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The Good Life In Walden By Henry David Thoreau

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Throughout my life, I have been blessed to embark on adventures all around the world. I remember my first trip was when I was five years old, my whole family and I went on a cruise. This was the first time I was immersed into a new culture and I was exhilarated. I found it extremely fascinating how there are endless opportunities and experiences to have outside of your own town. We explored different towns that had their own unique charm, and encompassed countless areas, which were unbelievable to see. After this trip, I realized the immense amount of satisfaction gained from visiting different places and seeing what they all have to offer. This is why I have made it a priority to accept every opportunity given to travel to another place because …show more content…

Thoreau completely cut himself off from society and lived simply. While spending his time in the woods, he discovered that society is too routined. “We meet at meals three times a day, and give each other a new taste of that old musty cheese that we are(Thoreau).” Thoreau is explaining that everyday, we wake up, do the same things, talk to the same people, and become so consumed in this routine that we do not give other people or things a chance. He believes that the “good life” entails not meeting up with the same people everyday, because the less people meet up, the better the conversation, when they do(Thoreau). Ultimately, Thoreau believes that his “good life” was reached in the presence of no one but himself and he was able to reach his …show more content…

Jane Austen exemplifies this idea, beginning at Mr. Bingley’s ball. Elizabeth overhears Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy talking about a suitable partner for Mr. Darcy, he exclaims “she is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me(Austen).” When most people would he angered by such a statement, Elizabeth completely dismisses it and believes it to be funny. This demonstrates that Elizabeth is confident and happy with herself, and she does not need a man to be content. The “good life” is also shown in Pride and Prejudice through the love of family. When Jane gets sick at Mr. Bingley’s house during the storm, Elizabeth walks to his house to care for her sister. This shows the unbreakable bond family creates and how the love of family can lead you to the “good life.” Lastly, the “good life” is shown in a unique way in the movie, What Dreams May Come. In the beginning, there is a lot of heartache and tragedy, between the death of the children, and the husband. Where the “good life” comes into play is at the end of the movie. The wife, Annie, is able to leave Hell and stay in Heaven with her husband, Chris. This shows that no matter what you’re doing or where you are, as long as you are surrounded by the people who you love, you can live a happy

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Thoreau was a prominent and influential transcendentalist which meant that he believed modern society’s institutions, organizations, religions, and politics are all corrupt. He believes that people should go back to their roots in nature and be more simple-minded like our ancient ancestors who lived in nature. To think about it in more modern terms, he was practically a minimalist who believed people should only live with things essential for life, basic life necessities like food, water, and shelter. He quotes, “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 66). From the quote, we can tell that he believes that a life without living with nature and essentials only is a life wasted.

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First, Thoreau’s Walden displays his simple lifestyle which consisted of having the essential necessities in order to live. An example is told in this quote, “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the

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Walden was about living simply to acquire an understanding of our experience of existence. To rid of the dissatisfactions in one's life. To reduce the aspirations or obtain more. Thoreau writes how anything more is truly less. Having more comes at a

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He stated that “ we all still live meanly like ants” meaning that life should be simple but the people around us still try to make each others life difficult. He has stood by what he has said by making his own life simple by living in a cabin out of town and away from people using the land. Thoreau was angus believe

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Thoreau’s life was full of independent spirit. He tried to live by his own values, rather than society’s, which he considered materialistic. He wanted to be different, like most transcendentalists do. In one of his most famous works called Walden, he comes up with an amazing and inspirational aphorism, “If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer” (Thoreau 390). This aphorism is similar to one of Emerson’s most famous, but also gives a whole new perspective to the idea that everyone is different and everyone can accomplish their own goals independently.

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Without distractions such as technology, we are finally able to see the world through fresh eyes, especially in nature. Henry James Thoreau had the right idea when he decided to isolate himself in the middle of the woods, in a cabin he built and called “Walden”. For two years, he lived free from society’s harsh ways and journaled his entire experience, which was later turned into the famous book, “Walden”. Thoreau had many strong opinions about society and how it works in terrible ways. He believed that living a simple, yet self-sufficient, life was a key factor in living a happy life.

