A TEACHER’S GUIDE TO THE SIGNET CLASSICS EDITION OF WALDEN AND “CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE” BY HENRY DAVID THOREAU BY bRUCe W. CaHoon TeACHer’S GuIDe 2 A Teacher’s Guide to Henry David Thoreau’s Walden and “Civil Disobedience” Table of ConTenTs InTroDuction ........................................................................................................................3 Synopsis of the Essay .......................................................................................................4 pre-readinG ActivitieS .....................................................................................................6 I. ActivatinG prIor Knowledge AnD InTerest ......................................6 II. BuIldinG BackgrounD Knowledge abouT the Author ...........8 III. BuIldinG BackgrounD Knowledge In History ..........................10 Iv. BuIldinG BackgrounD Knowledge THrough Initial exploration of THemeS ............................................11 DURInG READInG ACTIvITIeS..........................................................................................16 I. AnAlyzInG through Group reSponSe ................................................16 II. Discussion QuestionS .................................................................................17 AfTER READInG ACTIvITIeS .............................................................................................18 I. TOPICS FOR DISCuSSION AnD eSSAyS .......................................................18 II. GROUP AnD InDIvIDuAl PROJeCTS ...........................................................19 ADDITIONAl READInGS .....................................................................................................21 ABOUT THe AuTHOR OF THIS GuIDe ...........................................................................21 ABOUT THe eDITORS OF THIS GuIDe ...........................................................................21 FREE TeACHER’S GuIDeS ....................................................................................................23 Copyright © 2013 by Penguin Group (USA) For additional teacher’s manuals, catalogs, or descriptive brochures, please email [email protected] or write to: PENGUIN GROUP (USA) In Canada, write to: Academic Marketing Department PENGUIN BOOKS CANADA LTD. 375 Hudson Street Academic Sales New York, NY 10014-3657 90 Eglinton Ave. East, Ste. 700 Toronto, Ontario http://www.penguin.com/academic Canada M4P 2Y3 Printed in the United States of America A Teacher’s Guide to Henry David Thoreau’s Walden and “Civil Disobedience” 3 InTRoDUCTION Henry David Thoreau’s essay “Civil Disobe- communicated the principle that people who dience,” first published in 1849 as “Resistance voluntarily disobey laws they consider unjust to Civil Government,” is one of the most should be willing to endure the legal conse- important works in American history dealing quences of their action. Thoreau held that, if with the issue of the rights and responsibili- enough people resist injustice or if a single ties of the individual in relation to govern- individual ardently resists injustice, justice ment. Also known as “Of the Duty of Civil will be served. Thoreau did not invent the Disobedience,” perhaps in response to Wil- concept of nonviolent political dissent; this liam Paley’s “Of the Duty of Civil Obedience, principle has been employed many times as Stated in the Christian Scriptures” (Chap- throughout history, notably in the boycotts ter 4 in The Principles of Moral and Political of British goods before the American Revolu- Philosophy), the essay has influenced people tion. like Mohandas Gandhi, Martin Luther King, The unjust and immoral act of the United Jr., and countless others. The essay has been States government that Thoreau was protest- used to legitimate efforts to peaceably protest, ing was the Mexican War. Thoreau argued resist, or affect change in government policies that the war was intended to extend slavery, that critics and dissenters consider to be an immoral practice, and the Mexican War unjust, and, at times, to change the govern- was an illegal war of aggression. The Ameri- ment completely. can people never would have agreed to it had Thoreau, one of the Transcendentalist writers they been asked. He goes a bit further, how- of the nineteenth century and a protégé of ever, stating that he does not agree with it, the leading Transcendentalist Ralph Waldo and so he should have the right to withhold Emerson, is best known for Walden, one of allegiance to Massachusetts by not paying a the foremost works of this period because of general tax like the poll tax. its emphasis on nature. This account of his “Civil Disobedience” can be a challenging two year stint living in the woods along the read