Walden

There are many editions of Henry David Thoreau's Walden, so it is better to identify the location of this passage as being found in about the sixteenth paragraph of the book's second chapter.

The quote "Still we live meanly, like ants, though the fable tells us that we were long ago changed into men" from Walden alludes to a fable from Greek mythology in which Zeus created a race of men...

According to Thoreau in Walden, the four necessities of life are food, shelter, clothing, and fuel. Among all of these, Thoreau acknowledges that food is the most essential, as no living creature can...

Thoreau left Walden Pond because he felt he had several more lives to live and could not spare any more time on that particular one. He believed it was time to move on and explore different aspects...

Thoreau faced several obstacles during his time at Walden Pond, including meeting basic needs like housing, food, and income. He built a small house for under $30, planted a garden for sustenance and...

In Walden, Thoreau utilizes various literary allusions, referencing the Bible, Shakespeare, and Greek mythology. Examples include the biblical allusion "keeping new wine in old bottles,"...

In Walden, Thoreau uses metaphors, similes, personification, and imagery to express his closeness to nature. He personifies Nature, likening his early rising to assisting the sun. He uses biblical...

In "Walden," the "chopping sea" metaphor represents the chaotic and overwhelming nature of "civilized life," where people are consumed by unnecessary busyness and complexities. Thoreau likens this to...

In "to cut a broad swath and shave close," Thoreau expresses his desire to live life fully and simply, stripping away distractions to get to the essence of existence. This phrase is part of his...

Thoreau's Walden contains various instances of personification and similes. One example of personification is when Thoreau compares age and youth to instructors, suggesting that they can profit or...

In Walden, Thoreau has in his cabin the simplest of items, including a bed, a table, a desk, and three chairs. He also has other items which will aid him in making and storing food. Thoreau wishes to...

Thoreau's quote suggests that life is often wasted on trivial details and distractions. He advocates for simplicity and prioritizing what truly matters, such as meaningful relationships and personal...

In "Where I Lived and What I Lived For," the story of Kieou-he-yu and Khoung-tseu conveys the message that introspection and humility are more valuable than being consumed by outside news or trivial...

The thesis of "The Battle of the Ants" in Walden is the futility and pointlessness of war. Thoreau uses the metaphor of ants fighting to satirize human warfare, suggesting that just as the ants'...

In this quote, Thoreau uses the metaphor of an artist "carving and painting the atmosphere" to emphasize the importance of shaping our perception and attitude towards life. He suggests that true...

Thoreau remains relevant today for several reasons. His advocacy for civil disobedience inspires global movements for social justice, as seen in the works of Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr....

The chapter "Economy" speaks explicitly about the condition of slaves, but Thoreau also makes other connections to slavery throughout Walden.

"Walden" exemplifies Transcendentalism through its emphasis on nature, individualism, and self-reliance. Thoreau advocates for a simple, contemplative life close to nature, which reflects the...

In Walden, Henry David Thoreau built his cabin on land owned by his friend Ralph Waldo Emerson. Thoreau bought a nearby shanty from an Irish railroad worker, tore it down, then used the boards to...

In Walden, the loon can be seen to symbolize nature, especially nature's joy and elusory qualities. Thoreau attempts to catch the loon but is never successful, and the loon's laughter makes it seem...

To Thoreau, freedom in Walden means living simply and deliberately, minimizing material needs to avoid enslavement by possessions and societal expectations. He believed that true freedom came from...

In Walden, three important aspects to Thoreau were philosophy, nature, and freedom. He valued the pursuit of truth, evident in his philosophical outlook, and embraced nature as a source of...

In paragraphs 17 and 18 of Walden's Conclusion, Thoreau uses metaphors to convey deeper truths. He compares the setting sun reflecting equally on both the alms house and a rich man's abode to...

In Walden, the morning to Thoreau is a time when people's senses, creativity, and ability to reflect are the most heightened. In other words, it is literally and figuratively when mankind is the most...

Thoreau believed that the best government is one that governs least, as articulated in his essay "Civil Disobedience." As a Transcendentalist, he emphasized following personal conscience over...

