"Repent, Harlequin!"

The intoduction particular caught my eye first and foremost because that quote is at the beginning and secondly because it stimulates a few certain thoughts. In the corporate, political, materialistic society that we live in one may notice that the quote by Thoreau has overwhelming truths within it's content. Men do not serve as men in politics but as mindless drones following the voice that speaks the loudest (most likely corrupt politicians) without thought or care to what the voice is attempting to accomplish. Those fools are mindless in such a way as to be lead by the mob, without thinking for themselves. As such, as the quote says, they no longer form men but machines, machines built to serve a certain political or social purpose and absent from moral sense. Those who choose to utilize their consciences are seen as enemies to the common purpose of the people. Those who encourage free exercise of thought are viewed with disrespect and are classified as a disruptor. Such is the interpretation of the quote by Thoreau, which leads to the intended interpretation of the rest of the story.





From my perspective, the underlying basis for writing this story would be to enlighten those who put an emphasis on "keeping to the clock." In this case, the phrase "keeping to the clock" deals not only with timewise actions but government/authority approved actions as well. The stress of never being late does not allow one to freely live. If one is bound by time then freedom is stolen. In the same way, if one is completely bound, bound by life, to the government one's freedom has also been stolen. So there are two truths found in this short story, both are warnings to the common drone that completely follows the rules of law and time mindlessly. The first deals with the essence of time. To live a complete life is to not be bound by time but to live with respect of time. The time is short, therefore, enjoy living. The second deals with the power of government over the people. Yes, authority is good; yes, cooperation is good, but when the government has the ability to steal the time and freedoms of its people and the people mindlessly give those freedoms away in hopes of not having to take responsibility for living there in lies the problem.