Henry David Thoreau Group

Question:

julia-aniko
julia-aniko
Student

Could you give me a definition of "life for life's sake"? It is related to Thoreau and his essay "Life Without Principle". 

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Posted by julia-aniko on Saturday November 22, 2008 at 10:21 AM and tagged with earn to live, life, life for lifes sake, life without principle, literature, live to earn, themes, thoreau.

Answers:


  1. robertwilliam

    eNotes Editor

    Thoreau's essay is, summarised in the broadest possible terms, an argument that life isn't worth living if it's lived simply for money.

    "Life for life's sake" is the principle that you should enjoy your life, and live your live for what you do - not for exchanging what you do for money, and then living off that. It's a principle of "present moment" enjoyment which argues that money is not a good reason to live your life.

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    Posted by robertwilliam on Saturday November 22, 2008 at 12:10 PM