Henry David Thoreau

William Kriews
Humanities
April 11, 2011

Walden, by Henry David Thoreau is written in first person about the events and ideas that came to the author during his time living at Walden Pond in the eighteen hundreds.  Henry David Thoreau was a poet and a philosopher who lived a life of simplicity in order to make a direct connection between people, God, and nature.  He viewed knowledge as an "intuitive force rather than a set of learned, logical proofs."  His writing in Walden focused on many different themes, including the relationship between light and dark, the ideas and importance of nature, the meaning of progress, the importance of detail, and the relationship between the mind and body.  He also developed many philosophical ideas concerning knowing yourself, living simply and deliberately, and seeking truth.

      In the first section of Walden entitled "Economy," Thoreau develops his ideas of living simply and deliberately.  He believed that "it is best to want less," and that "there is no point of living if it is not deliberate."  By living deliberately he meant giving each part of life attention, whether in observing humans or nature, and living during "all moments of life."  He believed that humans had only four basic necessities: food, shelter, clothing, and fuel.  The object of each of these necessities is to "conserve an individual’s energy."  He also believed that "gluttony is bad," and so we should "only content ourselves with possessions that we need."  Thoreau focused on living deliberately, and stated "to settle, and to feel reality in its fullness, is the point."
In “Economy” there are opinions that I agree with. Thoreau’s idea of living simply and deliberately is a great idea. Keeping life simple is a great way to reduce stress as you have no added upkeep or pressures of maintaining extra amenities. His deliberate way of living is very straight and to the point. Taking the time to put all of your attention to a specific moment is a...