Rhetorical Strategies In Walden By Henry Thoreau

Henry Thoreau uses specific rhetorical strategies in Walden to emanate his attitude towards life. With the use of many strategies Thoreau shows that life should be centered around Nature. People live their lives not ever taking a second glance of what Nature does and has done for humanity and Thoreau is trying to prove his point. Humanity owes Nature everything for without it humans would be nothing.

Throughout the passage many devices appear so the reader can have a deeper understanding of Thoreau’s attitude towards life. “Let us spend one day as deliberately as Nature, and not be thrown off the track by every nutshell and mosquito’s wing that falls on the rails. Let us rise early and fast, or break fast, gently and without perturbation;

let company come and let company go, let the bells ring and the children cry,–determined to make a day of it.” (pg. 66) Thoreau uses similes and personification to instruct how people should be living their daily lives. Nature is the highest power in his view and everyone should strive to be like Nature. All through the novel, Thoreau personifies Nature, giving human qualities that most wouldn’t dare to pair with Nature.
As the passage continues on, Thoreau continuously uses rhetorical devices to persuade the reader. “Let us not be upset and overwhelmed in that terrible rapid and whirlpool called a dinner, situated in the meridian shallows. Weather this danger and you are safe, for the rest of the way is down hill. With unrelaxed nerves, with morning vigor, sail by it, looking another way, tied to the mast like Ulysses.” (pg. 66) In this quote, Thoreau alludes to the Ulysses which is the Roman name of Odysseus. The meaning behind the allusion is to not let fear and temptation guide the way you live, be brave, be bold, don’t let the small things factor how you will spend the rest of your life. Odysseus tied himself to the mast of the ship so that he would avoid the fatal temptation to go towards the sirens. There are many simple things in life to do to avoid the alluring temptations that come along with everyday life, but not giving in may be the best thing you’ve ever done for yourself.