My Life With Thoreau Essay

My Life with Thoreau Essay
It was my high school teacher, Anna Shaughnessy, who introduced me to Henry David Thoreau. His Walden was not part of the course of study. She
asked whether I knew of this Massachusetts writer. I didn't. Without scaring me off by proclaiming how great he was, she said he had lived and died
in obscurity. But not like some romantic poet in a dusty garret. He had done all kinds of work for a living–been a schoolteacher, surveyor,
pencil–maker, gardener,carpenter, mason, lecturer, naturalist, as well as keeper of a personal journal into which he wrote two million words.
"Thoreau was born in 1817, about a hundred years before you," Miss Shaughnessey said. "But I think, when you read him, you'll find his ideas, his
way of looking at...show more content...
But soon her drew me deep into his story of his adventure living in his cabin at Walden Pond. His book has the rhythm and flow of the changing seasons.
And out of that pattern came his central symbol–rebirth and renewal, not only of the world around us, but of our own inner development.
Years after my first encounter with Thoreau, when I was deeply troubled by the course my life was taking, I went back to Walden once more. On the
last page I read this passage:
'Every one has heard the story which has gone the rounds of New England, of a strong and beautiful bug which came out of the dry leaf of an old
table of apple–tree wood, which had stood in a farmer's kitchen for sixty years, first in Connecticut, and afterward in Massachusetts–from an egg
deposited in the living tree many years earlier still, as appeared by counting the annual layers beyond it; which was heard gnawing out for several
weeks, hatched perchance by the heat of an urn. Who does not feel his faith in a resurrection and immortality strengthened by hearing of this? Who
knows what beautiful and winged life, whose egg has been buried for ages under many concentric layers of woodenness in the dead dry life of
society, deposited at first in the alburnum of the green and living tree, which has gradually been converted into the semblance of its well–seasoned
tomb–heard perchance gnawing out now for years by the astonished family of man, as they sat around the festive board–may unexpectedly come forth
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Thoreau and Transcendentalism Essays
Followers of the Transcendentalist movement stressed the religious, philosophical and ideological importance of life. Henry David Thoreau was a
staunch supporter of the movement. Thoreau felt that a person lived a good life by following his conscience and instincts. He also felt that
materialism was a sure way to distract a person from leading a good and moral life. Thoreau proposed for the government to be involved in as little of
a citizen's life as possible; he felt too much government control just complicated a person's life. Like most Transcendentalists, Thoreau believed there
was a direct connection to God through nature. If a person appreciated nature he would gain a higher understanding of God. Finally, Thoreau
encouraged...show more content...
Instead, Thoreau built a simple but efficient cabin and furnished it with the basic necessity of a bed, table, chairs and desk. He also didn't waste his
time and energy trying to keep up with the latest fashions; he wore comfortable and long lasting clothes. Thoreau explained to his readers that this
simplistic way of life decreased the dreariness of every day life and left more time to explore one's meaning of life and his role in the world. Freeing
oneself from the economic race, Thoreau argued, allowed for individual to be inspired by nature and focus on the genuine concerns of life. In Thoreau's
Civil Disobedience, he argues that when civil laws conflict with an individual's morality, the individual should follows his conscience. Thoreau like
many Transcendentalists felt a less involved government was best. Thoreau wrote, "That government is best which governs not at all." Obviously,
Thoreau realized that he could afford to take this open opinion on government because of the American government. But he felt that government's
authority should be limited to physical matters of the country, such as infrastructure and orderliness. He felt a government that become involved in
moral matters such as sobriety and slavery was a government over–stepping its boundaries. Ultimately, Thoreau and other transcendentalists felt a
utopian society would be the best.

Thoreau's Message in Walden Essay
Thoreau's Message in Walden
In Walden, Henry D. Thoreau presented a radical and controversial perspective on society that was far beyond its time. In a period where growth both
economically and territorially was seen as necessary for the development of a premature country, Thoreau felt the opposite. Thoreau was a man in
search of growth within himself and was not concerned with outward improvements in him or society. In the chapter entitled "economy," he argued that
people were too occupied with work to truly appreciate what life has to offer. He felt the root of this obsession with work was created through the
misconstrued perception that material needs were a necessity, rather than a hindrance to true happiness and the...show more content...
Since less work was required; people had more time to appreciate nature and thus enjoyed a happier life.
Thoreau was very doubtful of the ideas that outward improvements could bring improvements to one's inner peace. One clear illustration of
Thoreau's resistance to progress can be found in the chapter, "Sounds," where he voiced his criticism on technological advancements. At first he was
annoyed with the sound created by the passing trains which hindered his ability to hear the chirping of the birds. As he stated, " The whistle of the
locomotive penetrates my woods summer and winter, sounding like the scream of a hawk sailing over some farmer's yard, informing me that many
restless city merchants are arriving within the circle of the town..."(78). Trains also reminded him of the businessman and tradesman involved in
manipulation and profits. Thoreau believed that a technological advancement such as the train would give people a false impression of heightened
freedom, for trains were able to travel to areas never before imagined and in a time that was thought impossible. He was worried that people would
prefer to take the train than "the road less traveled." By taking trains, people missed out on the beauty of nature. Then he realized that the trains had
transported people to many different areas and that it had enabled the people to experience new things.
Thoreau showed his disapproval

