Henry David Thoreau
Henry spent the majority of his life walking in and around the town
of Concord, although he did make few journeys to other places. Henry
spent most of his time walking in the wilderness of Concord. Occasionally,
he would be found sauntering and conversing with his mentor and friend,
Ralph Waldo Emerson or Ellery Channing.
Some believe Henry went to live at Walden Pond because he was a
hermit or a recluse or because he hated his fellow man, but this is not the
case. Henry had a very special and sincere reason to go to Walden Pond; to
honor his brother. On January 11, 1842, Henry's brother, John Jr., died of
lockjaw. It was his brother's death which prompted Henry to decide to go
to ...
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deliberately, To front only the essential facts
of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to
teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that
I had not lived."
Henry left his nearby town of Concord to live at Walden Pond on
July 4, 1845, Independence Day. Some have speculated that this date
represents Henry's personal declaration of independence from society.
Others have pointed out that July 4th was the day before his brother's
birthday. By leaving for Walden on July 4th, Independence Day, Henry would
have spent his first full day at Walden Pond on the anniversary of his
brother's birthday. This idea is further supported in Walden,
"When I first took up my abode in the woods,
that is, began to spend my nights as well as days
there, which, by accident, was on Independence
day, or the fourth of July, 1845..."
Ralph Waldo Emerson provided Thoreau with the opportunity to
complete his first work, A Week on the Concord and ...
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Henry David Thoreau. (2008, August 8). Retrieved November 23, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Henry-David-Thoreau/87999
"Henry David Thoreau." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 8 Aug. 2008. Web. 23 Nov. 2024. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Henry-David-Thoreau/87999>
"Henry David Thoreau." Essayworld.com. August 8, 2008. Accessed November 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Henry-David-Thoreau/87999.
"Henry David Thoreau." Essayworld.com. August 8, 2008. Accessed November 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Henry-David-Thoreau/87999.
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