Walden, and On The Duty Of Civil Disobedience

Overview

Walden, written by Henry David Thoreau and published in 1854, chronicles the author's two-year experiment living simply in a cabin by Walden Pond near Concord, Massachusetts, from 1845 to 1847. The book, structured as 18 essays, reflects on deliberate living, self-reliance, and immersion in nature, rejecting the materialism and busyness of industrial society. Thoreau documents his observations of the seasons, wildlife, and economy of minimalism to advocate for a more authentic existence. On the Duty of Civil Disobedience, an 1849 essay by Henry David Thoreau also known as Resistance to Civil Government, argues for individual moral action against unjust laws and government policies. Written after Thoreau's brief imprisonment for refusing to pay taxes funding slavery and the Mexican-American War, the work critiques passive obedience to authority. It emphasizes conscience over majority rule, advocating nonviolent resistance to foster true justice.