Thoreau Essay example
Henry David Thoreau was man of simplicity, and if he were to experience life in Cary, he would not only be surprised, but disappointed in humanity
itself. Thoreau believed in the necessities of life, nothing more, and the people of Cary live lives exactly the opposite. Cary residents live lives of
material possessions, business, and over–complexity. These traits of society are precisely opposite of Thoreau's...show more content...
Indeed, we toil the best of our days, and "fritter away our lives by detail. ( )", in order to earn the perishable items we acquire by destroying the
ever resilient gift we have been given. We all live "meanly, likes ants... ( )", and we forget to stop and look at our lives from a different perspective.
In fact, our minds are constipated with thoughts we entertain to feel important, and do the job, to once again achieve greatness through our "things."
Our lives are so complex for such unjust reasons, and we all ponder the question that a wise man once asked, "why, should we live with such hurry
and waste of life? ( )"
Furthermore, our lives are lived so shallowly and are filled with the frail, irrelevant things, and not the pulp of life. We think of time as the last peanut
butter remaining in the jar we go scraping for, whereas Thoreau views time as "the stream I go a–fishing in. ( )" Thoreau stresses simplicity, yet we only
feel important by living complexity. The people of Cary live lives almost equivalent to that of bees. We work hard, but relax almost never. We have
five televisions, but not five minutes to spare. In the eyes of the people of Cary, complexity is modern.
Again, Thoreau would look upon Cary as a symbol of the society of disgrace, for we are constantly conquered by our schedules, obsessed with our
toys, and

Henry David Thoreau Essay
Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau was a man who expressed his beliefs of society, government, and mankind while living under his own self–criticism. Thoreau
believed he had many weaknesses which made him a failure. This strong disapproval of himself contrasted with his powerful words and strong actions.
These contradictions led to some of Thoreau's greatest pieces of literature.
Henry David Thoreau was born in Concord, Massachusetts on July 12, 1817, in his grandmother's house. Thoreau believed that Concord was, "the
most estimable place in all the world, and in the very nick of time, too" (Harding 4). Though Thoreau was born in
"the era of good feeling," his family experienced many misfortunes, politically, physically,...show more content...
That sweet solitude my spirit seemed so early to require at once gave the preference to this recess among the pines, where almost sunshine and shadow
were the only inhabitants that varied the scene, over the tumultuous and varied city, as if it had found its proper nursery" (13–14). It is apparent that
Thoreau associates Walden Pond with his happiest memories.
Thoreau was a deeply religious man, but disliked church. He was very serious as a child and loved his solitude (Schneider 4). Thoreau says he was
truly happiest when he could be by himself (25). In 1828, Thoreau and his older brother John, to whom he was closest, went to Concord Academy.
Henry was the smarter of the two and in 1833, was sent to
Harvard University, where he did very well. It was there that Thoreau was first exposed to writing publicly when the Editor of the Dial, which is a
periodical for a transcendentalist group, gave him a job. In 1837, Thoreau graduated form Harvard and this is where he first heard Ralph Waldo Emerson
speak. It was at this time that he began writing his journal.
He started teaching in Concord's Center School for a brief period of two weeks. Thoreau was told to enforce corporate punishment in the classroom
and he resigned. He ended up working in his father's pencil factory where he improved American pencils. He did this by improving the method of
mixing graphite which he discovered by researching the
European

Essay about Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau, a name heard endlessly by American Literature students, has contributed his outrageous views to society even after his death.
Lectures and texts let his perceptions live on through teachers and professors that are all agreed on the significance of his writing to the
transcendentalistic period. Definitely worth the merit he receives for his contributions, Henry Thoreau's views are nonconformist and thought
provoking. "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he
hears, however measured or far away" (Thoreau, 14). Thoreau himself marched to a different drummer, and it is this aspect of all great men that...show
more content...
Derleth even describes the family as, "a closely–knit family of lifelong duration"(2). Henry's father was a grave, quiet man, yet not prepossessing like
many men of the time period. He was likable, but his tendency toward deafness made it hard to communicate with him. Henry's mother was an
opinionated, insightful woman, and her lively and bustling presence often brought these opinions to the surface. Derleth states, "Mrs. Thoreau... could
sometimes make sharp observations about her fellow citizens, though she was not in any sense mean, and she was very much liked" (2). Mrs. Thoreau
was clearly the dominant force in the household, and the house was regularly filled with women. Aunt Louis Dunbar, Henry's Grandmother Minott
before she died, and none other than Lucy Jackson Brown the sister of Ralph Waldo Emerson's second wife, were all welcomed boarders at the Thoreau
household.
Henry spent most of his life in the Concord Village and town, which at this time was a scarcely populated town of just about two thousand people. He
had, "... a boyhood like many boyhoods..." (Derleth, 3); he drove cows to the pasture, fished, ran barefoot, built bonfires at Walden pond during evening
fishing episodes, and even hunted a little, though he gave it up pretty quickly. Whereas he may have been known for having a good sense of humor
and easy geniality within his family, he was a grave boy. It was this fact that

