Thoreau as Natural Scientist Henry Thoreau’s relationship to nature underwent many changes throughout the course of his life. He especially made a much discussed shift from Emersonian Transcendentalism, to scientific data collection. Thoreau followed varied paths on his quest to understand the world in which he lived. As he grew older he managed to amass a huge collection of information about the plants and animals in the Concord region of Massachusetts. But his greatest contribution to the world is not his scientific research; rather it is the example of respect and thoughtfulness with which he approached nature. This individualistic and spiritual approach to nature differentiates him from modern day ecologists. Thoreau’s quest was to understand better and appreciate nature as a whole and the greater role it plays in connection to all things. Not only did he succeed in doing so, but he has also inspired his readers to question, observe, and appreciate the natural world. His thoughts on nature are recognized today as precursors of the conservation movement and also inspiration for the creation of national parks. Thoreau’s approach to nature varied throughout his life, but his purpose did not. His myriad approach to his work is exactly what brought about his success, and sets him apart from other nature writers and ecologists who share his quest. The Thoreau family was generally famous throughout Concord as lovers of nature. The family often went on hiking excursions together and Cynthia, Henry’s mother, especially encouraged all of the children to observe and to appreciate nature (McGregor 28). Henry and his brother John later opened a private school, the Concord Academy, which, along the same lines contained a large porti... ... middle of paper ... ... “natural philosopher.” Works Cited Angelo, Ray, ed. “Thoreau as Botanist” The Journal of Thoreau: Botanical Index. Salt Lake City: Gibbs M. Smith Inc. 1984. Cameron , Sharon. Writing Nature: Henry Thoreau’s Journal. New York: Oxford University Press, 1985. McGregor, Robert Kuhn. A Wider View of the Universe: Henry Thoreau’s Study of Nature. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1997. Rossi, William. “Thoreau’s Transcendental Ecocentrism.” Thoreau’s Sense of Place. Ed. Schneider, Richard J. Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 2000. 28-43. Thoreau, Henry David. Walden. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 1992. Walls, Laura Dassow. Seeing New Worlds: Henry David Thoreau and Nineteenth-Century Natural Science. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1995. Wolf, William J. Thoreau: Mystic Prophet Ecologist. Philadelphia: United Church Press, 1974.
In 1798, the Alien and Sedition Acts were created under President John Adams due to tensions with France. The Sedition Act made it illegal for anyone to publish anything that could defame or speak badly of the United States government. The Alien and Sedition Acts were repealed after President Adams’ presidential term was over. The Espionage and Sedition Acts, created from 1914 through 1921, made it illegal to cause disloyalty in the military forces and also prohibited any opposition to the government and their decisions in war. These acts were declared unconstitutional. Both were repealed after conflicts died down. The U.S. Patriot Act, created to investigate and protect against terrorism, made it legal for the United States’ government to search the records of citizens without their
As Henry is working for Waldo, he will take care of Edward who’s his son. After doing so one day, Henry is placed a very uncomfortable situation where Edward asks his mother Lydian if Henry could be his new father. Lydian then starts to want Henry gone but wants to do so by finding him a nice woman to settle down with. She tells him that and he says “you want to be a matchmaker, Lydian? Find me something innocent and uncomplicated. A shrub-oak. A cloud. A leaf lost in the snow” (Lawrence and Lee 78). By saying this Henry’s showing how he favors nature and its beauty. Adding to that, the teachings that Henrys share with others show the importance of nature. This is seen when Henry is trying to get Emily to see the fact that there’s more to Transcendentalism than being a tree-hugger and to look at nature to see its beauty. He explains this to her by telling her “what is a house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on? Did you know that trees cry out in pain when they’re cut? I’ve heard them” (Lawrence and Lee 34). With this being said, Henrys explaining that in order to have a nice place to live, nature has to be taken care of. Overall, The Night Thoreau Spent In Jail focuses on the importance of
Stacy notes that this passage is related to "a person getting a sense of their self in relation to Nature." The Web material describes Thoreau’s practice of linking landscape and identity.
