How Did Thoreau's Life Change The World With Literature

Changing the World With Literature “The world is but canvases to our imaginations (Thoreau, 306).” Henry David Thoreau is an American author who made an impact on the world by not being afraid to tell his story. His motivational words over nature, philosophy, and a few controversial views on the subject of slavery, made people look at themselves differently. Not until, like many well known authors, after he passed his work made an extraordinary impact on the world. A person’s opinions about life can change by Thoreau’s side of the world in his poetry and literature. Nearly two hundred years later, he is as influential as ever and .
Being a graduate from Harvard, and not knowing what step to take next, Thoreau made a pact with his brother
to make a school for children that were not accepted by other schools. He knew one thing for certain, that he loved to teach. This, was not until after he got in trouble at the last school he taught at for having a choice words over the corporal punishment policy with colored students. The school Thoreau and his brother accomplished stood for a few years. A few years later, his brother became ill and passed away, which led to Thoreau not being able to pay for the school. For a long while he had to work for his father making pencils. Then, he noticed his passion for writing (Meet Thoreau: Henry’s Global Impact. Following college Thoreau wanted to make a difference in the future. It seems that he was in favor of equality for the people, or he would not have cared for the children that had nowhere else to learn.
Much like the generations before him, his message was about simplicity in life and spirituality. He expressed his thoughts, mostly in nature, philosophy, and his views about the world. For example, books including Nature, and A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers show Thoreau’s interest in such topics. In a journal entry, he expresses his love for nature by saying “I love nature, I love the landscape, because it is so sincere. It never cheats me. It never jests. It is cheerfully, musically earnest ( Thoreau, Journal). Thoreau deeply loved life and the world around him. He advocated nature, and individualism through his words that still move people around the world today.
Henry was in a group of writers called transcendentalists. Which is a philosophy that provokes our thoughts over ourselves and the world around us, rather than base it all on science. Which goes to show why Thoreau would write the way he did. His works were simple yet, with the thought provoking style of writing he wrote, it was clear to see he was part of the transcendentalist movement. It was simple for him to discover what his passion was. Ralph Waldo Emerson, a neighbor and close friend of Thoreau, helped inspire him to become a transcendentalist writer while he housed Thoreau for some time.. Around 1837, he encouraged Thoreau to keep a journal to write in. Within 60 years, his two million word journal was published in fourteen volumes. (Meet Thoreau: Henry’s Global Impact)
Thoreau was a strong willed, adventurous spirit. Therefore, while staying with his friend Emerson, he noticed that he wanted to become a writer. Perhaps this was from Emerson rubbing off on Thoreau since he was, at that time, a successful writer. After asking a favor of his modest friend, he lived in the woods in a small plot of land Emerson owned. With a handful of supplies, he made do and headed to the shore of the Walden Pond on July fourth (Schneider). For the two years he stayed, not a day was spent without writing. With this well spent time, blossomed Walden. After the years of being in the woods next to the shore of Walden Pond, he published his first book. “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers” was an astounding text that shook the thoughts of those that read it. It was not because of how it moved its audience, but because it lacked formality. “A Week” was dedicated to his elder brother John and talked of his spiritual journey in the woods. It was not until modern times that readers understood and recognized Thoreau’s love for the world around him
He spent a night in jail over not paying his taxes;Hence the becoming of his world renowned essay “Civil Disobedience.” In this essay, Thoreau discusses civil rights and that a government that treats its people poorly should not be supported.
From the pages rose the civil rights movement in the twentieth century. Gandhi had much to say on how Thoreau thought about civil rights and the procedure he was willing to take. Therefore, Gandhi pushed the movement of self awareness and going against an immoral government. In a result of the movement of Martin Luther King Jr (The Power of Peace Thoreau, Gandhi, and King). After 100 years Thoreau continued to persuade people to take stand against political and social standards. The idea of never belittling yourself to become what others demand of you, and that a government who mistreats the people should not govern anything swept not only through America, but the world. Although he is physically gone, his ideas over ourselves did little, then leave this world behind. “The country knows not yet, or in the least part, how great a son it has lost. … His soul was made for the noblest society; he had in a short life exhausted the capabilities of this world; wherever there is knowledge, wherever there is virtue, wherever there is beauty, he will find a home”
(Schneider) Emerson could not have been more true when he said this. Thoreau has influenced this world in more ways than most can do in a lifetime. Death came too swiftly for him, and left this world with words of wisdom. His legacy will never be forgotten for as long as literature is alive and well. Today, scholarships are given to young people that show the same passion for this world as he did. With the problems that are wrong with the world, it is comforting to know that people are willing to take care of the world they were provided.