Thoreau "Civil Disobedience" Theme

 In “Civil Disobedience,” Thoreau writes “The only obligation which I have a right to assume is to da at any time what I think is right.” His theme is that man must do what he think is morally correct, not what is required by law. He continues on to speak of the three types of men: the mass of men, who are more like machines because they are easily controlled; others, who are mostly politicians, lawyers, and office-holders, who serve with their heads and rarely make any morals-related choices; and a very few men, heroes, patriots, and real men, who serve the state with their consciousness and resist it for the most part. Thoreau seems to believe that these are the best type because they are not afraid to go against popular opinion. He goes on to speak of how breaking the law is okay if the law is something you don’t believe in. He writes “I am not responsible for the successful working of the machinery of society.” This shows that he will continue to do what he thinks is right, even if society disagrees.