[Muriel “Star Fruit” Urquhart]

In “Conclusion” all of Thoreau’s knowledge and new found insights are shared, and the reader again hears of all of the values that Thoreau gained from his years at Walden Pond.  His time in solitude allowed for him to find that gluttony is wrong, happiness depends on self-realization, that nature is an important part of finding yourself, and the more you know yourself the more the knowledge you have. Thoreau learned that there is much to be gained from hard work and that simplicity leads a person more appreciation and responsibility.  Walden Pond although only a pond, has so much more to offer a person, and Thoreau definitely taps into this.  His ability to find insight and growth in the pond is similar to how a person has the ability to grow and gain knowledge, only when they find it within themselves.  Thoreau’s experiment at the pond allowed him time to find a knowledge within himself and to grow as an individual.

All of the knowledge that Thoreau gained and shared with his readers in his book have although at times bored me, also made me think.  I especially value the point that there is insight that people can gain when they focus and start to look for it.  Over the past few days this has effected my thinking and I find myself wondering if i really pick up on the hiding knowledge all around me, as opposed to daydreaming and focusing on the days gossip.  In this way I really respect Thoreau, because he mastered something that is so difficult for an average person to pick up on.  In this way I want to step into this separate world filled with mysteries and knowledge waiting to be found.  As Thoreau would advise “its not what you look at that matters, its what you see.”

[Muriel “Star Fruit” Urquhart]

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[Muriel “Star Fruit” Urquhart]

I really appreciated Julia’s interpretation of the earth’s eye.  I didn’t totally understand what was being said in the book during that point, but i liked how she involved the “eye” in her piece, it cleared up for me what Thoreau was saying, because it all was a little fuzzy for me.

[Muriel “Star Fruit” Urquhart]

While reading “The Ponds” in becomes very clear that Thoreau has an unrelatable ability to find much deeper beauty and insightful meanings to nature, and specifically his pond.  The pond that Walden discusses in depth holds a special place for him, in “The Bean Fields” he states that when he was “four years old,” the pond was “one of the oldest scenes stamped on [his] memory.” (231)  Because of this connection he created with the pond from an early age, old happy and nostalgic feelings from his childhood are stirred.  The pond represents innocence and purity, and in a way is an escape from the world that Thoreau so desperately wants to leave behind.  The pond provides a totally different type of comfort than any human could begin to supply Walden with, his pond contrasts society in that it has all the qualities necessary to keep Walden content and at peace.

[Muriel “Star Fruit” Urquhart]

I really like the way that Lily separates the idea of a farmer with his beans, from Thoreau and his beans.  I totally agree when she says that the bond that was created between Walden was a much more involving and meaningful relationship as opposed to the way that farmers are only interested in seeking a profit from the beans. Over all her point that Thoreau wanted to learn and grow form his experience of raising a crop, instead of making money is spot on.

[Muriel “Star Fruit” Urquhart]

Living in the wilderness, and with out human contact, Walden in “The Bean Fields” becomes attached to the products of his labor and learns that farming does indeed have value.  Thoreau before stated that farming was useless and a waste of time, although it is extremely obvious in this chapter that he has indeed found happiness and importance in growing and maintaining life.  He shows his concern and love for these beans when he discusses that his enemies are “worms, cool days, and most of all woodchucks,” (230) due to the fact that these “enemies” all pose a threat against his new found pride and joy.  Thoreau turned what sounded like a mindless act of growing beans, into a totally useful and insightful act.  His farming encouraged him in areas such as responsibility and discipline, and this may be in part because he was willing to work as opposed to being forced.  Walden enjoyed farming because he found when he applied himself, he could control and care for another living thing he could bond with, that didn’t have to be human for once.

[Muriel “Star Fruit” Urquhart]

Alexa I really found your point that you brought into your response about loneliness insightful.  I enjoyed that you used the point “one person means no more than another and that society lives their lives no realizing that there is a whole different world around them that they don’t get to see.”  I liked that you included this, and it was interesting to think about.

[Muriel “Star Fruit” Urquhart]

It seems that while reading this chapter Walden sees the beauty in nature and not as much in other people.  Walden mainly relies upon nature and the values and lessons he can receive, instead of always looking to other people for company and knowledge.  Walden has a somewhat unrepeatable relationship with nature, because while most people want company to come from the people around them, Thoreau separates himself from all other humans in order to gain a sense of comfort.  What Walden was truly trying to gain from finding comfort in nature was happiness in himself, because after all that is where true comfort comes from.  Once a person is content with them self they no longer need another person to rely upon.

[Muriel “Star Fruit” Urquhart]

Taylor I enjoyed the point that you made regarding the way that Thoreau viewed having neighbors.  While reading this chapter I realized that Thoreau was trying to stay away from other people although I didn’t pick up on the fact that  “Walden did not seem fazed by the idea of seeming good enough to his neighbors”.(Taylor Moss)  I thought this point was not only true, but an interesting observation.

[Muriel “Star Fruit” Urquhart]

Thoreau explains in the chapter Why I Lived, and What I Lived For that several times he has attempted to purchase a farm with no prevail.  The only farm that he had come close to purchasing was Hollowell place, this farm was placed “2 miles from the village, half a mile from the nearest neighbor, and separated from the highway by a broad field.” (175-6)  To any person the location and description of this farm would be a total turnoff, although this farm was in the perfect location that Thoreau required to achieve his simplistic lifestyle, and better connect himself with nature.  Walden’s goals and his way of thinking are still far different than most people today, and from this chapter it is apparent that Walden needed neither people or entertainment.  all of his joy and interest were tapped into nature and the knowledge to be gained from living the secluded lifestyle.

What also separates Walden and other people is the fact that the farm is not at all glamorized, and has no real attraction.  Walden declares that he appreciates and seems to admire the “gray color and ruinous state of the house and barn, and the dilapidated fences,” (176) which reveals that looks and appearances were not Thoreau’s main concern.  Simply he was searching for a place to concentrate, and gain more insight.  Unlike people throughout history and in the present, Walden was not worried about the standard of his residence, instead he wished to go unnoticed.  And he didn’t focus on what negative things people thought about him, he concerned himself with his own thoughts.

[Muriel “Star Fruit” Urquhart]

In Economy Thoreau explains to his readers what the most basic and vital elements are for a person to lead a successful life.  The necessities he discusses are clothing, shelter, and fuel; Thoreau declares that anything more than these basic components will only lead a person to become greedy, and unable to achieve a life with which they are content in.  While reading Economy one can only agree with the points that Thoreau was making, as food and shelter really are all one truly needs to survive.  The other excess materials items that people claim they wouldn’t be able to live without are only distractions from the insight that Thoreau was attempting to achieve by living a simplistic life.

In this point in time  it seems that everyone has become attached to some “necessity”, whether intentionally or not, but are these materials truly necessary in order to gain an ideal and successful life?  Readers would have to agree with Thoreau in saying that No, all of the distractions and extra “essentials” that humans are constantly bombarded with only draw away from the big picture and wisdom that can be gained when people rely upon only basic needs. And although Thoreau states that one of these basic needs are clothing, Shelby created a valid point in saying that really clothing is only something that society has made to seem necessary.  Clothing in one way can be used as a way to protect the body from weather and other conditions, but it can create jealousy and greed.  The job of humans now is to focus on what is truly needed and less on what isn’t, in order to gain the insight that Thoreau obtained in his simple and selfless way of life.

-Muriel Urquhart

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