Illusionism In Walden

The book that I chose to read over the summer was the novel Walden by Henry David Thoreau in which the novel is based on the experience of Thoreau wood life experiment in which he spends time outside civilization. The novel has multiple themes which include the importance of self-reliance, the value of simplicity, the illusion of progress, and the way humanity needs to “lives” with visionary concept. As such I looked around to find an article that would do just to the wonderful, deep-thinking, and illusionism way of Walden where at last I found something that fitted the description rather well. It came from the Global Risk Insight where I this particular article talked about the Nicaragua’s canal, and how it was to harm the ecosystem of the

region the Lake Nicaragua (where I have personally seen it myself multiple times).
“Attempts in the past have made the Nicaragua canal project victim of the limitations of technology, challenging terrain, economic instability, and political resistance.” (Lugo, Yesinia.

“Nicaragua canal poses significant environmental risks.” Global Risk Insights Know Your World, July 26, 2015. Web. 15 August 2015). In Walden Thoreau complained of how technology and “civilization” were surrounding him in the woodland from which he was trying to escape or at least get away from. This canal too many people of the region represent something fowl that has arrived to destroy the very foundations of their livelihood. The illusion of progress shows this very clearly as in Thoreau’s viewpoint people always want technology to make their lives better and easier. As such they want to build more railroads to travel easier, more factories to make more goods to sell, and electricity to fuel their homes at night (the novel takes place in the 19th

century).
Living in a culture fascinated by the idea of progress represented by technological, economic, and territorial advancement, Thoreau is skeptical of the idea that any outward improvement of life can bring the inner peace and contentment he wants. This canal proves the idea of how in this modern day society people push for more of the technological or economical way of life rather than living life peacefully, productivity, or quietly. One clear illustration of Thoreau’s resistance to progress is his criticism of the train, which throughout Europe and America was a symbol of the wonders and advantages of technological progress. Although he enjoys imagining the local Fitchburg train as a mythical roaring beast in the chapter entitled “Sounds,” he generally seems peeved by the encroachment of the railway upon the rustic calm of Walden Pond. The same could be said of the many Nicaraguans who view the ideal of a canal as an unholy symbol of ruin which will be brought on their lands.
Furthermore the harm of the environment is something to consider since looking back at the days of the Industrial Revolution many of nearby rivers, streams, or lakes were contaminated and declared poor drinking water while the forests were chopped off in large numbers that whole districts were declared clear.” Nicaraguans, as well as local and international scientists, believe the canal will create an environmental catastrophe, threatening many surrounding ecosystems.”(Lugo, Yesinia.

“Nicaragua canal poses significant environmental risks.” Global Risk Insights Know Your World, July 26, 2015. Web. 15 August 2015) .In the novel Thoreau disliked the idea of anything ruining the natural way of life that for so long had inhabited the land that his forefathers saw. When talking about the idea of faster travel through other places, Thoreau instead went off to count his cats near the woods rather than seeing the land “bleeding” with the spread railroad

tracks.
Lastly if considering all this from when the first settlers arrived to the New World to present day America all the change that has taken place. Are the foundations that our forefather set up truly good for us? Now with all this technology nobody except those who dissent themselves from technology think “freely” and “openly”. Should we look at the example of Thoreau in Walden, and go back to the old way of living near the quiet woods? Or do we continue our path forward with technology and see where that may lead us to either a brighter future, or a world where we are sucked in with its splendor that we no longer know what it would feel like to be “human” anymore?