Henry David Thoreau's Nature Where I Lived, And What I Lived?

Nature: the Clarifier Henry David Thoreau’s Where I Lived, and What I Lived For explains not only the assets but the necessity of living away from other human beings in nature to see the reality of human existence and control the mind as one controls one’s hands. Thoreau seeks to sweep away the “mud and slush of opinion, and prejudice, and tradition” (Thoreau 280). He juxtaposes the ideas of where he lives and what he lives with while seeking freedom in nature. After Thoreau fully relinquishes the ropes of societal life, he finds the core values of reality. Only by stripping the everyday idea of living, does he live. It is not hard to tell that Thoreau saw the benefits of being free from influences and others. Henry has a strong disdain …show more content…
The reasoning behind Henry moving to the woods was to live “deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life” (Thoreau 276). Thoreau is able to focus on himself by living free of the distractions of society. The over-the-top nature of civilization masks the true identity of human beings. Humanity gets absorbed into the extravagant lifestyles created and forgets the simplicities of life. Henry urges society to “Simplify, simplify…instead of a hundred dishes, five” (277). Everything ranging from minute details to more extensive ideas are influenced to be extravagant. Thoreau notices that to most, “shams and delusions are esteemed for soundless truths” because of a lack of knowledge for anything else (279). According to him, if he was stripped of society and forced to observe nature, he would discover a world greater than previously known. It is when one becomes enraptured in the materialistic, narcissistic views of society, that nature and simplicity are forgotten. Thoreau believes that once his idea of his place in the world is relinquished, he can truly find his …show more content…
Henry’s idea of focusing his studies on the brain is an attempt to disregard the normal repetitious motions that occur every moment. Instead of thinking about what his hands and feet are going to do next, he wants to think about what is driving them. Thoreau does not “wish to be any more busy with my hands than is necessary” (281). His thoughts are more important than his actions. The most imperative tool is his head and he can only master it with time alone. Just as an animal in nature has it’s feet and nose, “my instinct tells me that my head is an organ for burrowing” (281). Thoreau is referring in burrowing himself, like and animal, into a new life of individuality and simplicity. By doing so, he hopes to discover the “richest vein” of knowledge resulting in mastery and regulation of his brain (281). Instead of focusing on his actions directly, Thoreau seeks to control his mind as easily as he controls his