Your Freedom Is Not Free Essay - 1645 Words

Freedom is more than a concept, it is an ideal with varied and complex subjective interpretations. Ideas concerning the liberty of body and soul are heavily connected to the formation of individual and cultural identity in American literary history. Certain nineteenth century American writers stand out for their real-life dedication to freedom and non-conformity for seeking to free themselves from whatever shackles limited them from reaching their potentials, both literally and figuratively. Henry David Thoreau, Fredrick Douglass, and Ralph Waldo Emerson are exemplary writers of the nineteenth century who strove to articulate not only the ideas of freedom and justice, but also the means by which these ideals, which they themselves acted†¦show more content†¦However, it can be argued that the work of Thoreau and Douglass might be more in synch and offer a better pairing for comparative reading or analysis than does the more well-worn tandem of Emerson and Thoreau. In contr ast to Emerson, the writings of Thoreau and Douglass are both significantly more didactic. Their writing is pithy, entertaining, and educational, where Emerson is more prescriptive. In an article which compares Thoreau and Douglasss respective arguments in support of the use of violence for justified protest, Jason Matzke points out that, though the writing of each makes the barest of reference to the other, their lives shared many commonalities, including: They were roughly the same age, with Thoreau born in 1817 and Douglass born probably in 1818. They had a number of mutual friends and acquaintances, such as William Lloyd Garrison, Wendell Philips, Horace Greeley, Theodore Parker, Emerson, and John Brown; They each spoke publicly for the anti-slavery cause (and in fact Thoreau delivered his well-known Slavery in Massachusetts while filling in for Douglass at a rally in Framingham, MA); And they were each active with the underground railroad. (Matzke, 62) A more relevant commonality, however, is that they bothShow MoreRelated2. The Search For Meaning And The Idea Of Freedom. . Frankl1357 Words   |  6 Pages2. The Search for Meaning and the Idea of Freedom Frankl supports the idea that humans are ultimately free and is the ultimate achievement for man. Even in the most terrible circumstances, a person still has the freedom to choose how they see their outcome and what kind of meaning they are going to take away from the situation. Frankl believes that there is a kind of freedom that can never be stolen from a person no matter how ruthless the situation. Frankl wrestled with the questions of whereRead MorePrice of Freedom1550 Words   |  7 PagesPrice of Freedom Freedom is believed by many to be physical. With freedom you can do what you want and say what you want without having to answer to anyone. The question is, is freedom really that simple? If so, does that mean we are all free? Reading the stories, â€Å"The Grand Inquisitor,† â€Å"Oedipus Rex,† and â€Å"The Crying of Lot 49,† have brought different perspectives on freedom. The three stories all brought into question the definition of freedom. Is freedom just the physical idea of freedom or isRead MoreWhat Is Freedom For Love? Essay746 Words   |  3 PagesWhat is Freedom to Love? Some would say that freedom to love is, having no limitations or boundaries. To see everyone equally. Many would say that freedom to love is, to give ones life for another. I agree with both statements but I would go further to say that freedom to love is not only an act or a response but it is a lifestyle. Something that defines you. Something that make you, who you are. As proud Americans, this month we celebrate the freedom that we have in this country and theRead MoreCan One Be Poor And Free?1260 Words   |  6 Pagesbe poor and free? The question of whether one can be poor and free has been, and still is highly contested. 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The thesis of causalism which states that every detail of every event is caused by previous events, in accordance with the laws of nature. Lastly the thesis of incompatibilism which says at most one of the theses of freedom and causalism isRead MoreEssay about Existence of Free Will1661 Words   |  7 PagesExistence of Free Will Existence of free will is often argued from introspection. Freedom means choice. Since I chose to write this paper and I could have chosen otherwise, I am free in writing this paper. However, to establish that I could have chosen otherwise, proving that I felt that I could have chosen otherwise is not enough: One must also prove that my choice is the original cause of my motives to write this paper. 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Free will is the idea that humans have the ability to do what they desire without any restrictions or constraints. However the issue with free will is that people have different interpretations and tolerance levels when it comes to seeing how free they really