Walden

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About the Author: Henry David Thoreau

Henry David Thoreau was born on July 12, 1817 to John and Cynthia Thoreau. He had two sisters, Helen and Sophia, and also an older brother John. Henry spent most of his childhood in Concord where he was born. Along with Concord, Henry also traveled to Maine and New York which inspired on of his works of art entitled //The Maine Woods//.. Thoreau attended Harvard University where he studied science and math. He graduated from the university in 1837. He later traveled to Canada where he wrote //An Excursion to Canada in 1853.// Later Thoreau built a log cabin near Walden's Pond on that that was owned by Ralph Emerson. Thoreau lived in that cabin for a little over two years. In those two years, Henry found solitude, was arrested for not paying taxes, and wrote //Walden,// which was published in 1854. After living a very accomplished life, Henry David Thoreau died on May 6th, 1862 from tuberculosis.

Historical Setting: 1840s to 1860s

ï»¿The Industrial Revolution in America

The 'first' Age of Materialism

Transcendentalist Way of Life

Point of View: first person point of view, this makes the story more interesting because it is being told by the person who actually lived it. ï»¿-- How does the first person point of view effect the story? -Mrs. Walder

Setting:

The setting of this novel is Walden's Pond near Concord, Massachusetts, where Thoreau lived for two years in solitude. The book is based off of Thoreau's time he spent living on Walden's Pond which was during 1845-1847. The book however condenses those two years into one.

Themes:

Solitude ï»¿- Ones independence  from others take a higher value over needs and wants. Thoreau tries to find entertainment in aspects of life not associated with civilization and large crowds of people. He refuses to see human society as a need in his life, however Thoreau does value companionship. Solitude is also displayed in the determination of Thoreau to support himself. He aspires for his work to allow him to make a profit and always allow there to be extra goods.

Being one with nature ï»¿-Thoreau displays two very different personalities. He is economically concerned and he is also a character with a poetic thought process. With the combination of these two characteristics, Thoreau easily becomes one with nature. His poetic thought process allows him to see the beauty in nature and his economic planning allows Thoreau to survive in nature, therefore becoming one with nature.

Non-Conformist Life ï»¿- Thoreau's lifestyle easily falls into the category of a non-conformist life. He is unwilling to make the same habits and mistakes as the rest of the human society. He would prefer to reduce his desires rather than increase them like the majority of the society does. Thoreau doesn't believe in the society's idea of an outward improvement of life can satisfy one on the inside. At this time capitalist growth was an important aspect of the culture; however Thoreau was more interested in anti-consumption. Also differing from the society Thoreau had his mind set on staying put while everyone else was concerned with migration and exploring new places.

Character Development: ï»¿Henry David Thoreau- Thoreau is both the narrator and the main subject of this novel. He is a poet, a believer of solitude, and a naturalist. His transcendentalist ideas consist of thoughts like perfecting mankind through education, self-exploration, and spiritual awareness. Thoreau constructs a hut at Walden Pond, located on the land of his former teacher, Emerson, symbolizing the debt of knowledge Thoreau owes to Emerson.

Notes on Plot Development: 1. Economy - He comes to realize that people are always wanting more. All people really need are food and shelter but they are always wanting more after they have what they need.

2. Where I Lived, and What I Lived For Thoreau wants to exist without obligation and only with leisure. This is why he looks to the woods. His new building project at Walden is a grand achievement in his eyes. Upon moving into his new home on Independence Day, Thoreau feels as though he is a god on Mount Olympus. Even though his house is not much to be proud of, Thoreau claims that a paradise fit for gods is available everywhere, if one can perceive it. He stays very optimistic at this time. For examples rather than seeing poorly insulated walls, he sees walls that give the interior of the house the benefit of fresh air. This example shows Thoreauâ€™s very immaterial personality. He sees his home as an escape from time and lifeâ€™s common daily issues. In concluding Thoreau offers a bit of advice to the readers. He asks us to push through our existence until we have hit rock bottom and can accurately determine the reality of things.

