Make Sure To Complete The Week 1 And Week 2 Literary Analysi
Make Sure To Complete the Week 1 And Week 2 Literary Analysis Tools Mo
Make sure to complete the Week 1 and Week 2 Literary Analysis Tools Modules before completing this assignment. Part of your grade is based on the selection, integration, and citation of quotations. Post responses to both prompts. You must post on two different days to earn full credit for participation.
Post 1: Look at Henry David Thoreau's "Resistance to Civil Government." He claims that it is not just our right as Americans, but it is also our duty to defy unjust laws. This is a very American idea. Part of the American identity involves intervening in the face of injustice. Do you agree with this point? What boundaries should exist for those interventions? Support your claims using "Resistance to Civil Government" AND one of the other assigned readings from this week.
Criteria: Langston Hughes: Biography, Vol. 2 pp. and "I, Too," Vol. 2 p. 1038 and "Democracy," Vol. 2 pp. (poetry) 300 words minimum (excluding quotations and citations) Include two properly and integrated quotations (one from each work) to support your claims. You may use either direct or paraphrased quotes. See the Literary Analysis Tools Modules in Weeks 1 and 2 for information about integrating and citation quotes.
Paper For Above instruction
Introduction
The concept of civil disobedience has long been intertwined with American identity, emphasizing the moral duty of citizens to oppose unjust laws and practices. Henry David Thoreau's "Resistance to Civil Government" advocates that refusing to comply with immoral laws is not just a right but a moral obligation of individuals committed to justice. This essay explores whether agreeing with Thoreau’s assertion aligns with American values and considers the boundaries necessary to prevent abuse of such moral resistance. It incorporates insights from Thoreau’s essay and works by Langston Hughes, notably "I, Too," to contextualize the responsibility and limitations of intervention in the face of injustice.
Thoreau’s View on Civil Disobedience
Henry David Thoreau posited that individuals must prioritize conscience over government mandates, claiming that “any man more right than his neighbors constitutes a majority of one,” emphasizing moral independence (Thoreau, 1849). Thoreau asserts that citizens have a duty to resist laws that violate moral principles, viewing such acts as essential expressions of personal integrity and social progress. His stance underscores the idea that American identity involves actively opposing injustice, aligning with the foundational values of liberty and moral responsibility (Thoreau, 1849). His call for civil disobedience echoes the spirit of reform that has characterized many social movements in American history, from abolition to civil rights.
The Boundaries of Moral Intervention
Despite endorsing moral resistance, Thoreau and contemporary thinkers acknowledge necessary boundaries to prevent chaos and tyranny. Interventions should be guided by ethical principles, proportionality, and a clear aim to restore justice without infringing on innocent rights (Rawls, 1971). Excessive or unjust resistance can undermine social stability and lead to violence, highlighting the importance of ethical limits. For example, Hughes’ poem "I, Too" underscores dignity and inclusion, suggesting that acts of resistance must also foster unity rather than division (Hughes, 1934). The boundary lies in ensuring that civil disobedience promotes justice without undermining societal harmony.
Hughes and the American Ideal of Justice
Langston Hughes’ "I, Too" echoes Thoreau’s call for resistance, representing the marginalized voice asserting dignity and equality, demanding inclusion in the American fabric. Hughes states, “I, too, sing America,” emphasizing resilience and affirming that African Americans are integral to the national identity, resistance rooted in moral conviction (Hughes, 1934). Similarly, "Democracy" asserts that participation and equality are fundamental to genuine democracy, reinforcing the idea that intervention is justified when rights are denied (Hughes, 1949). Both works highlight that activism and resistance are moral imperatives for marginalized groups seeking justice.
Conclusion
Agreeing with Thoreau’s assertion that resisting unjust laws is a moral duty aligns with core American values of liberty, justice, and moral responsibility. However, boundaries are essential to ensure that such acts promote justice without chaos—a principle reflected in Hughes’ poetry emphasizing dignity, resilience, and inclusion. Moral resistance must be exercised ethically, with awareness of its impact on societal harmony and individual rights. American history demonstrates that judicious civil disobedience can effect meaningful change while preserving social order, provided it adheres to ethical boundaries and aims toward justice for all.