[Carrie “Apricot” Daughan]

In “Conclusion,” Thoreau states that if one “advances confidently” (358) towards their goals and is really dedicated, they’ll eventually reach it. He says, “In proportion as he simplifies his life, the laws of the universe will appear less complex, and solitude will not be solitude, nor poverty poverty, nor weakness weakness“ (359). He basically learns that simplicity is key to life. I was told before in life that “less is more” and such, but Walden further stressed that point for me. So, I suppose I could try to life a simplistic life, where I only have a small collection of clothes, or I leave my cell phone at home all the time. However, I know I don’t feel as strongly about these aspects as Thoreau, and I probably wouldn’t enforce any reforms. So, I most likely will not incorporate his philosophies in my life, sorry. 🙁

[Carrie “Apricot” Daughan]

Thoreau believes that the purpose of food is to keep people alive, and any eating that exceeds that purpose is a hindrance to intellectual drives and pursuits. That being said, he also worships pureness and cleanliness in food. Talking about meat, Thoreau believes there’s “something essentially unclean about this diet of all flesh” (276), so he stays away from it. Thoreau’s stands on food would not apply to today. Delicious food does not always hinder intellectual pursuits because there are intellectual pursuits based on food, and people can go to college and major in cooking. Also, Thoreau makes an effort not to eat meat when a big part of the food pyramid is meat. I agree with Noah that Thoreau’s beliefs are out of date. His ideas of nutrition are flawed, in that he puts a piece of bread higher in nutritional value than meat and fish.

[Carrie “Apricot” Daughan]

In “Brute Neighbors,” Thoreau examines red and black ants and concludes that they are focused on war primarily. Thoreau, after the battle, compares the ants to humans by saying he felt “as if [he] had had [his] feelings excited and harrowed by witnessing the struggle, the ferocity and carnage, of a human battle before [his] door “(289). Because he didn’t know what started the vicious fight, the ants symbolize man’s inner fight between thoughts and morals. Because Thoreau viewed the ants as he viewed Colonists around the time of the Battle of Bunker Hill, he shows that we would live like ants if adopting his simplistic beliefs. Before the American Revolution, people pretty much lived like ants, with simplistic views and practices, and we did end up in the Battle of Bunker Hill and several other battles. So it’s safe to say people would life like ants if in Thoreau’s setting because it already happened. Haley, I agree that Thoreau humanizes the ants in “Brute Neighbors.” He does this so the audience can get to understand how similar people are to ants and their brutal and superfluous fighting.

[Carrie “Apricot” Daughan]

In “The Bean Field,” Thoreau’s managing of the crops is much different than the work he talked about in “Economy” because the latter was required, and therefore conducted no pleasure. Although cultivating crops doesn’t bring too much pleasure either, Thoreau gained personal benefits, such as discipline and moral corrections. Seeing as society would put money over morals, it is not implausible that Thoreau would spend his time “planting, and hoeing, and harvesting, and threshing, and picking over, and selling” (235) for the opposite reason., and specifically not for financial benefit.

Max, I liked how you piggybacked off of Noah and mentioned the importance of one’s mindset. Also, it was interesting how you brought up society’s dictation of farming for a profit, as opposed to Thoreau’s thoughts on the subject.

[Carrie “Apricot” Daughan]

In “The Ponds,” Thoreau depicts the Walden pond as “so transparent that the bottom can easily be discerned at the depth of twenty-five of thirty feet” (248). Because water is often a representation of purity, it’s a symbol for how untainted and pure Thoreau’s life is in nature. Being isolated from society, the pond is a representation of his soul’s purification. “Remarkable for its depth and purity,” (247) the pond also serves as an escape for Thoreau, from society and troubles. This is what makes it so important that the pond is so clearly representing purity.

Julia Rutledge, I like how you bring to attention Thoreau’s bit about the eyes. I thought it was nice that you compared it to the human face and the eyes’ importance. It really is the center of attention, as seen throughout “The Ponds,” and the title of the book.

[Carrie “Apricot” Daughan]

Alexa, I like how you bring up that people in society don’t make time for each other and go off of Amanda’s idea that people are insincere. You make a really good point by bringing up how nature is our company.

[Carrie “Apricot” Daughan]

“Solitude” in Thoreau’s Walden explores how Thoreau stands on the solitude of man. Although he recognizes humans need affection from one another, he more so believes that people are more lonely in the presence of others, as opposed to living in solitude in nature. He views most human interactions as superficial. While living in solitude, Thoreau realizes how small we all are and “this whole earth which we all inhabit is but a point in space” (214). This enforces how everyone really is alone and human interaction is mostly superficial.

 

[Carrie “Apricot” Daughan]

In Thoreau’s “Sounds,” he gives human characteristics to the animals in his environment and the noises they make. He does so because, as a result of his life in solitude, he lacks interaction from humans. Because of his isolation, he looks for interaction from his surrounding environment, such as frogs, whose “voices have waxed hoarse and solemnly grave” (209). Thoreau basically just personifies animals to make up for his lack of social interaction.

Kheldhe, I think it’s interesting that you brought up the “thin line between what human is done civilized and uncivilized.” That’s a really interesting take on his views.

[Carrie “Apricot” Daughan]

It’s stated that the necessities in life are “Food, Shelter, Clothing, and Food” in Thoreau’s “Economy.” Anything beyond these essentials are superfluous . Thoreau states that “most of the luxuries… are not only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind” (122), meaning that as mankind becomes more focused on material items, it ceases to recognize the necessities and becomes stagnant. Only when people develop a focus on the necessities can they grow as humans. I liked the way Noah connected this to Thoreau’s soil metaphor and how people can “’shoot upward’ to their full potential” once  acquiring the necessities.

It’s clear that food and water (Food and Fuel) are absolute necessities of life, as people would actually die without them. The same goes for shelter, which is needed to protect people from natural disasters, predators, and so on. Clothing, however, is not entirely essential in the survival of mankind. Although a life without clothes would not be ideal, it would be possible. I agree with Shelby in saying that society makes clothing seem necessary.

[Carrie “Apricot” Daughan]

(This is Kelcie, not Carrie. I wasn’t admitted into the group)

In Thoreau’s “Economy”, readers are able to attain a general knowledge of what Thoreau himself feels are the necessities of life. This being said, Thoreau believes these necessities are “Food, Shelter, Clothing, and Fuel” (120).  These four essential things prove to be a part of human life so importantly “that few, if any, whether from savageness, or poverty, or philosophy, ever attempt to do without it” (120). Aside from these necessities are things called luxuries which is an expansion of those four basic needs. Desiring these luxuries is what can happen after receiving the basic food, shelter, clothing and fuel. People desire more which leads to the question of how much is too much? Once people start getting more, they desire more. These luxuries set people apart from each other, making sort of a competition to see who has more “unnecessary” objects. This can be seen in society today, where people compare themselves to one another in terms of clothes and technology.

While reading Julia’s response, I believe she made a good point when stating that  Thoreau  thinks  once a person has obtained the four necessities in life: food, shelter, clothing, and fuel, they can improve themselves and become the best they can be without becoming unappeasable and greedy.

-Kelcie Siler

[Author]

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