Henry’s mentor, whom Henry met while at Harvard. “Waldo” is a deeply respected and famous scholar and lecturer. Though he is intellectually deft and very insightful with respect to abstract concepts, Henry argues that Waldo is too concerned about public opinion to speak out, as Henry does, against segregation and the war. Waldo is modeled on the real historical figure Ralph Waldo Emerson, whom the real Henry David Thoreau knew well and was a leading thinker in the Transcendentalist movement.
Ralph Waldo Emerson Quotes in The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail
The The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail quotes below are all either spoken by Ralph Waldo Emerson or refer to Ralph Waldo Emerson. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act 1
Quotes
“I’ve forgotten the name of my best friend!”
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
“Cast conformity behind you!”
“Cast…Conformity…Behind You…!”
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
I want to be as much as possible like Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
For you and me, deacon, the declaration of Independence has already been written. Young Thoreau has to declare it every day.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Thoreau in Jail LitChart as a printable PDF.
Ralph Waldo Emerson Quotes in The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail
The The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail quotes below are all either spoken by Ralph Waldo Emerson or refer to Ralph Waldo Emerson. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act 1
Quotes
“I’ve forgotten the name of my best friend!”
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
“Cast conformity behind you!”
“Cast…Conformity…Behind You…!”
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
I want to be as much as possible like Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
For you and me, deacon, the declaration of Independence has already been written. Young Thoreau has to declare it every day.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
