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LITR 4328: American Renaissance .png){kind=small} |
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Justin Murphy
Resistance = Change
How is it that someone is able to create change in society? How is it
that someone is able to make a difference in the life of someone else? One way
that a person can do these two things is through civil disobedience. Civil
disobedience is deliberately disobeying the law of the time, but in a civil
manner. What this means is that someone is consciously making an effort to do
something against the law in the name of protest. This person also has to
understand that there are consequences for their actions, however they are
willing to face these consequences if it means making a change. Civil
disobedience is crucial in making a change in society.
Henry David Thoreau writes about the concept of civil disobedience in his
writing “Resistance to Civil Government”. Thoreau’s major argument is that the
government which they currently have does not fully represent the people to its
highest ability. In order to ‘fix’ this government, they must resist the current
one. Thoreau claims that unjust laws exist. The question then becomes: “shall we
be content to obey them…or shall we transgress them at once?” [14] By resisting
the unjust laws of the government, Thoreau is suggesting a form civil
disobedience which will cause the government to (hopefully) rethink its
structure. However, Thoreau also addresses a major concern of civic
disobedience: people are afraid to resist. He claims that this is the fault of
the government itself, because the people are afraid to invoke their unalienable
right. This concern can only be addressed by those who stand up first. However,
those who do stand up are placed in prison (see Gandhi, Mandela). Thoreau argues
that even in the face of fear, citizens should resist if they want to make a
change in the body that governs them. Perhaps by doing this, they will be able
to change the view of society.
Another example of civil disobedience is shown in
Uncle Tom’s Cabin. This novel depicts
the horrors of slavery to the readers. In terms of the characters, it focuses on
slaves and slaveowners. In chapter seven, one of the slaves—Eliza—is trying to
escape. However, the other slaves know that Eliza will need some help in order
to evade Mr. Shelby. Mrs. Shelby relays to the slaves that Mr. Shelby expects
his dinner to be on the table in a timely manner. Once Aunt Chloe gets hold of
this, she goes about making dinner in an “unusually leisurely and circumstantial
manner” [7.39]. Aunt Chloe’s actions can be seen as a form of passive
resistance/civil disobedience. While she is not opposing the law, she is
resisting the order of her master. She does this intentionally so that Eliza may
get a head start on Mr. Shelby, thus making her chances of escaping much higher.
Aunt Chloe’s act of resistance was a thought out one, one that helped make a
change in the life of Eliza. By resisting, Chloe was making a change. Throughout
the chapter, other characters go out of their way to delay Mr. Shelby as well.
Stowe does this to show the power of community disobedience. When more than one
person resists, it becomes easier to make a difference.
Levi Coffin is a prime example of a figure who used their status to make
a difference through civil disobedience. Coffin was a Quaker who had to move
because of prosecution that he faced from anti-abolitionists. When Coffin moved
up north, he found himself in a position to help slaves in the Underground
Railroad. Coffin states that he was “never too busy to engage in Underground
railroad affairs” [6]. Coffin would often invite fugitives into his house to
rest while they were travelling along the Underground Railroad, he would feed
them, and most of all protect them. Coffin is engaging in civil disobedience by
housing these fugitive slaves, because he believes that slavery is evil and
wrong. By doing this, Coffin is helping change these lives of those slaves. He
is also showing that a single person can make a difference if they try hard
enough. By using his position of wealth, he showed all those around him that it
can be done.
Civil disobedience is a necessary part of change. If change is to be
made, there must be a demonstration as to why that change is needed. There also
needs to be a person, or group of persons, who step out on the frontline and
speak up for what they believe in. The three texts from Thoreau, Stowe, and
Coffin all go to show examples of how civil disobedience/passive resistance made
a difference in the life of those around them. The theory of resisting is one
that will remain in society through the end of time.
