Walden; or, Life in the Woods
A novel that changed America
Introduction
Henry David Thoreau’s novel, Walden, is one of the most well-known pieces of literature and left a lasting impact on America. This novel was first published in 1854 and has been influential ever since. The primary purpose of this essay is to inform my reader on Henry David Thoreau’s background, the story’s background, and why the novel, Walden, was and is still so influential in American history. Thoreau made an impact with his story and successfully changed the course of history by just one novel, which is part of the reason he is one of the most famous writers in history.
About the Author
In Concordia, Massachusetts on July 12, 1817, Henry David Thoreau was born. He was born in a very small town of two thousand people. He received a very high level education by attending Harvard College. During his time at Harvard, he missed a large amount of school due to illness. Thoreau was a man who loved nature and being alone in the woods. His grandmother took him to Walden Pond when he was very young and it had been a special place to him ever since. “Nature was the source of his deepest literary and spiritual inspiration, and Walden Pond, two miles south of the village of Concord, had been one of his favorite natural spots since childhood. So, when he decided that he needed a place to appreciate nature in solitude, Thoreau chose to build a home beside Walden Pond, on land that belonged to his friend Ralph Waldo Emerson” (Sanna). Thoreau created a working schedule that was the complete opposite of the bible. The bible suggests working 6 days and resting the seventh, Sunday. Thoreau decided he was going to rest six days and work the seventh. However, his idea of “resting” was observing nature and writing. In his Harvard commencement speech, Thoreau said “Let men, true to their natures, cultivate the moral affections, lead manly and independent lives; let them make riches the means and not the end of existence, and we shall hear no more of the commercial spirit. The sea will not stagnate, the earth will be as green as ever, and the air as pure. This curious world which we inhabit is more wonderful than convenient; more beautiful than it is useful; it is more to be admired and enjoyed than used. The order of things should be somewhat reversed; the seventh should be man’s day of toil, wherein to earn his living by the sweat of his brow; and the other six his Sabbath of the affections and the soul — in which to range this widespread garden, and drink in the soft influences and sublime revelations of nature” (Thoreau qtd. In Sanna).
About the Book
Henry David Thoreau spent two years living alone in a cabin at Walden Pond from July 4, 1845 to September 6, 1847. The novel, Walden, is essentially a story about Thoreau’s life in solitude at Walden Pond. Throughout the story, Thoreau talks about nature and how important a connection with nature is for people. He criticizes society and the way that it is, and explains that being alone and connecting with the nature surrounding you is important. This story sketches out his ideals as he describes his pond project. He devotes attention to the skepticism the townspeople had when they were met with the news of his project, and he defends himself from their opinion that society is the only place that someone is able to live. During his isolation, he reflects on many different aspects, in which he separates into chapters in his novel. Despite his known isolation, he is said to still feel society surrounding him.
The Legacy
Henry David Thoreau’s novel, Walden; or, Life in the Woods, is a story that has proven to inspire many people throughout history in America in all different ways. One of the main ways that Walden inspired people is a fairly recent story. After Henry David Thoreau had moved out of the cabin at Walden Pond, the property had gone to many different people and eventually was disassembled, but the area stayed the same. However, in 1990, a plan was set for the property to be turned into residential and office buildings. A famous music artist heard about these plans and founded the Walden Woods Project to save the property from being overtaken by these buildings. Since then, Walden Woods has been around to protect nature (Walden.org). Walden’s book has influenced writers, philosophers, activists, etc. “How many a man has dated a new era in his life from the reading of a book” (Thoreau p. 120). Through people reading a book, they had been inspired to do something and make a difference by just reading Thoreau’s book. Thoreau allowed society to eventually become more environmentally aware. “Books are the treasured wealth of the world and the fit inheritance of generations and nations (Thoreau). Thoreau inspired many people through his novel and still does to this day. He is considered one of the most famous and most influential writers of all time, as he should be.
Works Cited
Sanna, Ellyn. “Thoreau, Henry David.” Henry David Thoreau, Chelsea House, 2003. Bloom’s Literature, online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=95547&itemid=WE54&articleId=1528. Accessed 24 Nov. 2020.
“Thoreau’s Legacy.” The Walden Woods Project, www.walden.org/education/for-students/thoreaus-legacy/.
“WALDEN.” Walden, by Henry David Thoreau, www.gutenberg.org/files/205/205-h/205-h.htm.
