Henry David Thoreau
Biographical Summary
Henry David Thoreau was born on July 12, 1817 in Concord, Massachusetts, and was the son of John
Thoreau, a pencil maker, and Cynthia Dunbar ( Henry... Ency. of World). Growing up in a modest
New England family, Thoreau was one of four children and was accustomed to living practically
(McElroy). As his family was permanently poor, he came to accept a moderate lifestyle, which may
have later influenced his thoughts on the necessities of life ( Henry... Ency. of World). As a child, he
enjoyed exploring nature and was fascinated by its beauty. In his novel Walden, he remarks that every
morning was a cheerful invitation to make [his] life of equal simplicity... with Nature herself, and even
contemplates that [he had] ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
of World). His abolitionist efforts and support of civil disobedience were a large part of the legacy he
left behind. He did not advocate violence, but instead encouraged the defense of what is true and
good. Though his works were not very popular when he was alive, his writings and philosophy greatly
influenced many important world figures... the reformer Leo Tolstoy of Russia, Mohandas Gandhi of
India, Martin Luther King Jr., and other leaders of the U.S.Civil Rights Movement were inspired by
Thoreau s ideas ( Thoreau... West s).
Critical Analysis Henry David Thoreau was an influential writer, abolitionist, and leader of the
transcendentalist movement. Through his work, he emphasizes the intriguing pursuit of personal truth
beyond societal definitions. His sagacious observations about human nature are admirable, and his
explanation of the corruption of society is thought provoking. Though he advocates individualism, he
seems to doubt humans ability to completely remove themselves from society, as this way of life
demands. In his novel Walden, he says, The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation (Thoreau 5).
Thoreau sees the laboring men of his society, and after concluding that they are ignorant, claims that it
is a fool s life, as they will find when they get to the end of it, if not before (Thoreau 3). Loren Eiseley,
a natural science writer, said that Thoreau sometimes had difficulty in seeing men or, by contrast,
sometimes saw them too
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