1. Through the use of humor, Sartwell is able to engage the audience with his piece and establish a connection with them, contributing to the effectiveness of the piece. By referencing things that they share in common, such as “Unlike Thoreau, I have cable” (Sartwell 14), it enables his audience to relate to his points and as a result, creates a sense of cohesiveness between the contrasting ideas that Sartwell brings up. The thought that “… if Thoreau were around today, he’d be pushing a cart through a Walmart…” (Sartwell 14) is absurd due to fact that he retreated to the woods in order to live deliberately. However, through the author’s witty tone the audience is able to recognize how realistic this scenario can be as a result of the dependency humans have toward values in modern society.
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Sartwell draws a comparison between Concord and Walmart in that they are both a “… perfectly natural object…” (Sartwell 11), something whose existence is never questioned. In the perspective of Thoreau, the city of Concord was where he was born and in a way, it is essential for him to explore. Walmart, on the other hand, offers products that are desired at an affordable cost, which makes its existence fundamental to human life today. The author is making an analogy between Thoreau and himself as they “… lack both easy charm and extreme social desperation…” (Sartwell 13), traits that are representative of individuals in society. This is expressed through Sartwell’s attitude toward people, who he believes can be annoying at times. Furthermore, he emphasizes on this point by mentioning how Thoreau “… would walk from Walden Pond to Concord, hang out with his dear friends the Emersons and the Alcotts, and then retreat to his hovel to be fairly happily alone” (Sartwell 10), suggesting that distance is needed from one
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Sartwell draws a comparison between Concord and Walmart in that they are both a “… perfectly natural object…” (Sartwell 11), something whose existence is never questioned. In the perspective of Thoreau, the city of Concord was where he was born and in a way, it is essential for him to explore. Walmart, on the other hand, offers products that are desired at an affordable cost, which makes its existence fundamental to human life today. The author is making an analogy between Thoreau and himself as they “… lack both easy charm and extreme social desperation…” (Sartwell 13), traits that are representative of individuals in society. This is expressed through Sartwell’s attitude toward people, who he believes can be annoying at times. Furthermore, he emphasizes on this point by mentioning how Thoreau “… would walk from Walden Pond to Concord, hang out with his dear friends the Emersons and the Alcotts, and then retreat to his hovel to be fairly happily alone” (Sartwell 10), suggesting that distance is needed from one