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What Is The Purpose Of Walden

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Walden was written by Henry David Thoreau in the 1800s. Thoreau was a transcendentalist who believed that capitalism and consumerism corrupted the purity of individuals. The book takes place around Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts. The general subject matters discussed in the book were about simplicity, self-reliance, and anti-capitalism. Thoreau speaks in a first person tone throughout the book and discusses his journey of enlightenment in nature. Walden is dated and can be found in a variety of places, including a Kindle edition for free. However this book is still a classic because of the concepts that affect the daily lives of people to this day.
Thoreau begins his first chapter, “Economy”, with a peculiar view on how the daily life of men was spent. He believed that variety in life has disappeared, only to be dictated by a false path carved by old men before him. His point of view felt almost rebellious in a humble way. He addressed this book to the poor, and students that were unhappy with their lives. Thoreau had a very strong mindset on the current ways of society but advised that everyone find their own path of truth. …show more content…

The controversial ideas allowed me to momentarily step outside of my daily life and question the purpose of my many actions. Surprisingly the themes of finding oneself, enlightenment, and peace really reinforced some ideas that I originally had. I felt that the goal of this book was not to change, but to spark some ideas. I was not completely moved by the end of it, but my outlook certainly shifted. I believe that is a major success from a book published so long ago. I would definitely recommend this book to others that have the time to embrace it. It can be very useful to those that wish to prioritize what is important in their

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