Where I Live For By Henry David Thoreau
In the essay, “Where I Lived, And what I Live For”, Henry David Thoreau writes about his experience moving and living in woods at Walden Pond. He describes how he would cut things he would do in his daily life down to proportion; for instance, instead of eating three times a day, just once. Through this experience, Thoreau is able convey his values and how he sees life. He introduces values such as naturalism, individualism, and self-sufficiency. Thoreau claims he moves to Walden because he "wished to live deliberately, to front only the essentials facts of life” (403). This essay is still relevant to today because, as Thoreau sees it, life moves too quickly and we should all slow down and enjoy life.
Thoreau has a desire to move into a secluded
area live a simple life and learn to enjoy life. Thoreau articulates how “Our life is frittered away by detail” (404). He goes on to say that as a nation people are caught up in improvements that are “external and superficial” (404). We can relate this to today’s society by just looking at how we spend our time. We spend a majority of our time separated from the world captivated on our phones and in different technologies. Thoreau addresses issues similar to this, issues we think are essential, but relates it to the effect that it makes life go by too fast. We live our lives so fast and troubled about the smallest things that we forget to enjoy the simple and beautiful things in life.