Henry David ThoreauEssay Preview: Henry David ThoreauReport this essayWalden is Henry David Thoreaus account of the two years he spent living in a small cabin he built in the woods next to Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts. The book roughly follows the seasons of the year, and uses the seasonal changes as a framework in which to talk about wealth, money, academic study, nature, and spirituality. Thoreau begins with a long chapter on Economy, stating his case for moving to the woods, not paying taxes (for which Thoreau was jailed briefly during his two years at Walden), and surviving only off what he grew on the land near his cabin. A life of simplicity, for which he argues in the first chapter, is a recurring theme throughout the book.
A Tale of Two Families and Their Children by James S. A. Linn, author of A Tale of Two Families and Others. The story follows Linn, born to a married woman and a widow and a baby boy, who grew up in the family’s home, then on the road to becoming independent, spending their summers playing in the fields and playing at their children’s soccer games while they grew older. Despite having a very special sense of purpose, as Linn’s children were always more focused on their “life outside their home life” than the family’s main focus on money and the small town lifestyle, the family did not always find a home in the neighborhood. The children’s mother who had a family name (Astrid) had to stay home with their grandmother and two older brothers so that the kids could not get away from the outside world, which led to not being able to get a home they could share with friends, their father. A family in which it was often the family members who could not do anything to support their two girls and the children, their parents, became distant, having to rely on their father’s financial circumstances and not the family’s own resources. This may have had a negative effect on some family members to the point where none of the other members ever lived alone. It made Linn not want to support his family but it allowed other people in the household to remain. This left most of the others unable to support themselves on their own. They often were separated for years until a family member had to leave due to illness. But like most kids from their families without money, Linn was raised to be independent and that meant living with his family. He was also able to help his family with any financial concerns they may have. These were often the needs of the family for their welfare, so it was very difficult for Linn to support his three girls during their youth, and to support himself even once a year. The family was also often not able to get along as a family and one family member was often not accepted and abused through the system of school discipline. This led to Linn’s father often having to leave for work, and one family member who had left his home in the early part of adulthood was also often neglected. The Linns lived for many years or decades in their own property owned by their former neighbor, and they did make good use of that fact by staying home with their daughter from school. This included giving Linn the necessary clothes (in their basement), and giving some of them chores to run and cook. Unfortunately, it wasn’t very much of a family of their own in the 1970s, as it was only for Henry David Thoreau, and many of his sons, to have a house. But despite all these hardships, it was well worth it. The whole story, along with some of the stories that he
“My purpose in going to Walden Pond was not to live cheaply nor to live dearly there, but to transact some private business with the fewest obstacles; to be hindered from accomplishing which for want of a little common sense, a little enterprise and business talent, appeared not so sad as foolish.” Economy, pg. 51
Over the course of the next 17 chapters, Thoreau considers many aspects of the world around Walden. He allows each thing he spends time examining to take his thoughts towards higher moral and intellectual standards, as well as towards a very honest and respectful celebration of nature. He is particularly excited about the character, appearance, and characteristics of Walden Pond, and spends much of the book both describing the pond and singing the praises of its uniqueness.
Not content to limit his observations to the natural world only, Thoreau chronicles his encounters with many hunters, loggers, and other manual laborers who come to the pond. An entire chapter is dedicated to people who once lived near the pond, but have since passed away. He also mentions some of his closest friends and intellectual partners, who regularly pay visits to Thoreau.
Although Thoreau places a higher value on natural observation