Henry David ThoreauS Walden Essay Research Paper

Henry David Thoreau? S Walden Essay, Research Paper

Simplicity and Freedom in Walden

In chapter two of Henry David Thoreau & # 8217 ; s Walden, entitled & # 8220 ; Where I Lived, and What I Lived for & # 8221 ; , there are two subjects that run throughout the narrative. The cardinal subject that emerges continually is that of simpleness with the extra subject being that of freedom. Thoreau finds himself surrounded by a universe that has no true freedom or simplified ways, with people committed to the universe that surrounds them instead than being committed to their ain true ego within nature.

Simplicity is defined in the Webster & # 8217 ; s Dictionary as a simple province or quality ; freedom from complexness ; absence of elegance and luxury ; uncomplicated. In the universe today, many people think that a computing machine, cell phone, or fax machine may do their universe simple, but these engineerings make the universe we live in more complex than simple. Somehow there is confusion between simple and easy.

It is most surely easier to phone person from your auto instead than drawing over to a wage phone and acquiring out a one-fourth. It is besides easier to set a missive in the facsimile machine instead than turn toing an envelope and seting a cast on it and walking it to the letter box. These two cases that have been described are, in fact, easier, but non simpler. Simple is non holding to calculate out how to utilize the cell phone or facsimile machine and, at the same clip, holding these two points cluttering our infinite. Fewer people communicate through cards and letters now because we have e-mail and fewer people go to the library because we have the Internet. These are great points and they may do life easier, but non simpler.

Thoreau craves the unworldly manner of life. He agrees that excessively much material does non do life simpler, but more congested.

The state itself, with all its alleged internal betterments, which, by the manner are all external and superficial, is merely such an unmanageable and overgrown constitution, cluttered with furniture and tripped up by its ain traps, ruined by luxury and heedless disbursal. ( 6 )

By naming the internal betterments external and superficial, Thoreau is stating that these betterments do nil for the state but cause more anguish and concerns. A individual might believe that they could do themselves better by purchasing fancier apparels or acquiring an expensive haircut, but what does that truly do for the internal ego? When all betterments are made, a individual merely has an expensive hair salon measure, section shop measure and a batch of apparels that merely do the individual look good to other people. These betterments, within the state, could be considered shops, eating houses, main roads, film, gas Stationss, and mills. These are things that are supposed to do our life simpler and freer, but they are merely more dev

elopments that bind us. These betterments, to other states, could be seen as “superficial” . What happens to the green grass that was one time beautiful to look at and to walk barefoot through? It becomes a paved manner for our cars to drive upon. What happens to the clean air that we one time breathed? It becomes polluted with exhausts from autos and mills.

As if in a fury, Thoreau exclaims, & # 8220 ; Simplicity, simpleness, simpleness! I say, allow your personal businesss be as two or three, and non a hundred or a thousand & # 8230 ; Simplify, simplify & # 8221 ; ( 6 ) . Thoreau wants us to put aside all of the fiddling things in life and look upon the existent and true facets of our lives. There is no demand for material ownerships when we have a universe full of beauty that God has created for us to bask. What do we necessitate with a house full of novelties that merely jumble and roll up dust? There used to be a clip when kids would roll up lightning bugs or run around the pace with the Canis familiaris or read a book for amusement, but now a kid can non populate without Nintendo 64, Playstation or Nickelodeon. This is non the kid & # 8217 ; s mistake, it is what society has heaped upon us all and it is as if we are all victims of the & # 8220 ; superficial & # 8221 ; betterments.

Along with simpleness besides comes freedom. Freedom is a word that has different significances to different people. Harmonizing to Webster & # 8217 ; s Dictionary, freedom is defined as being free ; freedom from an duty ; non under the control or power of another ; independent. By this definition, no one individual is genuinely free. Thoreau stresses this point by stating, & # 8220 ; It makes but small difference whether you are committed to a farm or the county gaol & # 8221 ; ( 2 ) . Thoreau explains that we, as free people, have picks to make as we please and with those picks come more committednesss. With every pick, comes a effect. We can take to purchase a farm with so many estates and beauty all around, but we are so committed to paying for that farm, cut downing the grass, feeding the animate beings, and reaping the garden. The lone existent value of the farm, the close contact with nature, can be had for no cost. Thoreau found more freedom in his little hut by the pool where he was genuinely free from the fiddling life of life in a small town. He was free from the commercial rat race and was able to allow himself be roused by nature.

If Thoreau were still alive today, he would likely be astounded at how committed we are to so many things. The universe that surrounds us has developed into a haste up and wait state of affairs. We are invariably in a haste. We live in a universe with thrust through Windowss and breakfast bars. If we continue to travel rapidly through life seeking to acquire everything done so rapidly, when do we truly bask our life and our freedom? As Thoreau provinces, & # 8220 ; Why should we populate with such haste and waste of life? & # 8221 ; ( 6 ) .

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