Emerson & Thoreau
Emerson believed people should rely on this instead of society.
Their inner voice/conscience
Which modern leader used Thoreau's ideas to support civil rights?
Martin Luther King Jr.
Which rhetorical appeal is used in "Trust thyself"?
Pathos (emotional appeal)
Who said: "Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist"?
Emerson
Emerson's central idea can be summarized in a single phrase. What is it?
Trust yourself
Finish the quote: "Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that ___ string."
iron
How might Emerson's "trust thyself" apply to teens today?
Avoiding peer pressure/staying true to yourself
"Society is a joint-stock company" is an example of what device?
Metaphor
Who said: "If the law... requires you to be the agent of injustice... break the law"?
Thoreau
Thoreau's central idea can be summarized in a single phrase. What is it?
Resist unjust laws
What does Thoreau say is "best" when it comes to government?
That government is best which governs least.
Which global leader used civil disobedience to resist British rule in India?
Mahatma Gandhi
Thoreau's argument "Law never made men a whit more just" appeals to what?
Logos (logic)
What does Emerson mean by "To be great is to be misunderstood"?
Original thinkers are often ahead of their time.
How do Emerson and Thoreau's central ideas connect?
What does Emerson call "the hobgoblin of little minds"?
Foolish consistency
Answers will vary: racial justice protest, women's rights, LGBTQ+, etc)
Emerson's credibility comes from presenting himself as a moral thinker. Which appeal is this?
Ethos
What does Thoreau mean by "Let your life be a counter-friction to stop the machine"?
Individuals must resist government injustice.
Who makes the stronger case for individual responsibility, and why?
Student supported answer with evidence.
Thoreau refused to pay taxes because they supported what?
Slavery & the Mexican-American War
Which recent movement (2010s-2020s) best reflects Thoreau's idea of resisting unjust government actions, and why?
Answers vary: Black Lives Matter, women's rights marches, etc.
Thoreau writes, "The mass of men serve the state... as machines, with their bodies." What device is this, and what does it suggest?
Metaphor. Suggest blind obedience dehumanizes people.
Who said: "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds"?
Emerson
How might Emerson's and Thoreau's ideas together shape a modern definition of citizenship?