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

What are some external and internal conflicts that Montag has in Fahrenheit 451?

 Montag, the protagonist of Fahrenheit 451, faces both external and internal conflicts throughout the novel. Some examples of these conflicts are: External Conflicts: Conflict with the society: Montag lives in a society that prohibits books and critical thinking. He faces opposition from the government and the people who enforce this law. Montag struggles to come to terms with the fact that his society is based on censorship and control. Conflict with his wife: Montag's wife, Mildred, is completely absorbed in the shallow and meaningless entertainment provided by the government. Montag's growing dissatisfaction with his marriage adds to his external conflict. Conflict with the fire captain: Montag's superior, Captain Beatty, is the personification of the oppressive regime that Montag is fighting against. Montag's struggle against Beatty represents his external conflict with the government. Internal Conflicts: Conflict with his own beliefs: Montag, at the beginning of th...
Post a Comment
Read more

In A People's History of the United States, why does Howard Zinn feel that Wilson made a flimsy argument for entering World War I?

"War is the health of the state," the radical writer Randolph Bourne said, in the midst of the First World War. Indeed, as the nations of Europe went to war in 1914, the governments flourished, patriotism bloomed, class struggle was stilled, and young men died in frightful numbers on the battlefields-often for a hundred yards of land, a line of trenches. -- Chapter 14, Page 350, A People's History of the United States Howard Zinn outlines his arguments for why World War I was fought in the opening paragraph of Chapter 14 (referenced above). The nationalism that was created by the Great War benefited the elite political and financial leadership of the various countries involved. Socialism, which was gaining momentum in Europe, as was class struggle, took a backseat to mobilizing for war. Zinn believes that World War I was fought for the gain of the industrial capitalists of Europe in a competition for capital and resources. He states that humanity itself was punished by t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Where did Atticus take the light and extension cord in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Atticus brings the light to the courthouse jail so that he can protect Tom Robinson.  Atticus learns that Tom Robinson, his client, is in danger.  A group of white men want to prevent the trial and lynch Robinson. He is warned by a small group of men that appear at his house.  He refuses to back down.  Atticus knows that the Cunninghams will target his client, so he plans to sit up all night with... Atticus brings the light to the courthouse jail so that he can protect Tom Robinson.  Atticus learns that Tom Robinson, his client, is in danger.  A group of white men want to prevent the trial and lynch Robinson. He is warned by a small group of men that appear at his house.  He refuses to back down.  Atticus knows that the Cunninghams will target his client, so he plans to sit up all night with Jim if that’s what it takes to protect him.  Atticus tells the men that he will make sure his client gets his fair shake at the law.  “Link, that boy might go to the chair, but he’s not going till ...
Post a Comment
Read more