a hero-poet he needed to discover that his own personal identity was created by his own
unique mind. At the same time he needed to realize his mind was part of God’s. Thoreau
says, “Let us wander where we will the universe is built round about us, and we are central
still.” This clearly shows us his transcendental view of the world being an
extension of our minds (39).
Walden was started close to two years after A Week and is considered the masterpiece of
the two works. There is more confidence in unifying art and life and his views of life are
more confident. Richard Lebeaux observes, “By the end of his first year at Walden,
Thoreau had finally succeeded in settling on and building a solid early adult life structure”
(Schneider 45-46). In Walden, Thoreau uses the same circular pattern as in A Week, but
this time it is that
Time of the year which is paralleled by that of day.
Most of what he writes about in Walden is based on his first year living by the pond.
Things such as his night in jail, trip to Mount Katahdin, and scientific studies of the second
year he only touches upon. This helped to unify the book. This great unity creates a
persona right in the beginning which you must become familiar with in order to understand
the rest of the book. The persona is created by the foundation of the cabin on land and by
the reader’s extension which allows for a better view of life. Thoreau is far enough from
Concord to view it objectively, but he is not completely detached (Schneider 47). He tells
us his purpose for writing this book was to answer questions about his own life, and as
Schneider tells us, to enlighten students who are “intellectually poor and unenlightened
that they do not know how to live” (47-48).
It is apparent that Thoreau was concerned about the minds of his readers and their morals.
This presents a strong appeal to young people, people who believe in change, and even
rebellious people. Walden is thought of as a book about social protest, an autobiography,
and a journey into philosophy and nature which evokes strong feelings. Stern says,
“Walden was to be his personal testament, the essence of all he had observed and put
down in his Journal, the bringing together of everything he had felt and thought about”
(7).
Many people look at the style of Walden more than its content. Critic, Charles R.
Anderson, thinks that the book should be read as a poem rather than a book. He explains
how it can be looked at as a web or circle. Walden Pond is in the middle which represents
the peaceful state for which man searches. He says there are radial lines of wit leading
away from the middle which run across the sensual life. These lines have concentric circles
which are goals of finding the perfect life or Heaven. He also says that this circle is so
tightly constructed that when any part of it is disturbed the whole piece is effected. He
feels that Walden is a great poem that expresses the true desires of the world and it is sad
that the human race could not attain them (Stern 10-11).
There are other great techniques Thoreau includes such as his interest in natural history,
politics, economics, prose style, anachronism, theology, etc…. Many of the specific
chapters are viewed critically in Walden. Some critics who believe that Walden is
specifically a nature poem think that only those chapters pertaining to nature should be
included. They believe “Economy” should be skipped because it deals with politics, along
with philosophical chapters such as “Where I lived and What I Lived for,” “Higher Laws,”
and “Conclusion.” This belief led to Thoreau being considered a nature writer and not a
philosopher or literary figure, stated by Harding (Hicks 44-45). There are, however, those
that believe Thoreau is not a typical nature writer. He is not cute, sentimental, technical,
or dull. He does not give lower classes of animals human characteristics, but does not
degrade them either. He uses wit and humor to point fun at, not only animals, but humans
as well. Walden deals with humans living simple lives, not only to accept them, but to
enjoy them as well. In the first chapter, Thoreau tells us that we should adopt our own
mode of living and do things our own way rather than that of our parents. He makes us
realize the complexity of civilized life and to choose our own personal desires rather than
those imposed on us by society. He tells us that we should worry more about doing what
is right for us and not what is right for our neighbors. For if we live for others we will
discover that when it comes time to die we will have lived for nothing. At the end of his
own life Thoreau says, “I suppose that I have not many months to live; but, of course, I
know nothing about it. I may add that I am enjoying existence as much as ever, and regret
nothing” (47). Harding tells us it is apparent that Walden is devoted to answering how we
find the essence of life and this is seen in “Where I Lived and What I Lived For”: Our life
is frittered away by detail. …simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! …Let us spend one day as
deliberately as Nature, and not be thrown off the track by every nutshell and mosquito’s
wing that falls on the rails (Hicks 48).
Walden is also seen as a satirical criticism of modern life and living. The sarcastic side of
Thoreau is sometimes misunderstood and he is taken too seriously. Thoreau expresses
much humor in this book and should not be taken quite so seriously. Hick tells us,
Thoreau expresses his wit and humor through the use of literary devices such as, “puns,
hyperbole, slapstick, mockery, parody, and burlesque…” (50). Most of his humor is
pointed at society and institutions which Thoreau believed could use reform. A good
example of this: We are eager to tunnel under the Atlantic and bring the Old World some
weeks nearer to the New; but perchance the first news that will leak through into the
broad, flapping American ear will be that the Princess Adelaide has the whooping cough
(Hicks 50-51). This is a perfect example of the way people are in society when it comes to
their priorities and their interest in the affairs of others. Thoreau is pointing fun at how
people would be more interested in gossip than any substantial information.
Walden is looked upon as an incredibly written literary masterpiece. It is said that he
wrote the first Modern American prose. Walden is abstractly written with each well
constructed paragraph, line, and sentence falling nicely into place together. The cycles of
adventures take place in one year. Each chapter in the book has its own set place. The
spiritual and mundane chapters are carefully alternated. “Higher Laws” is followed by
“Brute Neighbors.” The practical is followed by the philosophical with “Economy” then
“Where I Lived….” The animal chapter is followed by the human one where “Winter
Visitors” is followed by “Winter Animals.” Chapters that are next to each other are tied
together by contrast such as “Solitude” and “Visitors.” Some are tied together
chronologically such as “The Pond in Winter” and “Spring.” The three major expository
chapters, “Economy,” “Higher Laws,” and “Conclusion,” are strategically placed in the
beginning, middle, and end. Harding tells us Walden contains 423 well structured, long
paragraphs. Thoreau uses a device known as “climax ending” (Hicks 53), where the last
sentence carries the paragraph a little farther and beyond what it is saying. The paragraphs
are independent, but can not be moved without damaging the entire work. Thoreau also
uses incredible and complex vocabulary with words such as; “…integument, umbrageous,
deliquium, aliment, fluviatile, and periplus.” (Hicks 54). A dictionary is required just to
read the book. Thoreau also alludes to Greek gods, Biblical phrases, he quotes other
poets, and alludes or refers to earlier authority figures in history or ancient classics
(51-54).
Yet another way to look at Walden is on a spiritual level. A major thesis of Thoreau is a
spiritual rebirth and this is more evident in, “Economy,” “Where I Lived…,” “Higher
Laws,” and “Conclusion.” This is why Walden has become a spiritual guidebook to many
(Hicks 55). Thoreau shows us that we need to spend more time bettering ourselves than
devising means of destroying the rest of the world. We not only see the renewal soul, but
the earth as well (55).
All these contributions, ideas and concepts conceive our own beliefs about the material
which we read and the author who writes it. Thoreau was a complex man in search of
spiritual peace and happiness while battling his own personal struggle. It was his disgust of
society and the world around him which led to his own negative self-opinion. While this
was an unhealthy attitude it contributed to some of Thoreau’s best pieces of literature.
Bibliography
Works Consulted
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