The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail, Act II

Surprisingly, I really liked reading The Night Thoreau Spent In Jail. I really like the idea of Transcendentalism, though I'm not sure whether or not I believe in it; and Henry David Thoreau is a very interesting character/person.

·         May of the conversations in this book contain examples of irony.  List a few and explain why each is ironic. 
 1. Thoreau tells Bailey not to become educated, but is well educated, himself. [Hypocritical]
 2. Thoreau tells Ellen Sewell to have her own thoughts, yet he impresses his opinions onto her. [Hypocritical]
 3. Emerson "preaches" about certain topics, telling everyone to act upon certain ideas, yet doesn't do so himself; the whole while, Thoreau is the perfect example of what Emerson teaches. [Hypocritical]


·         List the three most important characters.  Choose a present day actor/actress to take the role of each.  Explain why you would make these casting decisions and base your answers on the words and actions of each of the characters from the play.
 1. Henry David Thoreau: Mel Gibson - sometimes appears wild
 2. Ralph Waldo Emerson: George Clooney - aging, fun, but also semi-serious
 3. John Thoreau: Matt Damon - young, fun, but seems more serious than Henry


·         Does Henry’s protest prove successful in the end?  Explain.
 To me, Henry's protest proves successful in the end. Even though he, individually, did not succeed in his endeavors, he became the role model for civil disobedience. The night he spent in jail became a widely-told story, a living legend.