Friday, March 11, 2011

Thoreau, Walden, Day #2


--In "The Pond in Winter," Thoreau seems to express contradictory views about the supposed 'bottomlessness' of Walden pond that reflects upon whether or not we think nature is knowable. Why is it good that people believe Walden to be bottomless? Is it a contradiction that Thoreau can measure its depth relatively easily?

--In "Spring," Thoreau focuses on the lessons derived from examining sand flowing on a melting railway embankment. What are the lessons of this experience and what do they say not only about nature, but also about man?

--In "Conclusion," Thoreau summarizes his experiences, offering lessons. What are the lessons of his experience? Also, critics have discussed whether T offers his experience to the widest possible audience or to a specialized few. Which do you see evidence for in the conclusion?

1 comment:

  1. Hey everyone: I'm really sorry. I thought I had posted this on Friday and was wondering why no one had responded, only to discovered that it had been saved without being posted. You can post on this all week for full credit.

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