Henry David Thoreau's Life At Walden Pond

Henry David Thoreau’s Life at Walden Pond The founder of the hippy movement, creator of the philosophy voluntary simplicity, and an American writer, Henry David Thoreau enjoyed himself in his unique lifestyle. Thoreau built a cabin at Walden Pond in 1845. There, he spent two years, two months, and two days living with nature. Life at the cabin allowed him to do his own thing such as exploring the wilderness and constructing his own supplies such as snowshoes. He could also change with the seasons. There were no rules or structure that Thoreau had to follow. During his time away from home, he took notes of his experience. Upon returning to Concord, he compiled his findings into the book Walden. In this novel, Thoreau illustrates ideas of

These principles help a person understand life as it is tied to God and nature. One principle is God as nature, in which “it is the chief end of man here to ‘glorify God and enjoy Him forever’” (Thoreau 167). God is the center of life for people and as citizens, we must follow His guide to live our lives. He is the light in nature that allows man to get to know oneself. The search for meaning was a transcendental principle demonstrated by Thoreau in Walden. A person should devote their life searching for the true meaning. In Walden, he states, “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived” (Thoreau 167). There is no point in living with no meaning. It should be one’s goal to find their purpose on Earth. Life is more than just collecting items and growing wealthy. There is greater meaning hidden in a person’s life than just following the guidelines set by society. Life should be lived fully through physical and mental work. By conducting his experiment, Thoreau saw that “if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to love the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours” (Thoreau 168). Thoreau experienced this first hand after

He exclaims, “Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumbnail” (Thoreau 167). Everyone should keep their belongings to a minimum and use only what is needed. Live with material simplicity. Focus on the true meaning of life and not about the wealth. One must be able to control oneself in their life of voluntary simplicity. Thoreau shows his self-determination by leaving the woods as, “it seemed to me that I had several more lives to live, and could not spare any more time for that one. It is remarkable how easily and insensibly we fall into a particular route, and make a beaten track for ourselves” (Thoreau 168). This proves the central idea of Walden because it illustrates that citizens just abide to society and forget to live their own life created by God in nature. Thoreau explains that “If a man does not keep pace within his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away” (Thoreau 168). A person should be themselves and live how they please. The idea of simplicity correlates with Thoreau’s transcendentalist