Analysis Of Henry David Thoreau's 'Cloudy Day'

The acknowledgment of and connection with nature is an essential element in order to become a person’s most genuine self. A similar variation of this idea is communicated in“The Village” by Henry David Thoreau. The essay was written in 1854 and published in his short collection of essays, Walden or Life in the Woods, a series of essays derived from his two and a half year spent living in the woods of Concord, Massachusetts. The essay aims to persuade active members of American society, intellectuals, and young Americans to find happiness in nature and to live with simple values instead of relying on unnecessary material items. The poem “Cloudy Day” by Jimmy Santiago Baca was written in 1979 and the author conveys a similar belief. The poem

By presenting his essay in the first person, Thoreau builds a connection that creates trust. The first person relation provides the audience with a reason to trust and understands the philosophy that Thoreau is proposing. Thoreau uses elevated, scholarly diction that expresses intellect and refined thoughts that an audience seeks when an author is attempting to convince them of a thought or idea. The use of elegant words, for example, voluptuous and victualling convey the education of Thoreau and its use demand the audience to trust the education of the author and the ideas that result. The register of the text is formal. The scholarly diction conveys the education of the author and slightly detaches the idea from the author to make the thoughts less personal. Detaching the idea from the author builds a silent understanding that ideas are simply ideas. When this is combined with the intellectual vocabulary Thoreau exhibits, the detachment that is a byproduct of the formality becomes a reason to listen and attempt to understand the ideas that he presents. Thoreau’s writing style additionally emits a particular tone that exudes confidence and contemplation. In his essay, he declares, “I am convinced, that if all men were to live as simply as I then

Similar to Thoreau, Baca communicates in the first person. He creates a direct connection with the audience and this allows his ideas to flow continuously from himself to his audience. Baca creates a bond of trust with his readers that can only be created by knowing a person on a personal level. Communicating in the first person allows his audience to understand him and his feelings thus building this essential connection that is needed for them to believe him. Baca also employs simple and earnest diction that is not elevated nor is it colloquial. His words are basic enough that his audience can understand the emotions and feelings he is trying to communicate without overthinking the message he is sending. Similarly, he employs an informal register that is composed of low diction and poetic sentences. His register and diction strive to connect with the audience and it allows them to understand and relate. The understanding of the message that Baca is trying to send helps to motivate the audience. Baca’s tone also reflects the purpose of his register and diction. His tone is sincere and reflective, if not sanguine and this demonstrates Baca’s need to build trust and instill hope. The author’s tone is not simply convincing the audience to believe the thoughts that he is conveying, but it is to communicate