Skip to main content

What do you think the idea of freedom means to Thoreau in Walden?

Thoreau supports freedom of thought, freedom of action, and freedom to live as one sees fit. These topics arise in many, if not all, of his writings. He and his family members participated in the antislavery movement and housed at least one or two runaway slaves temporarily in their home. Thoreau went to jail for one night to prove that he had the freedom to not pay a state tax that was irrelevant to him....

Thoreau supports freedom of thought, freedom of action, and freedom to live as one sees fit. These topics arise in many, if not all, of his writings. He and his family members participated in the antislavery movement and housed at least one or two runaway slaves temporarily in their home. Thoreau went to jail for one night to prove that he had the freedom to not pay a state tax that was irrelevant to him. He felt free enough to devise his own method of employment and finances:



“I found, that by working about six weeks in a year, I could meet all the expenses of living. The whole of my winters, as well as most of my summers, I had free and clear for study.” (Walden,“Economy,” paragraph 96)



Even though he enjoyed surveying land, he didn’t want to be saddled by owning it. He was concerned that such a tie would taint or interfere with his pure appreciation of it:



“As long as possible live free and uncommitted. It makes but little difference whether you are committed to a farm or the county jail.” (Walden, “Where I Lived, and What I Lived For,” paragraph 5)



After Ellen Sewell turned down marriage proposals by both Henry Thoreau and his brother John, Henry never pursued another close personal relationship. “All nature is my bride,” he wrote in his journal on April 23, 1857. He had enough self-imposed projects to occupy himself with in his advanced studies of the natural world. The freedom he created in his life allowed for it all.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Can you analyze the poem "Absolution" by Siegfried Sassoon?

Sure! Siegfried Sassoon fought in World War I and was wounded in battle; he spent much of his life speaking out against war, and these pacifist feelings are easy to see in his poems. This one, "Absolution," was published in 1917, the same year that Sassoon was hospitalized for what we know today as post-traumatic stress disorder. "Absolution" is a short poem that contains three stanzas of four lines each. The word "absolution" means "forgiveness," and... Sure! Siegfried Sassoon fought in World War I and was wounded in battle; he spent much of his life speaking out against war, and these pacifist feelings are easy to see in his poems. This one, "Absolution," was published in 1917, the same year that Sassoon was hospitalized for what we know today as post-traumatic stress disorder. "Absolution" is a short poem that contains three stanzas of four lines each. The word "absolution" means "forgiveness," and the v...
Post a Comment
Read more

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...
Post a Comment
Read more