for high school students due to its ram- shore of Walden Pond in a cabin he built bling style. However, it is an excellent himself reflects the themes Thoreau expounds resource because of its importance in protest in “Civil Disobedience”—self-reliance and literature and also for the many historical individualism. While not an obvious Tran- themes it presents. The essay can be compared scendental work, “Civil Disobedience” and contrasted to other works ranging from counters the Enlightenment emphasis on the “Declaration of Independence” to Martin reason. For Thoreau, human conscience and Luther King’s “Letter from a Birmingham moral sense trump any reasonable argument Jail” to recent protest movements such as the that government may provide for its actions. Occupy Movement and the Tea Party Move- Extracted from a lecture series that Thoreau ment. Thoreau’s thesis can be argued from presented at the Lyceum in Concord, Massa- both liberal and conservative points of view. chusetts in 1848 entitled “The Rights and This guide strives to assist the classroom Duties of the Individual in Relation to Gov- teacher in managing the many themes ernment,” the essay has defined the concept imbedded in the text as well as providing of civil disobedience in the modern world. strategies to engage students’ interest and The example of Thoreau spending a single develop critical thinking skills. night in jail for nonpayment of a poll tax has 4 A Teacher’s Guide to Henry David Thoreau’s Walden and “Civil Disobedience” sYNOPsIs OF THe ESSAY nature of GoveRnmenT ImPortanCe of In the opening of “Civil Disobedience,” PeRsonal ConscienCe Thoreau expresses his opinion about govern- anD self RelIanCe ment, its nature and legitimacy. Thoreau Thoreau compares the issues of the day, the believes that government is an expedient that Mexican War and slavery, to the issues lead- is usually inexpedient, saying “government is ing up to the American Revolution and best which governs not at all” (p. 275). Tho- argues that the current situation is worse than reau argues that a standing government can it was in 1775. He calls for an end to slavery abuse and pervert the will of the people in the and the Mexican War, an unjust war of same way a standing army can abuse and aggression, even if it means the end of the pervert freedom. For evidence of this, he cites American nation. The “rule of expediency the Mexican War, claiming that the people does not apply” here; there is a higher law would never have consented to it. Govern- that must be followed for justice to prevail. ment was the tool of a few interested people, Thoreau contrasts his ideas with those of a single man (James K. Polk) having bent it to William Paley (1743-1805), the controversial his will. Government does not accomplish Utilitarian thinker, who, according to Tho- anything; rather it is the character of the reau, defended expediency over justice. Tho- American people that gets things done, and reau then extends his critique of Paley to the people would do even more if government government of Massachusetts, claiming that didn’t get in the way. For example, govern- the merchants and farmers are more con- ment attempts to impede trade and com- cerned with profits than the plight of the merce by constantly putting up barriers. slaves or the injustice to Mexico. They are as Thoreau claims that he is not against govern- engaged in the slave system as the slavehold- ment but is calling for a better government. ers, and although many profess opposition to Thoreau does not approve of majority rule, slavery and war, they do nothing. Their peti- saying such rule is not based on justice or tions and regrets are ineffectual as they wait individual conscience. For Thoreau, con- for someone else to step in and do something. science takes precedence over law, claiming This he sees as dishonest and unpatriotic. the adverse effects of an “undue respect for Thoreau compares voting to “gaming,” argu- law” is reflected in the military. He speculates ing that voting is ineffective because the voter as to whether military men act as free agents or has little at stake. He refers to the Republican are the subjects of manipulation by powerful Convention then being held in Baltimore, people, thus acting not according to morality claiming that the delegates’ votes are mean- but expediency. These people are held up as ingless in the selection of a candidate for the good citizens, even though they do not, in presidency. Thoreau sees the process as simply Thoreau’s opinion, deserve respect. Thoreau confirming a back-room selection of a dema- believes that men best serve the state when gogue which the delegates only rubber-stamp. they resist it according to conscience. In this Thoreau laments the demise of the true case, it is disgraceful