3. Reading

4. Sounds In Sounds, Thoreau takes this his initial idea of living in the words for a better life, to how literature need not be the only form of one being able to better themselves. He feels that living in nature and in solitude allow a person to experience life as God intended. T

5. Solitude

6. Visitors In this chapter, Thoreau reveals that he craves compassion just like everyone else. Thoreau sets out three chairs incase of visitors. He, however, is not like most conventional hosts. Thoreau focuses more on full filling his guests' spirit rather then their stomachs. Henry realizes that his home isn't the best suited for guests. He didn't worry about whether his guests are eating delicacies or not. If there wasn't enough food to go around no one ate. If his guests left with an empty stomach Thoreau could at least sympathize with them. Even though Henry wasn't the most conventional host, his guest kept coming back. It seemed to Thoreau that he was getting more visitors since he moved to Walden then when we lived in town. Thoreau felt that if a person took the time to drive all the way out to the middle of no where to visit someone that that person was committed to seeing the other and that they truly wanted to see them. Thoreau also recieved visitors from the neighboring areas. He gave special attention to a woodsman, Alex Therien. Although Therien was illiterate, Thoreau admired his physical strength and his ability to entertain himself. Thoreau came to the conclusion that women and children enjoy the woods more then men. Men, especially the business and farmer type, only focused on it's limitations rather then it's beauty.

7. The Bean-Field - Thoreau getâ€™s into the daily routine of farm work with two and a half acres of beans and smaller amounts of peas, potatoes, and turnips. While working with his crops he often pauses to observe the surrounding wildlife. Thoreauâ€™s crops are fortunate to receive rain, but the woodchucks ruin a large portion of the plot. More devastation comes when Thoreau realizes his thought to be rich soil was at one time exhausted of all its nutrients for a crop such as beans. Artifacts such as pottery pieces and arrowheads act as Thoreauâ€™s evidence for this theory. Thoreau finds it both peaceful and entertaining to be working with his crops. He is fascinated with the sights and sounds of nature surrounding him. Other sounds from a very different environment seem to reach him though. Thoreau hears the echoes of military exercises in a nearby town. This seems to be reassuring to Thoreau that his freedom with be protected in any conflict. However, being secluded still has Thoreau feeling far from the necessity of war. With his farming techniques, Thoreau profits close to nine dollars with his crops. He barters most of his beans for rice but keeps the peas and turnips. Thoreauâ€™s main goal behind his farm work was not to profit, only to learn self-dicipline.

8. The Village - In this chapter, Thoreau talks about his occasional travels to the village where he sees society in full swing. Based on the preceding chapters, you would not think Thoreau would want to participate in society so much as to go into town every couple of days, but he claims to go there to hear the news and make an attempt to keep with the things going on in the world. He also discusses the power of gossip, or rather the craziness it can inflict in the people of the village. At the end of this chapter, Thoreau goes to the village cobbler to mend his shoes and is arrested because he failed to pay his taxes.

9. The Ponds

10. Baker Farm - To survey the land, Thoreau wonders past Walden Pond to neighboring groves and woods. While fishing, Thoreau gets caught in a rainstorm. He seeks shelter at the Baker Farm, which he thought to be deserted. However, inside a hut Thoreau finds the Field family, poor Irish immigrants. Upon making conversation, Thoreau lectures John Field about his lifestyle. He believes that Field can recover from poverty by reassessing his priorities. Field, however, is not very open-minded towards Thoreauâ€™s lecture. This leads Thoreau to believe that Field canâ€™t see the wisdom in his ideas on finances, and he is unwilling to take chances.

11. Higher Laws

12. Brute Neighbors

13. House-Warming

14. Inhabitants and Winter Visitors

15. Winter Animals - Thoreau finds a frozen pond more spacious. He enjoys hearing the many sounds of his environment. He listens for owls and geese. Thoreau takes interest in small animals such as the squirrels, foxes, and rabbits. Two sounds that Thoreau almost always hears at this time are the sound of falling snow and the sound of cracking ice. He feeds corn to the squirrels and rabbits on his doorstep. He finds entertainment with watching them. With what the squirrels and rabbits donâ€™t eat; Thoreau attracts birds such as jays and sparrows. Thoreau even hears the sounds of hounds in the distance. He often talks with the hunters who pass through the area.

16. The Pond in Winter

17. Spring

18. Conclusion

Essay: On the Duty of Civil Disobedienceï»¿