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Comparing Thoreau's Walden And Civil Disobedience

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Delene Daye History 20 Walden and Civil Disobedience In the novel Walden, written by Henry Thoreau, a transcendentalist and writer, Thoreau has decided to embark on a new adventure, and find the true ways of life of humans. In this novel, he decides that he wants to “abandon” civilization in order to live deliberately. He states that society forces people to live a hurried life full of waste, and this quality of life is the sole reason humans have yet to evolve. In his mind, society has created a race of materialistic individuals, and the more materialistic and complicated their lives become, the more delusional and naive these individuals are of reality. Thoreau, instead, seeks simplicity and solitude and leaves for Walden Pond in the woods to discover what nature has to teach him. He wants to experience the essential facts of life, and learn from it so that he cannot, at the end of his life, say that he hadn’t truly lived. For almost two years, Thoreau lived at Walden Pond exploring, embracing, and being one with his …show more content…

Absolutely speaking, the more money, the less virtue; for money comes between a man and his objects, and obtains them for him; and it was certainly no great virtue to obtain it…” This quote further supports the idea that Thoreau opposes to materialism, and rather views it as part of his definition of virtuous action. I agree with Thoreau’s quote for several reasons. I believe that wealth can sometimes bring about greed, and once greed is acquired, many wealthy individuals will do whatever it takes to achieve more riches. In some ways, materialistic wealth can become an addiction, and in the act of achieving more wealth, it can be easy for individuals to lose their morals and virtue. This effect is not something uncommon, and can be viewed in many cases throughout history. The desire for more almost always overpowers and morphs their moral and virtuous

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