Aphorism. As you learned in Literary Tools for the selections by Emerson on page 277, an aphorism is a short saying or pointed statement. As you read this selection from Walden, find two aphorisms that are well known today. Then compare them to the aphorisms you found reading Emerson’s “Self- Reliance.” Be prepared to discuss which aphorisms you find most meaningful, and why.
Tone. Tone is the emotional attitude toward the reader or toward the subject implied by a literary work. In this selection, Thoreau employs a very strong attitude toward the people around him. Try to determine this tone as you read.
|
One of the two books that Thoreau published during his lifetime, Walden is drawn from the journals he kept before, during, and after his stay on Emerson’s property at Walden Pond from July 4, 1845, to September 6, 1847. His first book, A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers, the narrative of a boating trip Thoreau took with his brother, was published in 1849 but did not sell well. The unpopularity of his first book caused Thoreau to hold back his Walden manuscript for five years. During that time he revised and reworked the text numerous times, enriching and perfecting the work. The book firmly established his reputation as a writer as well as an outspoken individualist.
What do you need in order to be happy?
|
