Does Henry David Thoreau Use Figurative Language In Walden

In Walden, Henry David Thoreau generally uses figurative language and rhetorical devices to advise his readers to live a life that is truest to their character instead of conforming to the ideals that other individuals set.
From the start of the novel, Thoreau suggests that every writer gives a “simple and sincere account of his own life” (193) because they have the best knowledge of and could speak the most accurately upon their personal experiences. He is emphasizing his support for individuals that have their own unique way of life and continues to urge them to share that with the world through their publishings. Yet Thoreau does not forget to mention that his readers must not “stretch the seams in putting on the coat,” meaning those who

read his work must remain aware that his message will not be applicable to every person. In using this metaphor that compares a coat to the simple lifestyle that Walden promotes, Thoreau is implying that this coat, or lifestyle, would only suit an individual if they were meant to live that way. Otherwise, a new coat must be sewn, or a unique lifestyle must be developed, to best fit the individual.
Moreover, Thoreau acknowledges that individuals “fall into a particular route” (203), leading them to the lives they were meant to live, or the coats that were best made to fit them. He chooses to use the word, “fall,” to mean that there is no conscious decision made about where their life will end up. Just like Thoreau illustrates, “life in us is like the water in the river” (204). Life is forever shifting and molding, thus it is hard to predict this route that people are destined to fall into. For a dramatic effect, Thoreau also rhetorically questions, “Shall he turn his spring into summer?” (204) and brings up the fact that everyone has a life that runs at its own unique pace. Throughout Walden, Thoreau implies that individuals must find and recognize their own way of living since that is how they are destined to live.