literature critique essay- Thoreau's "Walden"
Literature Critique Essay- Thoreau's "Walden"
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of living a “full” life? To me it’s gaining as much knowledge as possible and ultimately staying happy throughout. In Henry Thoreau’s story Walden, he turns to raw nature to achieve his way of living a full life. He borrows an axe and decides to build a cabin on Walden Pond where he would stay for the next two years. Living only off the land and surrounded by nothing but nature. Thoreau abandons society to live in the woods not for an adventure in practical survival, but to find himself and learn how to live a complete life through nature. Most people wouldn’t retreat to the deep woods for two years to find themselves. Some may travel or just take a vacation for a week to get a sense of mind, but in Thoreau’s case the sole accompany of nature taught him everything he needs to know about himself. He compares a snake “running” into the icy lake and staying on the bottom to why men remain in their present low and primitive condition. He says the snake wanted to stay in his torpid state of winter underneath the icy water of the lake instead of unthawing in sun like most snakes when spring time comes. He learns that people need not to hide, but learn from change and “feel the influence of the spring of springs arousing them where they could rise to a higher and more ethereal life.” One of the main reasons Thoreau went to the woods was to learn what life really is. He wanted to know that when he came to die, he wouldn’t discover that he has not yet lived. He says “I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow out of life” getting everything he can out it. Thoreau said that most people are here to “glorify God and enjoy him forever.” But they are coming to a conclusion to quickly. You will get the full genuine meaningless of life when you reduce it to its lowest terms and learn from what it has to offer you. Over the two years Thoreau spent in
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of living a “full” life? To me it’s gaining as much knowledge as possible and ultimately staying happy throughout. In Henry Thoreau’s story Walden, he turns to raw nature to achieve his way of living a full life. He borrows an axe and decides to build a cabin on Walden Pond where he would stay for the next two years. Living only off the land and surrounded by nothing but nature. Thoreau abandons society to live in the woods not for an adventure in practical survival, but to find himself and learn how to live a complete life through nature. Most people wouldn’t retreat to the deep woods for two years to find themselves. Some may travel or just take a vacation for a week to get a sense of mind, but in Thoreau’s case the sole accompany of nature taught him everything he needs to know about himself. He compares a snake “running” into the icy lake and staying on the bottom to why men remain in their present low and primitive condition. He says the snake wanted to stay in his torpid state of winter underneath the icy water of the lake instead of unthawing in sun like most snakes when spring time comes. He learns that people need not to hide, but learn from change and “feel the influence of the spring of springs arousing them where they could rise to a higher and more ethereal life.” One of the main reasons Thoreau went to the woods was to learn what life really is. He wanted to know that when he came to die, he wouldn’t discover that he has not yet lived. He says “I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow out of life” getting everything he can out it. Thoreau said that most people are here to “glorify God and enjoy him forever.” But they are coming to a conclusion to quickly. You will get the full genuine meaningless of life when you reduce it to its lowest terms and learn from what it has to offer you. Over the two years Thoreau spent in