A Quotation Study of A Quotation Study of Thoreau’s Thoreau’s WaldenWalden

Walden as a Spiritual Book1. A diary, a semi-biographical record of an experiment, yet at the same time a sincere book.2. A microcosm, through which we see the world of Thoreau and that which he observed.3. Spiritual book, condemn wasted material life—pursuit of material things, the weakness and errors of society

Thoreau’s Philosophical Ideas in Thoreau’s Philosophical Ideas in WaldenWalden1. Thoughts surpassing materials People should choose the proper material surroundings that will improve their thoughts, the kind of environment which will allow people to have great thoughts“I have frequently seen a poet withdraw, have enjoyed the most valuable part of a farm, while…”

2. The essentials of life —living rather than getting a living“I went to the woods, because I wished to lived deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life”“I want to live deep and suck out the marrow of life”

3. Self-reliance and independence of mind —Individual freedom breaks down the rules and barriers of society so that the individual can express himself and act on his own principles“I would not have anyone adopt my mode of living, each should find out his own way, not his neighbor’s or his parents”“If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away”

4. The simplicity of life—condemnation of making social improvement and comfort all important“Simplify, simplify. Instead of three meals a day, if it be necessary eat but one; instead of a hundred dishes, five; and reduce other things in proportion.”“Why should we live with such hurry and waste of life? We are determined to be starved before we are hungry” “For my part, I could easily do without the post-office…To philosopher all news gossip”

5. Harmony with all of nature—How we want to live and order our lives“I frequently tramped eight or ten miles through the deepest snow to keep an appointment with a beech tree or a yellow birth, or an old acquaintance among the pines”

6. Escape from the power of timeAll people can receive an illumination that goes beyond time, that catches them up in eternal truth and people can escape from temporal life in to the life of eternity“Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in. I drink at it; but while I drink I see the sandy bottom and detect how shallow it is. Its thin current slides away, but eternity remains”

Thoreau’s StylesThoreau’s Styles—Emersonian, but far more interesting than —Emersonian, but far more interesting than EmersonEmerson1. Prophetic (Voice)“The present was my next experiment of this kind… as I have said, I do not propose to write and ode to dejection; but to brag as chanticleer in the morning, standing on his roost, if only to wake my neighbors up”

2. Direct and forceful —the influence of the Bible“Let us spend one day as deliberately as nature, and not be thrown off the track by every nutshell and mosquito’s wing that falls on the rails.”3. Conversational—an effective way to get across his philosophical messages

4.Humor—a stylist but also a great humorist, puns are his favorite, also satire, irony, and sarcasmHis humor also lies in the ways he sees things.A. “I have traveled a great deal in Concord”B. (In prison) Emerson: “What are you doing in here, Henry?” Thoreau: “What are you doing out there?”C. “I discovered many a site for a house not likely to be improved, which some might have thought too far from the village, but to my eyes the village was too far from it”

D. “such was not my abode, for I found my self suddenly neighbor to the birds; not by having imprisoned one, but having caged myself near them.” E. “We do not ride on the railroad; it rides upon us. Did you ever think what those sleepers are that underlie the railroad? Each one is a man, an Irish-man, or a Yankee man…”

5. Proverbs, tales, fables and allegories

6. Influence of oriental theoriesChinese ancient philosophy What news! how much more important to know what that is which was never old! "Kieou-he-yu (great dignitary of the state of Wei) 　sent a man to Khoung-tseu to know his news. Khoung-tseu caused the messenger to be seated near him, and questioned him in these terms: What is your master doing? The messenger answered with respect: My master desires to diminish the number of his faults, but he cannot come to the end of them. The messenger being gone, the philosopher remarked: What a worthy messenger! What a worthy messenger!“蘧伯玉使人于孔子。孔子与之坐而问焉。曰：“夫子何为？”对曰：“夫子欲寡其过而未能也。”使者出。子曰：“使乎！使乎！” —（《论语》之《宪问篇》