You've probably heard of this guy, and maybe a few of you have actually read some of his work. You will be reading "Civil Disobedience" this week. There are several copies available for free online, and even a fairly decent version read on Youtube. This is the man to inspire Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr, and even Don Henley of The Eagles. He was part of a movement known as Transcendentalism, which we will discuss a little bit more next week, but simply, it reflected an era where women's rights, abolitionists, and nature lovers seeking a simple and meaningful life shunning luxuries for simple walks and minimalism. Sound familiar? If not, watch an episode of HGTV's Tiny Houses to see this in action. Or if you aren't an avid fan of HGTV, try Duck Dynasty. :)
Now, this text is going to be challenging. Even if you listen to the entire essay, it is 49 minutes, you may have to do so two or three times. Take down some notes. What is his main idea? (His argument?) How does he support his position? What examples does he give? And here's the challenge: Do you agree with him?
Our first semester taught you the foundations of rhetoric, or the art of persuasion. Now, you will get a chance to use it in debates. You will also learn how arguments already established in society can help us to read a text. Our first novel this semester is Night. But before we start that next week, I want us to spend a little bit of time with an essay written a hundred years before WWII.
You will need to write a short 1-page response to this essay. Reflect on the three C's: Most compelling, most confusing, and most controversial. This can be handwritten in your notebook. I will not grade this, but I do want you to use it to help you with our class discussion.
Here's a link to the Youtube Audiobook
If you prefer a print version, try this one.
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