Thoreau and Emerson, as transcendentalists, emphasized individuality, self-reliance, and the importance of following one's conscience over societal norms. They believed in the Over-Soul, a divine...

In Walden, the ants symbolize the brutality of war. Thoreau discovers two groups of ants that are fighting with one another, and it is unclear what started the battle. Observing the fray through a...

In paragraph 3 of Walden, Thoreau expresses disinterest in the news, gently mocking those who obsessively consume daily newspapers. He argues that news stories are repetitive and akin to "gossip,"...

Walden and "Self-Reliance" both emphasize individuality and rejecting social conformity. Emerson's "Self-Reliance" directly advocates for trusting oneself and nonconformity, stressing integrity and...

Because Thoreau presents many ideas that could be considered controversial, each reader will have different opinions about the value of the points he raises. Readers will probably respond positively...

Thoreau advises against purchasing a farm, reflecting on his own experiences in "Where I Lived, and What I Lived For." He once considered buying the Hollowell farm but ultimately did not proceed,...

Thoreau is reminded of the Battle of Concord as he watches red and black ants fight near his wood pile. A pacifist, he compare the ants' fight to the legendary battle at Concord to lightheartedly...

Walden appeals to modern generations by advocating self-reliance, simplicity, and a return to nature, countering today's materialism and technological overload. Its themes resonate with the desire...

Thoreau refuses to pay a clergyman tax because he questions the fairness and logic of taxing a schoolteacher to support a priest without reciprocal taxation. He argues that the state should not be...

Thoreau uses the literary device of analogy throughout Walden to clarify and make concrete several abstract ideas. For example, he repeatedly compares human development to the ripening of fruit....

Exteriority is examined in Thoreau's Walden through the many specific details he provides of how he simplified his life. He also describes the externals of how the simple life opened him up to the...

Thoreau's call for simplicity in life can be related to Chris McCandless from Into the Wild, who sought to escape the complexities of modern life by embracing extreme simplicity. McCandless, an...

Henry David Thoreau discusses his arrest for tax evasion in his essay "On the Duty of Civil Disobedience," not in Walden. He was arrested for refusing to pay his poll tax, protesting the U.S. war...

This discussion of time, in which Thoreau states he lives entirely in the present moment like the Puri Indians, would immediately lead his fellow townsmen in Concord criticizing his idleness because...

Thoreau mentions Alexander the Great carrying the Iliad in "Reading," the third chapter of Walden, to highlight the significance of classic literature. He admires Alexander's decision to keep the...

While living by Walden Pond, Thoreau did not hold a formal job. Instead, he focused on self-sufficiency, growing beans, fishing, and foraging for food. He avoided expenses by living simply, using...

Thoreau's "Walden" exemplifies Romantic escapism through his literal escape from conventional life into the woods, seeking solitude and freedom from societal norms. He reconnects with nature to find...

In his book Walden, Henry David Thoreau is concerned with the life of a person who has freed himself from society to live a more natural and genuinely happy life. The main themes that influence the...

In Walden, Thoreau conveys symbolic values primarily through figurative language and analogies rather than direct symbolism. He compares well-worn paths to the ease of falling into tradition and...

Thoreau's statement reflects a key Transcendentalist belief that the universe aligns with individual aspirations. He suggests that as a self-reliant person sets their path, nature will support it,...

Thoreau's Walden and his essay "Civil Disobedience" differ greatly in both scope and purpose. With Walden, Thoreau's focus is on presenting his experience of "living deliberately" in Walden Woods for...

Thoreau does not like tradition. He supports people breaking free of the past and creating their own futures.

Thoreau views hunting and fishing as ways to connect with the wild side of human nature, providing "primitive but solitary amusements" that allow for self-discovery and a deeper connection with...

Ellison and Thoreau both use fiction—in the form of anecdotes—to illustrate the larger philosophical principles behind their books.

Thoreau's attitude towards print media in Walden is critical and dismissive. He views newspapers as purveyors of "the mud and slush of opinion," filled with misinformation and sensationalism,...