Walden Group

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littlegirl
littlegirl
Student
High School - 11th Grade

What were the important ideas presented in each section of Thoreau's Walden?

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Posted by littlegirl on Sunday December 16, 2007 at 1:54 PM and tagged with summary, theme, walden.

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  1. sullymonster Teacher
    Community / Jr. College

    eNotes Editor

    Economy.  A criticism against the materialistic nature of society.  Thoreau argues that ownership is a disadvantage to humans because it separates them from their true nature.  He explains that he will go and live in the woods to find simplicity and truth.

    Where I lived.  The idea here is that to fully live a person must isolate himself in nature.  Purity and unity are the ideas.

    Reading.  Emphasizes classical texts as a source of wisdom.

    Sounds. Nature and unity.  Reading should be accompanied by the sounds of nature.

    Solitude:  Nature and unity.  It is not possible to be lonely with nature, but humans alienate each other.

    Visitors: To prove he wasn't a total hermit, he describes the people who visited.

    Bean Field: Simplicity.  He describes growing his own food.

    The Village: Freedom.  He is arrested for failure to pay taxes, done in protest to slavery.

    The Ponds: Nature. Describes the surrounding.

    Baker Farm: Simplicity.  The hard life of a nearby farmer trying to succeed.

    Higher Laws: Spirituality.  He focuses on the human soul.

    Brute Neighbors: Animal nature vs. spiritual nature.

    House Warming: Preparing for Winter

    Former Inhabitants: Solitude is challenging

    Winter Animals: Nature. 

    Pond in Winter: Unity.  Ice from the pond is harvested to spread elsewhere.

    Spring: Nature revitalized.

    Conclusion: Spirituality.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/walden/summary

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    Posted by sullymonster on Sunday December 16, 2007 at 6:54 PM