Thoreau and Crane Comparison Essay Leila JacksonNovember 16, 2014Red Group

Henry David Thoreau, in Walden and Stephen Crane in Maggie: A Girl of the Streets, contrast in their views on self- reliance, as well as on fate vs. choice of determining ones life path, but share similar views on philanthropy. In Walden, Thoreau documents his time at Walden Pond where he lives simply in a cabin and shares his strong opinions on being self-reliant and choosing ones own life path as he had done, and on his experience with philanthropy. In Maggie: A Girl of the Streets, Crane writes about a poor Irish immigrant girl in New York at the turn of the century who tries to escape her situation and despite her efforts, ends up becoming a prostitute and eventually commits suicide. Thoreaus view on self-reliance is that to live a good life, one must not rely on others and must instead depend only on oneself. When people begin to rely too much on others, they cannot do anything for themselves and begin to [contract] themselves into a nutshell of civility (10). Thoreau feels that when one becomes dependent on others, one can no longer live a life consisting of ones own ideals and must rather follow another persons beliefs. Thoreau states, For more than five years I maintained myself thus solely by the labor of my hands (58), meaning that he did not have any problems being self-reliant and that he lived quite well. He shows that since he managed to live a stable life by himself, that others should be able to do the same. Crane thinks that self-reliance is difficult and does not help or change anyone. When Maggie goes on a date with Pete, she considers him her savior and as from her has been plucked of all look of self-reliance (72). Crane shows that someone such as Maggie could not possibly be self-reliant; especially when she finds herself in a mess after Pete leaves her. After Maggies mother tells her to leave the tenement and Pete does not help her, she tries unsuccessfully to make it on her own. Because she has no one to help her and the only way she can get any money is to become a prostitute, Crane writes that She threw changing glances at men who passed her (87). Crane shows that Maggie was basically ruined once she attempted to be self-reliant and that if someone had helped her maybe she would have had a different fate. Thoreau believes that one can choose or alter his/her life path. Thoreau states that he would like there to be as many different people in the world as possible. Thoreau expresses this by writing, I would have each one be very careful to find out and pursue his own way and not his fathers or his mothers or his neighbors instead (59). Thoreau means that individuals should find and pursue their own paths, have the desire to do so, and not emulate others. He also writes that, what a man thinks of himself, that is which determines, or rather indicates his fate (11). Thoreau believes that ones social status, race or economic background does not determine ones life path, but rather what one strives to do and what they think of themselves. If a person is confident that they will achieve their goals, they will be successful. Crane, however, insists that choosing ones life path is not as simple as Thoreau describes it. He believes that one is born into the life that they will continue to live, no matter how hard one tries to change that. When describing Maggies future, Crane writes that By a chance, she got a position in an establishment where they made collars and cuffs (50). Maggie had two choices, to become a prostitute or to get some poorly paid job. Due to her poor background, there were no better jobs available for her and she got a factory job by luck. While on a date, Pete and Maggie see a play that Maggie thinks is fancy and high class but is really not; Maggie sees it as that because of her poor background. While leaving, Maggie in high spirits, wonders if the culture and refinement she had seen imitated, perhaps grotesquely, by the heroine on the stage, could be acquired by [her], who lived in a tenement house and worked in a shirt factory (62). Maggie, being nave, wonders if she can ever acquire a higher social status. Maggie quits her factory job and there is no other option left than to become a prostitute. As much as Maggie tries to change her fate, she was born into poverty and was raised by alcoholics which ultimately meant that she will never have had many good options in her life. While Thoreau and Crane would contrast their views on self-reliance and the option of choosing ones life path, the two authors share similar views on philanthropy. Thoreau believes that philanthropy is, greatly overrated; and it is our selfishness which overrates it (63). Thoreau believes that philanthropists only help others when it makes them look good to others and also makes them feel good about themselves. Thoreau writes, Be sure you give the poor the aid they need, though it be your example which leaves them far behind (62) meaning that philanthropists do not help those who are truly in need. Crane also explains that philanthropists are selfish and do not help those who need it most. In Maggie: A Girl of the Streets there are poor people waiting to get soup at a church while a preacher makes them listen to a sermon. Crane writes, Many of the sinners were impatient over the pictured depths of their degradation (46). The preacher is not giving out soup for the sake of being kind and helping people who actually need help, but for them to hear his speech. Crane, like Thoreau, shows that philanthropists only do good things when there is an advantage for them. Maggie doesnt know where to go as her family doesnt want her and neither does Pete. She sees a clergyman who looks very kind and decides to approach him. As she walks up to him, he [saves] his respectability by a vigorous side-step, he did not risk it to save a soul (87). The clergyman does not help Maggie because he feels that helping her could ruin his reputation. Both authors agree that philanthropy is overrated since philanthropists only help people for selfish reasons and they dont do anything for anyone just plainly out of kindness. Thoreau, the author of Walden, and Crane, the author of Maggie: A Girl of the streets, agree on the issue of philanthropy while disagreeing on the importance of self-reliance and whether one can choose ones own path in life or whether ones fate is simply sealed. Both Thoreau and Crane believe that philanthropists are hypocrites who act not simply for charity but for some other selfish motives such as impressing other people. They have opposite views on whether it is possible to be self-reliant. Thoreau believes that each person is resourceful enough to be independent. Crane feels that being self-reliant is impossible for those living in poverty as they cannot provide for themselves. Crane believes that choosing ones own path is not feasible for someone who is not wealthy but Thoreau never distinguishes between the rich and the poor, and the choices they have.

Works CitedCrane, Stephen. Maggie: A Girl of the Streets. Print ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 1999. Print.Thoreau, Henry David. Walden and Civil Disobedience. Print ed. New York: Barnes & Noble Classics, 1854. Print.