A Plea for Captain John Brown

Examine Thoreau’s historical references to notable figures like Israel Putnam and Ethan Allen. How do these references speak to Thoreau’s argument?

Consider the way Thoreau reframes accusations that Brown had mental illness. How does he prove Brown’s rationality, and how does he flip the accusation around on Brown’s critics?

Thoreau believed one could only truly live by acting in accordance with one’s own uncompromising, transcendent values. How does this view of transcendentalism justify Brown’s actions?