A Critical Book Review of Walden Pond

Henry Thoreau lived alone in the woods by the lake Walden and restarted a new life. A masterpiece Walden Pond records his life and feelings during the period. This essay argues that the book is worth reading based on a summary and critical analysis of its content, although some expressions are repetitive.

The book Walden Pond is well written and contains 18 essays written by Thoreau. It records the natural scenery and the characteristics of plants and animals that the author observed near Walden Pond. He also lives, studies, thinks, works, and builds houses alone, etc.

The book describes the author’s longing for the harmonious coexistence between man and nature and advocates the concept of temperance desire and simple and simple life.  “Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand” (Thoreau “Where I Lived and What I Lived for”).

Therefore, in his book, he repeatedly called on people to live a simple life as much as possible. Thoreau also taught people to leave the real world and explore the inner truth. “I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life.”  (Thoreau “Where I Lived and What I Lived for”).  This a promise of Thoreau to free mind and body, spend more time and energy in deeper life, and explore the true meaning of life.

The subtopics are wide in range and well designed. Although the author chose a reclusive life in this period, it does not mean that the author really does not want to see other people. In section “Visitor”, Thoreau wrote, “I am naturally no hermit, but might possibly sit out the sturdiest frequenter of the bar-room, if my business called me thither”.

The author interacts with fishermen, poets, and philosophers to exchange views on life because Thoreau believes that those who come to this forest are pilgrims. Moreover, in “the Bean-Field”, the author expresses the joy of labor and harvest. The author does not grow beans for the needs of his own life, but for his own self-esteem. “One of the results of my presence and influence is seen in these bean leaves, corn blades, and potato vines.” ( Thoreau “the Bean-Field”). By planting, harvesting beans, and selling the excess, the author experienced the joy and self-esteem of the labor.

The content of the book is positive, and inspiring, which is well supported with his detailed analysis of nature and his powerful yearn for the simple life. The book is filled with Thoreau’s love for Walden Lake, the hut, the mountain forest, the small animals in the forest, and nature. He described a lot of the natural scenery of Lake Walden, which reflects the author’s understanding of life through a detailed description of nature.

“Its soft ripples or its smooth reflecting surface was revealed, while the mists, like ghosts, were stealthily withdrawing in every direction into the woods, as at the breaking up of some nocturnal conventicle.” (Thoreau “Where I Lived and What I Lived for”). Reading it will bring peace of mind, and purification. The author’s analysis of the idea of a simple life makes it more profound, fascinating, and thought-provoking.

“I do believe in simplicity. It is astonishing as well as sad, how many trivial affairs even the wisest thinks he must attend to in a day.” (“Where I Lived and What I Lived for”). Although the language is simple, it contains a wealth of life philosophy. He warned people of obsession with materials in a serious voice and cheerful and confident tone related to nature. Unconsciously, everyone who has read the book will yearn for and pursue that simple life, especially for the urban people who are busy but impatient today.

Thoreau, the main character of the book, is reliable. Thoreau believes that in addition to pursuing the abundance of material life in this world, there is also a kind of life, a simple life that can make the body and mind more pleasant through his own experience. The highlight of Walden Lake is that the author can use language to accomplish what he wants to do. The entire book records the author’s own life experience and perception in the life course.

“Every morning was a cheerful invitation to make my life of equal simplicity, and I may say innocence, with Nature herself.” (Thoreau “Visitor” ).  He tried a way of life that can minimize material needs to people, so that people can learn from a life free from the need or desire, and get rich spiritual enjoyment and freedom of body and mind through walking in the forests in the morning, thinking, and being close to nature.

Thoreau is more reliable with a very detailed description of spring, morning, and nature. The description of nature mentioned before is exhaustive. With the description of nature, the moral meaning is extended to the author’s thoughts and emotions, which are very philosophical and thinking about life, giving people awake, shock, and inspiration. From this perspective, Thoreau is a very reliable figure given his own experience of life and world outlook.

The book is instructive to human beings entering industrial civilization. In the world, it is difficult for people to calm down and think about how we should live and what morals and principles we should adhere to. “The millions are awake enough for physical labor; but only one in a million is awake enough for effective intellectual exertion, only one in a hundred millions to a poetic or divine life” (Thoreau “Bean-field”).

Due to the influence of society and the influence of transformation, some people have lost their valuable human nature more, and some have preserved this nature more. After entering industrial civilization, human nature is suppressed and distorted, and cannot coexist in harmony with nature. While Thoreau calmed down, he felt like with his heart. In particular, he carefully observed everything around him and found out what the true meaning of life is. Thoreau shows that when people return to nature, they seem to return to the original state of human beings, and they can discover the original nature of human beings.

But some expressions are too repetitive, and it is better to be more concise. For example, “to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms.” (Thoreau “Where I Lived and What I Lived for”). This reflects one remarkable feature of it: quotations from the classics.

There are almost a thousand quoted classics and historical allusions; there are also nearly a thousand descriptions of life features or ecology of animals, plants, and minerals. It is difficult to have such a broad literature work. Long and loose writing like this leads to the fact that some part of this book is too complex to read.. This may be one of the reasons why the book was not generally accepted by general readers.

Walden Pond by Thoreau who spent two years to appreciate and observe the natural world is worth reading. This tells modern people how to observe this society with their hearts and not just their eyes with extraordinary wisdom.

Works cited

Thoreau, Henry. Walden Pond