Thoreau And Individualism
While Thoreau recognizes the people's affinity toward order, he abhors the fact that states misconstrue the original grounds for government: protection
of individual rights. It is, however, ironic that the noisy, complicated government of Thoreau's time had only a fraction of the bureaucracy of the
government we have today. This illuminates the extent to which modern society, let alone current day society, contrasts the natural locus of human
interaction. – 69 words
This sentiment correlates with the massive amount of incarceration in the U.S. for often minor crimes. The idea that the law is synonymous with
morality is preposterous, and alludes to a supposition that everyone's morals are the same. Personally, the law should only protect individual rights by
punishing acts by individuals that encroach upon the rights of others. Since everyone shares the same desire to free himself from the tyranny of his
neighbor, such a policy would vastly reduce the amount of incarceration and protect to an even greater extent individual liberties. – 93 words
Thoreau's allusion to soldiers in the Mexican war is comparable to 21st century military decisions. For example, the decision to declare war on Iraq in
2003 illustrates how individuals in a position of authority can command blindly obeying soldiers to their will. Soldiers are the very antitheses of
individualism because they hinder any form of conscience and personal morality. – 60 words
It seems to me that the electoral college

Thoreau Persuasive Essay
Continuously, Thoreau also wanted to flee society, but for different reasons than McCandless. Thoreau wanted to flee society because he believed that
life moved too quickly and he wanted to try and find the true meaning of life. To begin, nature was the best setting for him to do this because he did
not have to follow society's fast–paced life, which he believed allowed for no time to appreciate and find the meaning of life. Detached from society
and in nature, he can set his own, slower pace and therefore spend more time pondering and appreciating life. To begin, Moreover, Thoreau believes
that society moves too quickly, and while part of civilization he could not appreciate life. This is shown when Thoreau explains we are forced to
keep up with the pace of a society that has telegraphs and cars that move at 30 miles an hour (which was very fast for the time), that doesn't allow us
time to slow down (Thoreau 60). Attempting to keep up with the fast–paced society is so preoccupying that we end each day with no time to truly
understand and appreciate life. Leading into my next claim, Thoreau wanted to flee society to find the true meaning of life. This is shown in the
quote, "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to
teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived"(Thoreau 59). Something that living in the woods taught Thoreau is how similar some
animals are to humans. An example of this is when Thoreau observes the red and black ants during their battle. Thoreau compares the ants and the
humans when he says that there is no war in American history that had the number of soldiers as the red and black ants, and also no war where the
troops were as patriotic and courageous (Thoreau 149). Thoreau didn't want to be dying and have not figured out the meaning of life, and by going into
the woods, he felt as though he learned some things without being bogged down by distractions, such as the materialistic items and the company of
others.
Moreover, both McCandless and Thoreau sought solitude because they preferred it, but McCandless also wanted to prove he could survive alone. The
first reason

Henry Thoreau Essay
Born in 1817, in Concord, Henry David Thoreau became one of the greatest writers among the American Renaissance. Thoreau based his whole
philosophy on the fact that man needed to get rid of material things in order to be an individual. An exquisitely educated man, Thoreau went to
Harvard, which placed heavy emphasis on the classics. Thoreau studied a curriculum that included grammar and composition, mathematics, English,
history, and various philosophies. He also spoke fluently in Italian, French, German, and Spanish. After his graduation in 1837, Thoreau became a
teacher. He and his brother John, however, closed the school in 1841, for Thoreau knew writing was his passion. He kept a journal beginning in 1837,
and most think he wrote...show more content...
"I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude." Thoreau liked solitude, a time when he wrote from his soul and
was truly alone. Thoreau's love for nature was one of the most powerful aspects evident in Walden. Considered by some to be the father of the
environmental movement, Thoreau referred back to nature in everything he wrote from essays to political speeches. As a simple man, Thoreau did not
own many material things. For he believed that to own material objects were an obstacle, rather than an advantage. He saw that most people measured
self–worth in terms of what they owned, rather than their spiritual and intellectual gifts. Thoreau proposed to live as simply as possible and
determine what he needed for basic human survival. "My greatest skill is to want but little." He grew his own food, cleaned his own
cabin, and often arranged his affairs so he had to work as little as possible. Published on August 9, 1854, Walden sold two thousand copies. For one
dollar, people read into the depths of Thoreau's life at Walden Pond and all his views on everything from the anti–slavery movement to his
environmental ideas. Walden sold moderately well during Thoreau's lifetime, but his greatest respects came posthumously.Through the reading of
Walden, many people have discovered the magic of Henry David Thoreau's pen. Just a man from Concord, Massachusetts, he lived an extraordinary
life as a simple man. That, however, was all

My Life With Thoreau Essay

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My Life With Thoreau Essay