Henry David Henry David ThoreauThoreau

Enigmatic

naturalist

egoist

aloof conceitedindolent

practitioner

Reflection?Reflection?

Thoreau’s life long themeThoreau’s life long theme

““The end of life is education.”The end of life is education.”

Intent…life is an experiment in self-Intent…life is an experiment in self-education.education.

Experiment in NatureExperiment in Nature

Thoreau gave Thoreau gave up up conventional conventional life to live at life to live at Walden Pond Walden Pond in a “hut”in a “hut”

As a naturalistAs a naturalist

According to life long friend, According to life long friend, Emerson, Thoreau “saw as with a Emerson, Thoreau “saw as with a microscope, heard as with ear microscope, heard as with ear trumpet, and his memory was trumpet, and his memory was photographic register of photographic register of everything he saw and heard.”everything he saw and heard.”

As a practitionerAs a practitioner

Thoreau tried to live the Thoreau tried to live the transcendentalist philosophiestranscendentalist philosophies

Wanted to put Emerson’s ideas into Wanted to put Emerson’s ideas into practicepractice

Rejected his schooling and the Rejected his schooling and the expectations that came with it expectations that came with it (appeared idle)(appeared idle)

Even Emerson claimed at Thoreau’s Even Emerson claimed at Thoreau’s funeral that he lacked ambitionfuneral that he lacked ambition

In pursuit of his dreams, of an inner In pursuit of his dreams, of an inner reality, he was the self-reliant reality, he was the self-reliant nonconformist that Emerson urged nonconformist that Emerson urged all people to be.all people to be.

““If a man does not keep pace with If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the drummer. Let him step to the

music which he hears, however music which he hears, however measured or far away.”measured or far away.”

WaldenWalden

Record of Thoreau’s life (2 years) at Record of Thoreau’s life (2 years) at Walden Pond condensed into one Walden Pond condensed into one yearyear

4 seasons as reflection of life4 seasons as reflection of life– Summer-live more directly with Summer-live more directly with

nature; unfinished hutnature; unfinished hut– Autumn-work on walls and Autumn-work on walls and

fireplace; store up experiences of fireplace; store up experiences of summer for winter reflectionsummer for winter reflection

– Winter-read, meditate, practice Winter-read, meditate, practice self-discipline, and transform self-discipline, and transform experience into wisdomexperience into wisdom

– Spring-rebirth; repeated each yearSpring-rebirth; repeated each year

Thoreau did not recommend others Thoreau did not recommend others follow in his footsteps.follow in his footsteps.

WaldenWalden can be read as can be read as – Social criticismSocial criticism– Inspiration to self-reformInspiration to self-reform– Observations of natureObservations of nature– Hymn to the possibilities of lifeHymn to the possibilities of life

Only the individual can sayOnly the individual can say

from Where I Lived, and What I from Where I Lived, and What I Lived ForLived For

Thoreau’s method is to move us from Thoreau’s method is to move us from small facts to larger truthssmall facts to larger truths

An unfinished house lets in wind that An unfinished house lets in wind that blows forever (single, unifying spirit) blows forever (single, unifying spirit)

Theme of Walden evident here…Theme of Walden evident here…– ““I went to the woods because I wished I went to the woods because I wished

to live deliberately, to front only the to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”not lived.”

Allusion [Allusion [IliadIliad]---”fighting with cranes” ]---”fighting with cranes” means wasting our lives on the trivial and means wasting our lives on the trivial and the nonessentialthe nonessential

Simplicity, simplicity, simplicitySimplicity, simplicity, simplicity– Life should be lived more simply and closer Life should be lived more simply and closer

to nature to gain a better understanding of to nature to gain a better understanding of the “essential facts of life.”the “essential facts of life.”

What is the What is the paradoxparadox in the last sentence? in the last sentence?– A paradox is a statement that reveals a A paradox is a statement that reveals a

truth although it seems to be self-truth although it seems to be self-contradictory and untrue.contradictory and untrue.

from Soundsfrom Sounds

Learn from nature, not booksLearn from nature, not books Simile---grew like “corn in the night.”Simile---grew like “corn in the night.”

