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Henry David Thoreau Symbolism

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I Hope You are Thoreau(ly) Impressed with this Essay
(TS) In Henry David Thoreau's memoir Walden, Thoreau relies upon symbols to illustrate that personal exploration in nature illuminates life more than material wealth. (PS1) Thoreau utilizes an isolated house as a symbol for living simply with influences of nature. (SS1) Thoreau recalls gaining independence when “[he] began to spend [his] nights as well as days [at his new house]” (1) on the same day as Independence Day representing the day he becomes self-reliant and an inhabitant of nature, thus leaving society behind. (SS2) Moving into a secluded house, he was unbound from the trivialities of reality and society and in a position to seek the true inspiration of nature saying, “I wanted …show more content…

(PS) Thoreau depicts life as needing to be simple and free of the distractions of material wealth. (SS) By reducing one’s life to its lowest terms one can understand the world and appreciate its “whole and genuine meanness” (Thoreau 1). Thoreau’s beliefs of living simply can be applied to reality and more specifically my life. My lake house, located two hours north, is used as an escape from the modern world as it lacks technology. This includes the removal of television and telephones. All that is contained in the house is an old-fashioned radio used to listen to summer Major League Baseball games. While staying at the lake house, it is a place of relaxation from life’s daily routines and chaos. As opposed to spending time watching television or using telephones, instead I play card games, reading books in the treehouse, eat s’mores around the campfire, and swim or boat on the lake. This connects to Thoreau’s personal beliefs as he argued life should be simplified and condensed to the point of no material wealth. I attempt to seek this claim in my personal life by taking away all material wealth including technology and focusing on enjoying nature around me and what it has to offer. (CS) Thoreau mentions we need to create self-reliance and discover true individuality in

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