Under the teachings of Emerson, Henry David Thoreau became a transcendentalist himself. His texts, Walden and Civil Disobedience display Thoreau's efforts to follow a minimalistic and whole life. In his work, Walden, Thoreau leaves behind the busy world and ventures into the woods to live deliberately. His goal is to "..suck out all the marrow of life.."(Thoreau. 204) Thoreau's journey into finding himself, connecting with nature, and living individually is an example of his quest to escape the false realities of society. Emerson's call to action in Nature and Self Reliance inspired Thoreau to develop his own observations and revelations. Thoreau also goes against the law to stand up for his individual beliefs. Though his act was selfish and poorly contributed to his cause, Thoreau's work Civil Disobedience shows Emerson's impact on his intuition. Thoreau strongly disagrees with the government's funding and involvement in the Mexican War. Thus he refuses to pay his taxes as an act of protesting and going against societal norms. Standing up for his individual beliefs and initiating a non materialistic life are key traits of Emerson's teachings and Transcendentalism.
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