Critical Questions from SoundsCritical Questions from Sounds

How was this growth like corn in the How was this growth like corn in the night?night?

How does Thoreau view idleness?How does Thoreau view idleness? How do townsmen view it?How do townsmen view it? Why the reference to Puri Indians Why the reference to Puri Indians

and their concept of time?and their concept of time? What did Thoreau learn about his life What did Thoreau learn about his life

in “Sounds”?in “Sounds”?

from Brute Neighborsfrom Brute Neighbors

Ant metaphorAnt metaphor– Epic, heroic qualityEpic, heroic quality

At the end of this, Thoreau observes At the end of this, Thoreau observes that he “never learned which party that he “never learned which party was victorious, nor the cause of the was victorious, nor the cause of the war…” How is this statement also a war…” How is this statement also a comment on human warfare?comment on human warfare?

from The Pond in Winterfrom The Pond in Winter

Winter a time for reflectionWinter a time for reflection How does Thoreau feel about the How does Thoreau feel about the

fisherman?fisherman?

SpringSpring

How do you feel after a long winter?How do you feel after a long winter? How do you know winter is over?How do you know winter is over? Time for rejuvenationTime for rejuvenation In the return of the sounds, there is In the return of the sounds, there is

hope (optimism in future)hope (optimism in future) Rebirth of soulRebirth of soul

from the Conclusionfrom the Conclusion

Why did he leave Walden Pond?Why did he leave Walden Pond? What are the advantages of poverty?What are the advantages of poverty? What is the significance of the “bug” What is the significance of the “bug”

analogy?analogy? Overall, how does Thoreau feel about Overall, how does Thoreau feel about

his experiences at Walden Pond?his experiences at Walden Pond?

Style and Purpose of Style and Purpose of WaldenWalden

Shift in styles to reflect Thoreau’s Shift in styles to reflect Thoreau’s changing purposes.changing purposes.

Short, factual observances when he Short, factual observances when he arrives at Walden Pond on arrives at Walden Pond on Independence Day (symbolic Independence Day (symbolic meaning?)meaning?)

““Brute Neighbors” uses more Brute Neighbors” uses more metaphor, analogy, and allusionmetaphor, analogy, and allusion– Slow and deliberate descriptionSlow and deliberate description

Opening paragraph of “The Pond in Opening paragraph of “The Pond in Winter” takes on dream-like stateWinter” takes on dream-like state– Longer sentences are reflectiveLonger sentences are reflective– Short sentences for emphasis (ie: Nature Short sentences for emphasis (ie: Nature

doesn’t bother with questions of what-doesn’t bother with questions of what-how-when-where)how-when-where)

– Pattern: short sentences used at the Pattern: short sentences used at the beginning; longer sentences used as he beginning; longer sentences used as he observes the cold snow and frozen pond observes the cold snow and frozen pond short ending sentences short ending sentences

From “The Conclusion”From “The Conclusion”– Rather aphoristic in style Rather aphoristic in style – Emphasis of his main point about being Emphasis of his main point about being

true to self to be resurrected using true to self to be resurrected using parable about the “bug” parable about the “bug”

So whatSo what

does this mean?does this mean?

And the And the

contradiction is?contradiction is?

Clash with societyClash with society

““Civil Disobedience”Civil Disobedience” As a protest to Mexican War and As a protest to Mexican War and

slavery, Thoreau refused to pay poll slavery, Thoreau refused to pay poll taxes and, as a result, spent the taxes and, as a result, spent the night in jailnight in jail

The individual has a moral The individual has a moral responsibility to resist immoral acts responsibility to resist immoral acts of the government.of the government.

How do HDT and Zinn differ?How do HDT and Zinn differ?Similar?Similar?

Iconoclastic Individualism---Part 1 Iconoclastic Individualism---Part 1 (8:57)(8:57)

Iconoclastic Individualism---Part 2 Iconoclastic Individualism---Part 2 (9:10)(9:10)

Howard Zinn (1972) (3:49)Howard Zinn (1972) (3:49) Matt Damon reading excerpt from Matt Damon reading excerpt from

Howard Zinn (5:04)Howard Zinn (5:04) Howard Zinn—excerpt on SelmaHoward Zinn—excerpt on Selma