We’re reading and writing about Thoreau. Deliberately.

The Readers’ Thoreau is the online community for Digital Thoreau.

Need help? Find some here.

Create a free account

Texts

RSS Recent Comments

  • Comment on The Ponds 1-17 by Olivia Kelly
    Posted in: ENGL 340 S26 Geneseo I asked ChatGPT why this paragraph is significant and why it may be misunderstood. ChatGPT said that Thoreau is doing more than just describing the scenery. He instead goes deeper by explaining that nature is complete and self-sufficient, and he subtly criticizes human interference. He says that nature is […]
  • Comment on Higher Laws by Avery
    Posted in: ENGL 340 S26 Geneseo I plugged this paragraph into my Copilot AI interface. I found the paragraph itself very interesting due to the way Thoreau depicts both a mans changing interest and altering priorities. My Ai asked me a few questions on the paragraph itself; the  most thoughtful question in my opinion was: […]
  • Comment on The Ponds 18-34 by Sky
    Posted in: ENGL 340 S26 Geneseo I felt like this paragraph would be a good one to ask questions on because it seems like there is a lot of symbolism being used, and I want to know the meaning behind it. I asked a chatbot to answer some questions I have about this paragraph, and […]
  • Comment on Higher Laws by Jaidyn
    Posted in: ENGL 340 S26 Geneseo [ I fear that it may enjoy a certain health of its own; that we may be well, yet not pure. The other day I picked up the lower jaw of a hog, with white and sound teeth and tusks, which suggested that there was an animal health and […]
  • Comment on Baker Farm by Paul Schacht
    Posted in: ENGL 340 S26 Geneseo In reply to Fiona Green. Thanks for calling attention to this passage, @fbgreen! Laura Dassow Walls, Thoreau's most recent biographer, writes that Thoreau's description of the Irish farm laborer John Field and his family "has cost him many readers." She sees Thoreau's persona in this passage as that of […]