Thoreau's writing on the Internet

• "Civil Disobedience," in which he encourages people to stand up to government.
• Famous quotes from the book, "Walden"
• "Walking," in which he states, "In wildness is the preservation of the world."
• Life Without Principle, in which he laments about the busyness of the world around him.
• The text of "A Plea for Captain John Brown."

More about Thoreau on the Web

• The Life and Times of Henry David Thoreau, from researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Also includes a sample of his handwriting, frequently asked questions, and further reading on the man and his subjects. Also, a list of Thoreau's published books.
• One man's experience of becoming a Thoreau groupie by reading "Walden," after having been bored by him in high school.

And more about writing on the Web

• The Children's Literature Web Guide
• Good resources on writing for kids; OH! Kids
• Inkspot, a Website for writers, has an area just for young people.
• For older students, the Busy Teacher's Website has a section on English.
• An Introduction to the Study of Literature, with a glossary of literary terms.
• A Thorough literary contemporary and friend: Nathaniel Hawthorne.

• Keep a journal, like Thoreau did. Look closely at the things and people around you. Write about what they look like, what they mean to you, what you learn by looking at them.
• Why do we still read Thoreau's writing today? Why is it still important? Find some passages of his that you like. Think about why you like them and why they are still appropriate today.
• Thoreau's book "The Maine Woods" is full of stories - stories of the things he did, ancient stories that the Indians passed down. We learn about him and about the Indians through their stories. How do we use stories in our culture today? Why is it such a popular and enduring tradition for trading information?