Thoreau’s Views Of Life And Society
Thoreau’s views and morals were very controversial, for he believed that being secluded from society is the best way to live. Thoreau believed in the simple life. He describes this lifestyle by how these people “will not be frittered away by detail” pg. 382. This means that others lives are based on repetition. People make their own lives busy. Thoreau believed by living a life based on simplicity, others can live in happiness away from society, for tradition, and conformity will be their ticket to success.
Thoreau gives valuable advice in his writing. He states that being poor is a simple way of living. By not handling items that are valuable, the poor succeed more in life. They tend to succeed more than an average person because they do not have material things to possess their attention and focus. People are always going to do what the majority is doing. This may be the reason why Thoreau left the Walden Pond, because by living his life secluded, he thought he would not be able to complete more in his life.
By saying the statement, “I had several more lives to live. ” He meant that staying by Walden Pond would not do him any good. He wanted his voice to be heard. Thoreau also gave ideas about tradition, and conformity. His ideas about tradition stated that older people will never change the way they do things because that is just how it has been to them. Tradition is hard to change, for it is always how something has been done and people will not stand out and change their views. They will not change their views because they do not want to stand out in society.
Thoreau’s view on conformity is that people will do anything to look normal through the public’s eye. They may act completely different in public than they act at home, for they are scared to act out against others. They just want to be similar to everyone and avoid hard treatment. My view on Thoreau’s experience is he is crazy. It is unheard of a man to leave society and live in the wilderness for a long period of time. It is an odd thing to do. It is not a strange happening for one to leave for a short period of time to recollect himself, but leaving for a long time is unheard of.
He seemed to think that his own personal welfare was more important than being social. He did not want to be caught up in the personal affairs of others, and leaving society was his way of staying secluded. By leaving society, living a life of simplicity is easy, for he truly was happy in his time being out in the wilderness. Thoreau’s views will be acknowledged among the greatest writers in the world. His views gave society an understanding on how to live. He learned how to deal with society and excelled in his work.
