Question

What does Henry David Thoreau mean by the following metaphor? A. That soldiers who refuses to fight are not only enemies of the state but also unscrupulous

Answer 1

Hello there

Answer: That soldiers are not treated as individual men by the government, but as disposable weapons

Metaphor: The standing army is only an arm of the standing government.

Explanation: When he says the army is only an arm of the government, it becomes the integrants of the army (the soldiers) an arm (weapon). They are not seen just like individuals and people, but like weapons that the government can use when it wants to.

Hope this helps.