In his journal, Thoreau muses upon twenty years of changes in New England’s land and beasts. He lists the differences in plants and animals, comparing them to past accounts and descriptions. He questions if the growing human presence has resulted in “a maimed and imperfect nature.” Cronon believes that this is an important question to consider. He points out that although changes do happen in nature, it is not so easy to determine how they changed. He is also not sure if Thoreau’s description of “a maimed and imperfect nature” is the correct way to refer to ecology, since it is by its essence, a fluid system of changes and reactions. Cronon does not deny the impact of
In 1917, a man by the name of Charles T. Schenck was arrested for violating the Espionage Act. The Espionage Act makes it illegal to, during wartime, “willfully make or convey false reports or false statements with intent to interfere with the operation or success of the military or naval forces of the United States or to promote the success of its enemies [or] willfully cause or attempt to cause insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty, in the military or naval forces of the United States, or shall willfully obstruct the recruiting or enlistment service of the United States, to the injury of the service or of the United States.” Schenck was the General Secretary of the United States Socialist Party. The party opposed the military draft and distributed flyers urging drafted men to petition against their military duty. Schenck was sentenced to serve 10 years in prison.
Immersed within the writings of Sir Thomas More and Henry David Thoreau is a depiction of a world challenged by limited natural resources, sustainability, overpowering religious views, and governmental constraints. It is within their everyday lives that they observe this land; therefore they must provide ideas for preventing these problems. However, More and Thoreau have different methods to solving these problems. More stresses the need for social reforms, whereas Thoreau emphasizes the need for humans to take responsibility for their actions, thus both have constructed guidelines of an ideal society.
Thoreau, Henry David. Walden, or Life in the Woods. The Pennsylvania State University, 2006. PDF file.
Thoreau, Henry David. Walden: Or, Life in the Woods: And, On the Duty of Civil Disobedience. New York: New American Library, 1960. Print.
Thoreau, Henry David. Works of Henry David Thoreau: Critical Commentary. MacMillan General Reference, 1963. eLibrary. Web. 11 Nov. 2012.
Thoreau, Henry D. Walden, or Life in the Woods. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. New York: W.W. Norton, 2012. N. pag. Print.
As one of the most well-known authors of the nineteenth century, Henry David Thoreau wrote and inspired many poetic works we recognize as “classics”. He lived during the height of transcendentalism and eventually became a major contributor to its cause. Thoreau accomplished this magnificent feat through his short writings and his poetry. As such a significant writer in American literature, Thoreau, like any great writer, explored many topics and ideas in his work such as religion, and nature. Among the most consistent of these topics seems to be that he as an author, appeals to a higher law, or greater power in many of his works. Throughout his poems “Nature,” “Great God I Ask for no Meaner Pelf,” and “On Fields O’re Which the Reaper has Passed” Thoreau blatantly references God or other supernatural forces, giving way to his sense of style, and ideology.
From the lone hiker on the Appalachian Trail to the environmental lobby groups in Washington D.C., nature evokes strong feelings in each and every one of us. We often struggle with and are ultimately shaped by our relationship with nature. The relationship we forge with nature reflects our fundamental beliefs about ourselves and the world around us. The works of timeless authors, including Henry David Thoreau and Annie Dillard, are centered around their relationship to nature.
The mid 1800’s was a time of continued physical exploration of the landscape of America, and an era of opportunity for an intimate inspection of the land; areas sometimes found by the traveler with the assistance of Travel Journals and maps. These detailed records, reflected a destination, and also allowed an intellectual travel of the mind. In Margaret Fuller’s, “Summer on the Lake,” and Henry David Thoreau, “Cape Cod,” we experience both their physical, and internal travels, and how each author relates, both physically and mentally, to the natural landscape; the similarities, the differences, and what elucidated each, to seek their journeys. The observed, physical differences of the natural landscapes will be compared, followed by a deeper encounter with Thoreau, as to why, and to whom, his more desolate and dark descriptions of the natural landscape, reached a distinctive, psychological appeal, and how these two views relate to contemporary America.
Myerson, Joel. The Cambridge Companion to Henry David Thoreau. New York: Cambridge UP, 1995. Print.
Werther identifies with children and esteems himself for his charitable donations. He boasts to his friend that "[t]he common people of the town already know and love me, the children in particular." He is a daydreamer and, like a child, often over-dramatizes his troubles. In his March 16th letter he complains: "Everything is conspiring against me ." He stretches the truth and exaggerates reality. Months later he acknowledges that he does not suffer alone. "At times I say to myself: your fate is unique; consider other mortals as happy—none has ever been as tormented as you.—Then I read the work of an ancient poet and it is as if I were contemplating my own heart. I have so much to endure! Ah, have ever men before me been so miserable? ." Werther is aware of his self-absorption, but he cannot control his turbulent heart. He admits to ". ....