those who weren’t normal were cast outward. In a time where Moore’s Law, despite its apparent slowing down, is being proved constantly, perhaps the relevance of past experiences diminish. Henry David Thoreau may have been far too blunt, far too fatalistic about his conclusion, there is a nugget of understanding to be mined from his statement, much like he predicts. Thoreau, concluding from his experience, commits a psychologist’s fallacy: the way Thoreau perceives things must be the way it is. Thoreau viewpoint comes about the contingence that since he has not viewed any of his senior’s “wisdom” as “valuable,” that all explanations of life experiences are examples of superfluous language. That is how we learn, understanding the experiences of the past! How else would one learn about history? Math? Science? How would any academic progress be made if we …show more content…
Henry David Thoreau did not think that all older people are empty, failures, their knowledge and understanding is entirely superfluous. In this context, Henry David Thoreau speaks of the fallacious importance given to the ideas, experience, stories of the elderly for the mere fact that they are old. Thoreau questions the cliche that ‘age gives wisdom’ and rather denotes that ‘wisdom gives wisdom,’ that “age is no better, hardly so well, qualified for an instructor as youth, for it has not profited so much as it has lost.” Thoreau speaks coldly about the importance of individual analysis of each and every story and anecdote, regardless of the age and perceived “wisdom” of the
Show More

Related Documents: Henry David Thoreau Argument

Essay on Civil Disobedence

eminent the similarities of such a prominent figure like Nelson Mandela to the linguist activist, Henry David Thoreau. Both men were more than willing to pursue action such as, suffering in jail, for the betterment of the people. Powerful actions such as these are the definition of the term civil disobedience, or refusal to obey government demands in a non-violent manner. Additionally, Henry David Thoreau, a social philosopher and also writer, advocated upon the pretense of transcendentalism. The…

Words 2289 - Pages 10

Rhetorical Analysis

Emerson, and Henry Thoreau all use rhetoric in their work to convey their beliefs. Bryant’s “Thanatopsis,” Emerson’s “Self-Reliance,” and Thoreau’s Walden all underscore the overall beliefs of Transcendentalism. William Bryant’s “Thanatopsis” serves as a seminal work in American literature, embodying Transcendentalist themes through its depiction of death as a natural part of life. Bryant employs rhetorical devices such as metaphor and an appeal to pathos and logos to convey his overall argument. For instance…

Words 846 - Pages 4

History: Henry David Thoreau and Progress Essay

“progress” can differ drastically depending on ones outlook on things like necessities, ones goals, and ones perception of what life should entail. In this case comparing Henry David Thoreau and Harriet Noble’s views on these values, they could not differ more. After reading the background and the given situations between Thoreau and Noble with her family, it provided me with mixed emotions on what the term progress should have meant to the American people during this time. I concluded that because…

Words 827 - Pages 4

Henry David Thoreau's Inaugural Rhetorical Analysis

1) Henry David Thoreau states that although the people elect their government, the government will seek for ways to abuse the powers given to them by the people. The government wouldn’t have been where it is now if it wasn’t for the people because the people decided that they needed a system that represents society in one voice. Thoreau begins the essay the way he did because he wanted to captivate the reader’s attention from the initial point rather than losing them to the fact that he has being…

Words 802 - Pages 4

Essay about Ethics in Law

In the opinions of civil disobedience by Henry David Thoreau, he discusses his ideals of self-governing and justifications for fighting for an important cause. Throughout the first part of this piece, Thoreau plays with the idea that there should be no government. He believes that the people can govern themselves, and due to their ethics and conscience, they will benefit the nation as opposed to having total chaos. He says that by being constricted and bound by the government people are not able…

Words 666 - Pages 3

Shooting An Elephant Rhetorical Analysis

Essays, no matter the subject, have certain elements within them that make their argument objectively better than another. This is no more true than with the works of George Orwell and Henry David Thoreau. Their writings, (Shooting an Elephant and Civil Disobedience respectively), show this concept extremely well, as even though both pieces of literature focus around ethical decisions, one is unequivocally more poignant to their audience. The use of style is a big part of any form of writing, which…

Words 300 - Pages 2

American Romanticism Research Paper

Romantic Period in American Literature Romanticism was a large movement in the arts and literature. It originated around the late 18th century. It started in Europe but began going all over the world. Many literary writers, intellectuals, and musical composers helped expand this period. Romanticism is still practiced in today’s world, it’s practiced in our music, books, and art. The Romantic period gave many important literary artists. A very influential writer in the romantic period was Edgar…

Words 285 - Pages 2

Civil Disobedience And Thoreau's Analysis

In many ways Gandhi is similar to Henry David Thoreau, who wrote “from Civil Disobedience,” and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who wrote “from Letter from Birmingham City Jail.” Thoreau argues that people should go against governmental laws that threaten personal principles. Gandhi agrees by explaining that he and his followers will not obey the laws that keep them suppressed. King also provides input when he describes that he will not praise the police…

Words 938 - Pages 4

Civil Disobedience Rhetorical Analysis

Civil Disobedience is an essay that caused great controversy in the past and the present, mainly because of its appeal against government system. The essay was written by Henry David Thoreau, a transcendentalist surveyor who opposed government through the use of pasivist methods. He wrote the essay during the 1800s, a period of great discontent for society, he was known for criticizing everything around him and characterized by his pessimism and hopelessness towards mankind. Much alike biblical beliefs…

Words 665 - Pages 3

Christopher Mccandless A Narcissist Analysis

considered so, and this conclusion may be brought forth by investigating how McCandless in turn interpreted his world. As we know, McCandless, obviously a romantic as indicated by the way he perceived works by various poets and authors- specifically Thoreau- viewed his environment unconventionally to say the least. McCandless, throughout Krakauer’s summary of his life, is undoubtedly subjected not only to judgements made by the reader, but also those of readers of newspapers explicitly mentioned by Krakauer…

Words 636 - Pages 3