journal 26

Nika Bogoslovsky
11/8/07
Thoreau

"Ralph Waldo Emerson, how are you not in jail?"

Summary:

Perhaps a fictitious story, when Henry David Thoreau refused to pay his taxes he was put in jail. A close friends, Ralph Waldo Emerson went to visit Thoreau in jail and asked why he was there. Thoreau replied asking why he wasn't in jail. Having actually occurred or not doesn't take away from the importance of this interaction because now we know Thoreau's opinions of Emerson's lack of passion for change.

Response:

Not only does this show the close relationship between the two and their different opinions from each other, it also shows a generation gap. I don't think it's any coincidence that Thoreau, being the younger one, was more rebellious and passionate about his beliefs. It's like Emerson laid down the foundation of self reliance and Thoreau took it to the next level with action. Thoreau was asking Emerson why he wasn't in jail to show that he was against the war too. Or why he wasn't opposing the war at all. Thoreau being in jail for not paying taxes his taxes because he wasn't supporting the war really shows his passion and action upon it, unlike Emerson who lacked that sort of drive. I think it also shows the teacher and the student in each of them. Obviously Emerson teachings got through to Thoreau, but did Thoreau teach Emerson anything? I'd like to think that Thoreau's passion helped light Emerson's own passion because eventually he did stand up against slavery, something he had always struggled with.