Thoreau

   Henry David Thoreau was an American author, poet, philosopher, abolitionist, naturalist, historian, and leading transcendentalist. He was a student of Emerson and believed in many of his philosophical points. Throughout his experiences he wrote Walden and Civil Disobedience. In Walden he writes, " I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear, nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary." This explains how he went into solitude to not live life the way technology made it but for what it really was. He wanted to go into solitude to let his mind be free. Also in Civil Disobedience he tells about his time in jail and his thoughts on the government before and after. When he said, "I heartily accept the motto, 'The government is best which governs least'." He says this because he believes that the government is too controlling and should instead be about individuals being in charge of their own lives. Thoreau practiced many of Emerson's philosophies such as retiring himself from society and living on his own without influence and modern materialistic items. He simplified his life to find god in nature. Thoreau put many transcendental beliefs into action and changed the movement greatly.