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Ashton Morgan

Bullington

Eng 111

8 Nov, 2018

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Civil Disobedience is defined as the refusal to obey certain laws or governmental demands for the

purpose of influencing legislation or government policy. “Civil Disobedience” is an essay that was

written by Henry David Thoreau in 1894 with the purpose of proving his quote, “The government is best

which governs least”(Thoreau). He tries to persuade the citizens to stand up for what they believe about

the government no matter the cost. He makes arguments about this throughout the whole essay by using

logos through the Mexican War, pathos by pulling at the audience's emotions, and ethos by persuading

the audience to do something about what they believe in.

Thoreau argues his point with the use of logos by speaking of the Mexican War that is going on

during the time period. He refers to the government as an “abused and perverted” government. He quotes,

“Witness the present Mexican war, the work of comparatively a few individuals using the standing

government as their tool; for, in the outset, the people would not have consented to this

measure.”(Thoreau). This strengthens his argument by trying to say that if the people were more in

charge, and the government governed less, the war may have not happened or been an option.

Thoreau presented a lot of the use of pathos. Where I specifically noticed him appealing to pathos

and also trying to grab sympathy from the audience was when he was talking about his time in jail due to

not paying his poll taxes. Through a very gloomy tone, Thoreau described the living space of his cell, his

treatment, and how the Government acted. He also mentioned his cellmate and told us of their

conversation. He asked his cellmate why he was in jail, and the mate replied, “they accuse me of burning

a barn; but I never did it.”(Thoreau). By adding this to his writing, he is trying to show the audience how

unfair the government is and how they abuse their power. Also, where I specifically noticed Thoreau
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persuading our emotions was when he stated, “The character inherent in the American people has done all

that has been accomplished; and it would have done somewhat more, if the government had not

sometimes got in its way.”(Thoreau). There’s no telling what emotions this brought onto the audience.

Probably anger which persuaded their opinions on the government.

Throughout the whole essay, you see Thoreau presenting the use of ethos. Specifically by

persuading the audience to get up and do something about their beliefs after reading his work instead of

just continuing about their day. He wants them to take his words and arguments into consideration. He

says this through the use of ethos. He says, “There are thousands who are in opinion opposed to slavery

and to the war, who yet in effect do nothing to put an end to them”(Thoreau). Here, he is saying that if

you have an opinion, get up and go do something to make it possible.

Through the use of pathos, logos, and ethos, Thoreau affectively presents his argument that “The

government is best which governs least”, as he says in the first sentence of his writing. However, he even

says he also believes in the quote, “That government is best which governs not at all.”(Thoreau). He hit

his points by appealing to emotion and using facts and opinions. Thoreau respectively presents his

opinion that the government is often abusive of their powers and the power would be best fit in the hands

of the people.

Works Cited

“the refusal to obey certain laws or governmental demands for the purpose of influencing

legislation or government policy” retrieved from https://www.dictionary.com/browse/civil-disobedience .

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“they accuse me of burning a barn; but I never did it”(Thoreau) retrieved from

https://web.archive.org/web/20050311050729/http://eserver.org/thoreau/civil.html .

“Witness the present Mexican war, the work of comparatively a few individuals using the

standing government as their tool; for, in the outset, the people would not have consented to this

measure.” retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20050311050729/http://eserver.org/thoreau/civil.html .

“The character inherent in the American people has done all that has been accomplished; and it

would have done somewhat more, if the government had not sometimes got in its way.” retrieved from

https://web.archive.org/web/20050311050729/http://eserver.org/thoreau/civil.html

“There are thousands who are in opinion opposed to slavery and to the war, who yet in effect do

nothing to put an end to them” retrieved from

https://web.archive.org/web/20050311050729/http://eserver.org/thoreau/civil.html

“That government is best which governs not at all.” retrieved from

https://web.archive.org/web/20050311050729/http://eserver.org/thoreau/civil.html