Thoreau Romanticism
Henry David Thoreau warned that “it’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see,” referencing the illusions of grandeur that haunt youth, making young adults constantly unsatisfied with their accomplishments. Constant comparison with others coupled with unrealistic desire for adventure make happiness futile, as people value every moment of euphoria only as much as it compares to their friend’s. However, with age, Thoreau’s perspective becomes more prominent, as adults realize that their romantic desires may materialize as easily from their own city, as from a storybook center of tourism. In this passage, the author contrasts the foolishness of youthful goals with the wisdom of mature realizations, outlining the malleable nature
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He begins with imagery of adventure and the Wild-West, describing the “bison and grizzly bear, mustang and big-horn, [and] Blackfoot and Pawnee” that saturated his childhood thoughts. The author references these images to describe the storybook nature of his past goals —fantastical but ultimately childish and unreasonable, more like an Indiana Jones story than a reflection of reality. He furthers this image through the metaphor of himself as an eagle, “swoop[ing] away over land and sea, in a rampant and self-glorifying fashion.” Through the conscious search for glorification, the author was unable to experience the genuine adventure found in everyday life. When wondering whether England was “[his] prison or [his] palace,” he could not come to a consensus because his life was defined by moments whose worth was dictated by stories and peers. However, the author does not blatantly condemn youthful romanticism, describing that perhaps “the thirst for adventure and excitement” so characteristic of young men and woman “ought to be in all at twenty-one.” Through a rhetorical question he displays both the selfishness and drive of inspired young people — “why should not I?” When drowning in a social climate punctuated with descriptions outlandish stories of adventure in mountains and relaxation in Italian countrysides, the illusion of their attainability pushes young men and women out of their comfort
He begins with imagery of adventure and the Wild-West, describing the “bison and grizzly bear, mustang and big-horn, [and] Blackfoot and Pawnee” that saturated his childhood thoughts. The author references these images to describe the storybook nature of his past goals —fantastical but ultimately childish and unreasonable, more like an Indiana Jones story than a reflection of reality. He furthers this image through the metaphor of himself as an eagle, “swoop[ing] away over land and sea, in a rampant and self-glorifying fashion.” Through the conscious search for glorification, the author was unable to experience the genuine adventure found in everyday life. When wondering whether England was “[his] prison or [his] palace,” he could not come to a consensus because his life was defined by moments whose worth was dictated by stories and peers. However, the author does not blatantly condemn youthful romanticism, describing that perhaps “the thirst for adventure and excitement” so characteristic of young men and woman “ought to be in all at twenty-one.” Through a rhetorical question he displays both the selfishness and drive of inspired young people — “why should not I?” When drowning in a social climate punctuated with descriptions outlandish stories of adventure in mountains and relaxation in Italian countrysides, the illusion of their attainability pushes young men and women out of their comfort