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“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see” (“It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.”). Thoreau lived his whole life trying to figure out what really matters to humanity. His personality was quite different than others. He was into individualism and he separated himself from society to live on his own and focus on becoming self-reliant. Thoreau’s seperation from society resulted in him being seperated from society and not needing anyone's help.

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Henry David Thoreau was a philosopher, poet, and a very outspoken person about society. He discusses his opinions on how people should live in his essay “Where I Lived and What I Lived For.” Thoreau's philosophy of simplicity and individualism and self-sufficiency poses many dangers for communities as a whole. Although there are many setbacks, his philosophy is, however, still viable today. Thoreau strongly advocates self-sufficiency and individualism in this essay.

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Thoreau used his writing to show people what is possible, and to inspire them to find their own paths; to walk to a different drummer, rather than all being alike. We do not need many materialistic objects to live well, as long as you live a life

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Thoreau never said he felt alone, felt the need to go back to society. Instead he said “ Some of my most pleasantest hours were during long rainstorms in the spring or fall, which confined me to the house for the afternoon as well as the forenoon”. From this Thoreau was clearly staying that even alone he had no need for society for he enjoyed every moment which came to him in his journey, from the positives to the negative moments in life he enjoyed every second. He also goes on to mention that “If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer”. Thoreau in this quote I believe is trying to say that if a man is not able to stay with what he originally thought was right, then perhaps it’s because he think someone’s way is better.

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More importantly, his great understandings of the human mind and soul provided excellent life examples for his readers. Ryan Harper comments on Thoreau, “Like many Americans, my first exposure to Thoreau occurred in high school.” Thoreau’s work is so widespread that it is taught in almost all high schools in the U.S. Clearly, Thoreau’s work has shown great benefit to its readers and provided many basis’ of life for these readers. Thoreau’s most famous work, Walden, does exactly this, and provides excellent examples of self reliant and peaceful living by Thoreau.

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In Walden, written by Henry David Thoreau, the author expresses the immense longing that we, as human beings, need to give up our connection to our ever-growing materialism in order to revert back to self-sufficient happiness. In Walden, the reader is able to infer that Thoreau feels as if we are becoming enslaved by our material possessions, as well as believes that the study of nature should replace and oppose our enslavement, and that we are to “open new channels of thought” by turning our eyes inward and studying ourselves. Thoreau feels that we are becoming enslaved by our material possessions. As stated in the chapter “In the Where I Lived, and What I Lived For”, Thoreau states that “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.” (972).

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He, like Marx, believed that there was a loss of self in the kind of labor taking place and that laborers were stuck due to lack of wages that was barely enough to survive off of. However, in Walden, Thoreau’s alienation is, unlike Marx’s, of his own choosing and therefore self-incurred. While Marx aimed to take down the bourgeoisie to end this lack of freedom in laborers, Thoreau himself focused on and encouraged others to free themselves from this society. His writing is centered on simplicity and self-reliance. He portrays a negative view on luxuries and urges man to get rid of any materials beyond necessity.

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He does not disdain human companionship; in fact he values it when it comes on his own terms, as when his philosopher or poet friends come to call. Thoreau calls for people to be givers rather than takers in the economic game of life by “living deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life” (410). Thoreau claims that by reducing the unnecessary excess in our life, one can then contribute to society and give more than they take. Thoreau suggests on how to embark upon how to reduce the unnecessary items in our life by “[letting our] affairs be two or three, [and] instead of three meals a day, [eat] but one” (410). Thoreau also introduces the concept that self-reliance can be spiritual as well as economic, and explores the higher dimensions of individualism.

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Furthermore, i love the feeling I get when I explore new ideas, histories, beliefs, and scenarios. It not only increases my knowledge, but also helps me overcome problems that I am dealing with. I get to experience life’s problems, pleasures, and I come out of my personal bubble to become a better person by exploring new cultures. Travelling is my passion because it’s something that I am not afraid to chase after. I get to learn more and more about myself and I am able to expand my horizons every time I travel.

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