Walden: How Thoreau Thought Life Should Be Lived

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Henry David Thoreau begins his novel of Walden with giving a brief summary on where he is, and the philosophy on why he is there. He also describes how he feels about the people in the society and how he will be narrating the novel. In the first few paragraphs he explains how society judges him about his actions on moving out onto the pond. Thoreau makes clear that this is not a permanent lifestyle, but an experiment on life as a whole. Henry David Thoreau explains that people feel like they have to live up to a hidden standard, and that people feel they must own certain things and have certain quantities of other things. He points out that all this does is add worry and trouble to people and that people are wasting valuable life and existence. Thoreau makes sure that he does not believe that everyone should live as he does, but that everyone should value their inner freedom and live their own authentic lifestyle.

From reading this novel I found almost a new respect for life. I am not saying that I have changed in that I am solely going to rely on myself and not posses anything in excess, as Thoreau believes, but I do feel that everyone should life their life as they want to. In the novel he makes clear that no one should be a slave to the society. Thoreau disagrees with the lifestyles of the farmers. He informs us that society sees it as a great deal to inherit a farm, while through Thoreau's eyes he sees it as a misfortune. He sees this as a misfortune because these young farmers have nothing to look forward to in life. They will work long and hard everyday of their lives. Farming will also cause worry and stress to their lives. Thoreau states that "The better part of the man is soon ploughed into the soil compost." None of...

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...ong to earn a railway passage, as it does just to walk there.

The main point that Henry David Thoreau is trying to get across throughout the novel of Walden is, for that one second right before you die, where your whole life flashes in front of you, are you going to be over satisfied on how you lived your life. He stresses that you should live your authentic life, that someone should not live for anyone else but themselves. He believed that you should be true to yourself and never hold back. Downgrading from the luxurious life and just living off the necessities of life, is almost a perfect lifestyle for Thoreau. Living for two years and two months at Walden Pond is not an authentic lifestyle for everyone. This was just one occupation that Thoreau needed to live his authentic life. After leaving the pond, he was on his next scene to live life to the fullest.

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