Thoreau Expository

Today was very productive for me.  I went to school for first and second periods, so I could get my 12-4 WS graded for Green.  Then I went home sick.  I'm still not feeling well, but I needed to get the information for that worksheet, so my mom and I planned it out this morning for her to come pick me up then.  That way I still can get a bunch of work done that I hadn't been able to do over the weekend, because I got nothing done then when I was really sick.  Now I have my study guide for Green's test and my expository over Thoreau (I hated that we had to underline the thesis and topic sentences, it bothers me) done among other minor thingies.  Not to mention my lunch had lemon meringue pie!  Yum!  =)

Anyway, here's my essay if anyone is in a critiquing mood:

HENRY DAVID THOREAU

 

            Henry David Thoreau was in a sense the world’s first hippie.  He rejected the materialist view in favor of primitive and individualistic idealism.  He advocated passive resistance through noncompliance.  In many ways Thoreau was the quintessential, 1960s nonconformist, but in a mid-1800s, reformist setting.  Henry David Thoreau acted as a threefold intellectual who contributed to society as a writer, philosopher, and naturalist.

            One of the ways Thoreau benefited American culture was through his writing.  He helped to develop a literary style that was specific to America and independent from the European approach.  He was one of the first along with his friend and mentor, Ralph Waldo Emerson, to incorporate Transcendentalism, a philosophy that emphasized individuality and the connection between humans and nature, into prose.  One of his most famous works, Walden, which is other times known as Life in the Woods, records his simplified life and self discovery during his sojourn at Walden Pond, and is a touchstone for modern environmentalists.  Thoreau’s influence on American literature is undoubtedly one of his greatest impacts on the United States.

            Thoreau’s philosophy also reformed society for the better.  His Transcendental thought rejected the strict, Calvinist dogma, and allowed for a broader perspective of the world.  The studies of Thoreau, especially those from his time at Walden Pond, brought people closer to nature.  His ideas were so profound that they even inspired future philosophers such as Mahatma Gandhi who adopted Thoreau’s concept of civil disobedience in particular.  The effect of Thoreau’s work on philosophy certainly left a lasting impression America.

            Thoreau’s effort as a naturalist in America reformed the country, too.  United States environmentalism is rooted in Transcendentalism, especially in Thoreau’s compositions on it.  The ability to experience the Divine or Ideal by undergoing nature was a key aspect of his philosophy, which was adopted during these years of reform.  In its most literal sense, Thoreau’s Walden records the wildlife he met during his stay at Walden.  What Thoreau accomplished as a naturalist definitely changed the country in a positive way.

            Henry David Thoreau certainly reformed American thought through his writing, philosophy, and work in nature.  His books and essays helped distinguish a new style of literature.  The philosophies of Thoreau brought humans and nature together.  As a naturalist he helped people understand the world around them.  Thoreau may not have taken hallucinogens, but no one can deny that his achievements are psychedelic.

 

BL Quote

 

[discussing a case concerning cannibals]

 

Shirley: Because this case is disgusting.  It's distasteful.  It's repugnant...

 

Alan: Everything I stand for.

 

Shirley: I'll drive.

 

Alan: Shirley, is this about getting in a room with me?

 

Shirley: Yes, Alan, I went out and recruited a cannibal just to get close to you.

 

SAB

 

The Non-Fiction Final is tomorrow!  Don't forget!!!  (or else...)  This one's only nineteen minutes for thirty-eight questions, so we should have plenty of time to get a lovely start on The Red Badge of Courage or read the notes over it from the Encarta Literature Guide.  I'm still deciding.

Tags: Life, Sick, School, Work, History, BL, ASB, Essays, Thoreau