Rhetorical Analysis Of Civil Disobedience

Henry David Thoreau:

Urging the independent mind In “Civil Disobedience” by Henry David Thoreau, his goal is to urge people to resist (in a non-violent manner) governmental policies with which they disagree. His essay radiated throughout that time, influencing people to change the way that they had first perceived government laws and ideas. This dissertation helped people to change perspective and to challenge what the government was making them do. Today we can use this same logic to question government officials, to know for ourselves what is best. In Thoreau’s text he uses many things that make it popular in his time as well as in ours. These things include; the use of diction, imagery, and emotional appeal. Even today, Thoreau’s

“Civil

Many words are pronounced with much authority. These words really stand out. One word that really stands out is on page 388 of the Apprentice Hall Literature book, “I should like to see it acted up to more rapidly and systematically.” Systematically is a very bold word, it means to be methodical or orderly. Thoreau means to say that the government has not been orderly, and must be changed. This authoritative word really stands out to the reader. Another word with this same effect is found on page 388 In the Apprentice Hall Literature book, “The objections which have been brought against a standing army.” The word here is objections. This word makes up a large majority of the essay itself; the overall theme: objection and rebellion against the government. The use of diction is very prominent in Henry David Thoreau’s “Civil

This emotional appeal sparks the reader’s passion. When the audience gets heated up about a topic, who knows what may happen. Henry’s main goal in this text is to ignite a flame inside the reader for them to civilly disobey the government, and to resist what they believe to be false. Thoreau ignites this “fire” in page 389 of the Apprentice Hall Literature book, “But, to speak practically and as a citizen, unlike those who call themselves no government men, I ask for, not at once no government, but at once a better government. Let every man make known what kind of government would command his respect, and that will be one step toward obtaining it….” Thoreau uses the word citizen, and he defines himself as one. He is saying that as a citizen that it is his responsibility to ask for a just government. By saying this, Thoreau is implying that all those who call themselves citizens act as he is. Thoreau uses a very obvious sign of emotional appeal is his