Henry David Thoreau

A book that changed America

Introduction

Henry David Thoreau’s view on life is very simple compared to society’s. Thoreau wants to acknowledge, appreciate, and learn from nature to expand his thoughts on what life is and means. There is the idea that life is more than economic matters and materials outside of what we have made our reality, and Thoreau explores that by finding his spiritual ground through nature. Thoreau states, “Sell your clothes; keep your thoughts.” Giving up his materials and connecting with nature allowed him to learn more about himself and the world without being blinded by society. Thoreau’s ‘Walden: Life in The Woods’ is an influential book that elaborates on the importance of finding the truth through nature and letting go of what society deems most important. Unbinding yourself from the hold of materialistic items and a materialistic mindset will help you find yourself in a bind with who you really are, what you truly admire, and the meaning of life.

About the Author

Henry David Thoreau who was an author, poet, and natural philosopher was born on July 12th, 1817 in Concord Massachusetts. He attended Havard College from 1833–1837. After graduating Harvard College he taught at one of his old public grammar schools in Concord, but little time passed before he resigned and spoke out against the use of physical discipline on the children. After Thoreau worked at his dads pencil factory for a bit he and his brother opened a school and during this time he was being mentored and influenced by Ralph Waldo Emerson for his writings. His writing career was launched through the publishing of essays and poems in Emerson and Margaret Fuller’s new journal, “The Dial”. Thoreau was a leader in the Transcendentalist movement, which held the key concept of how our connection to nature is vital in discovering our true self and developing our moral stability. He was most renowned for two of his works, “Walden”; or, “Life in the Woods” (1854) and “Civil Disobedience” (1849). Those two literary pieces of his allowed his work to be discoverable and appreciated in the later half of the 20th century. They became classic texts in America and are often used to address issues in political philosophy, moral theory, and, more recently, environmentalism. Unfortunately he died at the age of 44 on May 6th, 1862.

About the Book

“Walden”; or, “Life in the Woods” was written in 1854 by Henry David Thoreau and its purpose was to influence and encourage individuals to consume less and enjoy more. In Summary, “Walden ‘’ is a documentation of the author’s observations and experiences throughout his two year, two month, and two day stay in a cabin outside Concord Massachusetts near Walden Pond. His intention of solitude was to understand himself and be completely self-reliant. In his book he expresses believing nature to be the source of beauty, wisdom, and spiritual nourishment, and that it was something we are, not something to have. In the book Thoreau, “…explained his ideas about how a person should live, being consciously aware of his or her own nature and of the natural world itself” (Barnette). He advocated for the glorification and embracement of nature and how it can benefit our lives. It is almost like he is implicating to take control of what can be controlled. For instance, our life, our beliefs, our values, and who we are. Hey supports this by stating, “Simplify, simplify. Instead of three meals a day, if it be necessary eat but one; instead of a hundred dishes, five; and reduce other things in proportion” (Thoreau). Thoreaus’s writing style can be described as very precise, vigorous, concise, prose, and naturalistic. His style is used to identify and explore the themes of simplicity, self-reliance, the beauty of nature, and living life intentionally without the unnecessary burden of materialism.

Legacy

“Walden”; or, “Life in the Woods’’ is considered so influential because it encapsulates the essence of what it truly means to live and discover individualism. To this day Thoreau’s book not only influences environmental conservation and activism, but it also sparks the idea that there are aspects to life that are so unnaturally and insignificant to the people we are and intend to become. “’he articulated the idea that humans are a part of nature and that we function best, as individuals and societies, when we are conscious of that fact’” (Barnette). Thoreau courageously mentions that as we limit the substance and value that materials withhold in our lives the more we elevate our purpose in life. I believe Thoreau continues to influence our world today due to his insistence of how humans are too bound to societal expectations and often forget that though time is endless, we are limited of it so it is crucial we live in the present and enjoy the natural world around us for a deeper and more meaningful connection within ourselves, others, and our environment. “If anything, Thoreau’s classic has become even more relevant in our harried age. Thoreau flees to the woods because of a growing horror with every aspect of his contemporary society — the unjust government, the growing consumerism, the obsession with technology, the increasing specialization of labor, the absorption of all leisure by work, the constant petty conversation, the disregard of wild nature” (Lotz). In other words, as time passes the more we can relate to what Thoreau could have possibly been afraid of. His solution may have not been the most ideal, but the idea of it, is what is important to note. In times of need I believe his work to be very helpful in the sense that nature surrounded isolation may be best when trying to renew, clear, rejuvenate, and strive for individuality within our minds and lives without the societal pressures and conformities.

Works Cited

Barnette, Beth. “Henry David Thoreau | Learning to Give.” Www.learningtogive.org, www.learningtogive.org/resources/henry-david-thoreau.

Lotz, Roy. “Review: Walden.” Lotz in Translation, 26 July 2017, lotzintranslation.com/2017/07/26/review-walden/. Accessed 15 June 2024.

Thoreau, Henry David . “Logging In…” Flvcb2c.b2clogin.com, 2013, www.proquest.com/lion/docview/2407290400/Z001915370/D303A0DED5E14685PQ/1?accountid=10674&sourcetype=Books. Accessed 15 June 2024.