Thoreau in his essay “Walking” introduces the idea of wildness. This wildness is not the same as the wilderness that has become the default for many individuals. In this essay I will attempt to identify Thoreau’s definition of wildness.
Thoreau identifies the wildness as the West (609). In one way this is the geographical west, the area currently occupied by states such as Kansas, Colorado, and Montana. Opposite to the west is the east geographically the east is England and France. Thoreau is examining the differences between these two geographical areas. The East has used up its wildness. The people have built houses and farms over much of the landscape. In conjunction to the building of structures and farms the land has become privatized. …show more content…
Wildness is an enlightened state. Similar to what can be identified as a spiritual experience or transcendence, wildness can be described as an acute awareness. The analogy Thoreau uses is a pilgrim traveling to the Holy Land (592). The Holy Land literally is the city Jerusalem. Thoreau is not talking about a literal walk to Jerusalem to obtain the enlightenment of the wildness, but to adopt the same principles pilgrims use on their travels (592). Pilgrims leave behind most everything to embark on a spiritual quest to develop a greater understanding of themselves and their religion. One needs to leave behind all personal problems to embark on a wildness journey. The lack of issues plaguing the individual means the individual can dwell on the wildness. The self-examination and experience brings us closer to the wildness. Bugbee, records in his book The Inward Morning, an experience of wildness when he witnessed a man almost drown. The man is swept down a river and only saved by the lucky chance that he passes underneath some low hanging branches. Upon reaching land and safety the man has a calm resolute. The calm resolute the man experienced is a type of Holy Land experience or a wildness experience. The man could only have achieved this experience, not only from the near death action, but because everything that he owned was left behind as he struggled through the
Thoreau identifies the wildness as the West (609). In one way this is the geographical west, the area currently occupied by states such as Kansas, Colorado, and Montana. Opposite to the west is the east geographically the east is England and France. Thoreau is examining the differences between these two geographical areas. The East has used up its wildness. The people have built houses and farms over much of the landscape. In conjunction to the building of structures and farms the land has become privatized. …show more content…
Wildness is an enlightened state. Similar to what can be identified as a spiritual experience or transcendence, wildness can be described as an acute awareness. The analogy Thoreau uses is a pilgrim traveling to the Holy Land (592). The Holy Land literally is the city Jerusalem. Thoreau is not talking about a literal walk to Jerusalem to obtain the enlightenment of the wildness, but to adopt the same principles pilgrims use on their travels (592). Pilgrims leave behind most everything to embark on a spiritual quest to develop a greater understanding of themselves and their religion. One needs to leave behind all personal problems to embark on a wildness journey. The lack of issues plaguing the individual means the individual can dwell on the wildness. The self-examination and experience brings us closer to the wildness. Bugbee, records in his book The Inward Morning, an experience of wildness when he witnessed a man almost drown. The man is swept down a river and only saved by the lucky chance that he passes underneath some low hanging branches. Upon reaching land and safety the man has a calm resolute. The calm resolute the man experienced is a type of Holy Land experience or a wildness experience. The man could only have achieved this experience, not only from the near death action, but because everything that he owned was left behind as he struggled through the