April 19th Reading Journal for Walden

In the 2/3 of Thoreau's Walden, Thoreau covers the topics of farming, neighbors, the law and other ways to spend time. Thoreau maintains a bean-field, he grows and sells turnips, peas, and beans; rather he keeps the turnips and peas and sells the beans for rice. In total, Thoreau is able to make a profit of $9. One day while returning from town, he is arrested for refusal to pay taxes and spends the night in jail. After his arrest Thoreau decides to take a break from town life and spends his time fishing on Walden pond.

Through the second-third of the book, Thoreau seems to have developed an even greater appreciation for nature. He believes that everything has a purpose in nature and that certain natural desires cannot be hidden or overcome. Examples of these beliefs appear throughout the story; while cropping his bean field, rather than pulling the weeds growing next to his crops, he leaves them be believing that they will serve another purpose. Hungry birds soon come to feed on them and he believes this to be the realization of his idea. An example of primal desires appears at the end of the chapter Higher Laws. Thoreau is returning from the house of a neighbor and spots a woodchuck, he then feels a strong and compulsive desire to eat the woodchuck. Thoreau realizes his momentarily loss of control and quickly recovers. He then states that he believes controlling ones most primal instincts is a part of "growing up." I do not believe that an experiment like this would work well for me, I am not adept at survival in the wilderness, farming, or fishing and I do not possess the values that one would require to learn or be interested in performing any of these tasks.

April 12th Reading Journal for Walden

Henry David Thoreau's Walden reads as a classic example of the transcendentalist movement. It is the biography of Thoreau during a time he spent living in the woods almost entirely isolated from civilization. The only time he has contact with civilization is when he borrows an axe from a nearby settler and eats with his friends from time to time. Thoreau constructs his own house next to an area called Walden pond. After creating a budget and balancing his expenses, he finds that he has built a stable house and created a live able are for just under $62, "a handsome bargain" in the words of Thoreau. He fills his time reading and thinking deeply about the ideals of man and how civilization has affected them.

Thoreau's writing in Walden separately addresses every aspect he believes to be important. The first six chapters, and all the the chapters in general, are named after the subjects he wishes to address and contemplate while living in the woods; this implies his belief that they are important or at least interesting to think about. However, the feel of each chapter varies as you read. For example, I felt that the first chapter of the book had a more informative tone, while chapters two and three were more emotional and insightful into the thinking behind Thoreau's decision and feelings about not only living in the woods, but the steps taken to get there. Chapters four and five centered around daily life and how he spends his time while also indirectly addressing the issue of loneliness and how he sees nature as his neighbor. Chapter six talks about how he sees visitors and how his ability to socialize has excelled. He believes that living out there has "winnowed" out the trivial visitors and only the ones that are truly dedicated or have an important reason will venture out to see him. Through the first third of the book, Thoreau has developed a strong belief in his decision.