The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail is a play based upon Henry David Thoreau's life, and how his Transcendentalist ideals led him to be at odds with the rest of his society in Concord, Massachusetts. Despite his enlightened state of mind, he is arrested for tax evasion due to the fact that he doesn't believe the government is doing any good in the Mexican War. Through his night in jail, he reminisces about his lifetime and all that Transcendentalism has brought him.
This Week's Assignment:
Read Act I of The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail. Then chose one of the following quotes and discuss on your blog how, given the notes from class and any other legitimate, reliable resource, the passage reflects Transcendentalist thought.
Quote: Henry: Our own school, John. No buildings. Break out of the classroom prison All we need is the sky! (24)
I chose this quote to write about because I felt like it best supported the Transcendentalist ideals that Thoreau so idolized and lived by. All his life, he wanted to break the mold that society had set for education. He didn't want his students to fear asking questions. He wanted them to learn in their own way and make up their own minds on issues. He encouraged debate and questions that were considered blasphemous or inappropriate. He wanted to share his enlightened state with the ignorant masses.
Thoreau wanted to do this by teaching classes with his brother. He wanted to hold it within the meadow in the town: out of a classroom. He wanted his students to see the sky, and let their minds reach up to the heavens. Thoreau held the classes in the meadow because he wanted the sky to symbolize how boundless the mind is, if one allows themselves to open up to new ideas and to listen to everything possible.
If this is anything like what Thoreau was like, I need to start reading some of his stuff. This play is amazing!
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