Question

I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. He will put some things behind, will pass an invisible boundary; new, universal, and more liberal laws will begin to establish themselves around and within him; or the old laws be expanded, and interpreted in his favor in a more liberal sense, and he will live with the license of a higher order of beings.

What belief about life is being described in this excerpt?

A. Individuals eventually learn to appreciate their surroundings.
B. Individuals who follow their dreams eventually attain them.
C. Cultures have a tendency to force their values on individuals.
D. As cultures change, individuals change along with them.

Answer 1

The belief about life that is being described in this excerpt is (B.) individuals who follow their dreams eventually attain them.

These words were written by Henry David Thoreau, an American poet who lived during the 19th century and was best known for his essay "Civil Disobedience". In this famous quote, he makes reference to his formula for a successful life. He believed that when a person focuses on achieving his/her dreams and the life he/she wants to life, success eventually comes ("if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams (...) he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours"). For Thoreau, it was very important to psych oneself up in order to reach goals.