Thoreau narrates and illustrates his time of partial isolation from society and connection to nature from his work, Walden. He includes many philosophical theories and assertions on life between the relation of nature, man, and spirit. Michaela Keck highlights many of these in her critical essay, mostly through summarizing, but through some analyzing too.
One thing Keck discusses is Thoreau's writing style in Walden. Keck claims that through Thoreau's separation of civilization intellectually, physically, and socially, his connection to nature makes his writing have a sense of exhilaration and abundance, especially in his descriptions (Keck). This is agreeable, because Thoreau appears to be very confident and upfront with his ideas, and strongly advocates nature and its counterparts. He is very detailed with his descriptions, and this makes him seem fairly excited about it. In his scattered opinions, ideas, and theories, Thoreau writes about a battle that takes place between some ants in extreme detail - "...there came along a single red ant on the hillside of this valley, evidently full of excitement, who either had despatched his foe, or had not yet taken part in the battle; probably the latter... whose mother had charged him to return with his shield or upon it" (Thorea 217). The fascination and imagination of Thoreau is definitely portrayed here, and through out the rest of his detailed description. Most people would cast bare minimum attention to a few ants on the ground, but Thoreau actually exerts his full attention to them, imagining their feelings, trying to understand their actions, and comparing them to human battles, which almost seems to personify the ants (Thoreau 218). Not only is Thoreau exerting attention to these ants, but he seems so excited about them, and seems to greatly appreciate nature for this battle, which seems to inspire some great insight about humans in him (Thoreau 217-218). Keck's statement of Thoreau's "intimate, engaged, and sensual relationship with nature" is definitely accurate with passages such as this one, as well as others that are as detailed and analyzed as this one (Keck).
Keck points out and explains some common misinterpretations and criticisms that stem from Thoreau's Walden, such as Thoreau being a "hermit" or his retreat being one of failure and hypocrisy (Keck). Although Thoreau might give off a strong image of a hermit in his writing, Keck points out that he actually stated he "loves society as much as most", and throughout his journey, he kept in touch with family members (Keck). He even directly stated that he "naturally [is] no hermit" (Keck). One criticism that Thoreau's voice is one of a hypocrite, Keck disagrees with this and brings attention to the fact that Thoreau's journey was an experiment and new approach, and was to be treated as a new way to live daily (Keck). I personally disagree with this because Keck contradicts herself in this sentence, or is capturing Thoreau's contradiction. Either way, Thoreau wrote about a temporary journey into a more secluded and simple life, and in his encouragement of this, it seems he expected people to maintain a similar life of simplicity on a more permanent basis. Thoreau really doesn't have any grounds on which to assert this encouragement in such a confident manner unless he were to live this style for the extended time period in which he is suggesting to others. Other than this, I do agree with most of Keck's claims and assertions on Thoreau's collection of philosophical ideas between man, nature, and civilization. He picks many key points of the writing and discusses them interesting observations.
Works Cited
Keck, Michaela. "Thoreau's Walden and the American Dream: Challenge or Myth?" In Bloom,
Harold, ed. The American Dream, Bloom's Literary Themes. New York: Chelsea Publishing
House, 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com
/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= BLTTAD021&SingleRecord=True (accessed
November 18, 2010).
Thoreau, Henry David. "Walden". American Literature. Willhelm, Jeffory. McGraw Hill.
Columbus, 2009. Print.
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