Walden Essay

Huh 2 Table of Contents Point 1 ....................................................................................................................................4 Point 2 ....................................................................................................................................5 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................6

Huh 3 Outline I. Introduction II. Walden Pond A. Area B. Size III. Conclusion

Huh 4 Jeongmin Huh Mr. Dixon American Literature 10 August 2011 Walden Essay Single be never going to make a statement that everyone agrees to. Transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau, author of the book Walden, was a non-conformist, with radical ideologies about life. He believed that the world would be a better place with his ideas. Through Walden, Thoreau expresses two much debated ideas: simplify life, and be original. Point 1 According to Walden, simplifying life is, in essence, cultivating poverty. Thoreau suggests his audience to cultivate poverty like a garden herb, like sage. He also suggests his audience to not trouble ourselves much to get new things, whether clothes or friends. Turn the old; return to them. Things do not change; we change. The good side to this particular idea is Thoreau conveys the idea of poverty in a positive tone. Problems in life make life difficult. However, poverty is masked in such a way that would attempt to convince people that it is able to make the problems in life disappear. The flipside is that its nave to think that on can escape the problems in life as he or she enters the state of poverty, as Thoreau calls it, entering the woods. Problems in life multiply if they are not tended to. Friendships and family relationships will be broken with this ideology, which will definitely leave a hugely negative mark on a persons life. Thoreau states that as one simplifies his life, the laws of the universe will appear less complex, and solitude will not be solitude, nor poverty, nor weakness weakness. Thoreau thinks that the complexity of the world will organize itself into tidy compartments, simplifying
student 8/10/11 11:25 AM Deleted: poverty student 8/10/11 11:26 AM Deleted: Obviously, student 8/10/11 11:26 AM Deleted: f

Huh 5 life for people for their own benefits. One would like to question his definition of poverty. Thoreau believes that in the woods is perpetual youth. Thoreau is able to experience nature to such positive effects, because poverty to Thoreau simply appears to be life without problems. On the other hand, it seems like Thoreau doesnt seem to worry about working. Unlike him, most people dont have the freedom to wander through the forest to ponder on the meaning of life. They are too occupied in their work to earn their daily bread. If it werent for the daily struggles of survival, theyd be more willing to detach themselves from their work and join Thoreau in his quest for peace in the woods. Insert bookmarks and hyperlinks to the table of contents headers. Make sure the name that you give to your bookmark when you "insert bookmark" is only one word. Point 2 Thoreau tells his audience to sell their clothes and keep their thoughts. Clothes represent physical possessions, while thoughts represent wisdom. There exists a superiority of spiritual values over physical values in Thoreaus statement. He wants people to be original, with thoughts that are perfectly independent. Also, Thoreau believes that people should quit trying to be someone else. He says, 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 admits the differences that separate each human being, and thus concludes that people should be original and live in their own unique ways. Thoreau emphasizes the fact that people are not superior to each other, but simply different from one another. Yes, people do need to be knowledgeable of their own virtues, and Thoreau realized that people gain knowledge of themselves not by imitation, but simply by being oneself. On the other hand, Thoreau tells his audience to not seek so anxiously to be developed, to subject themselves to
student 8/10/11 11:24 AM Comment: This is an unnecessary paragraph. student 8/10/11 11:23 AM Comment: Which Thoreau are you talking about?

Huh 6 many influences to be played on; it is all dissipation. If Thoreau argued that all people have their own virtues, why does he tell his audience to essentially shut themselves from other influences? After all, virtues exist for mankind. A virtue is only a virtue when it benefits the society. Thus, without society, there wouldnt be any virtues. The irony to Thoreaus statement is that while he tells his audience to shut off outer influences, he himself is trying to influence his audience. Nevertheless, Thoreau is focused on the idea of being independent physically and original mentally. Conclusion There is no doubt that Walden expresses some admirable ideas of life. However, Thoreau should admit that his ideas are too ideal in a fallen world where people naturally have the tendency to be sinful. Life should simple and people should be original, but these ideas should exist for the good of mankind, not for individuals sake. If all people are created equal with different virtues, then they exist for one another, simply for the prosperity of mankind.

Huh 7 Citation 1. Thoreau, Henry David. "Walden - Chapter 2." The Thoreau Reader. Richard Lenat. Web. 09 Aug. 2011. <http://thoreau.eserver.org/walden02.html>.