Henry David Thoreau
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Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19th
president of the United States, was
born in Delaware, Ohio, in 1822, and
following a quite dramatic election,
became president in March 1877 at
age 54.
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I can analyze the meanings of nature
images Thoreau uses in Walden.
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It is an essay collection by Henry David
Thoreau
On July 4th, 1845, Thoreau decided to enact
the principles of Transcendentalism and
moved to Walden Pond.
◦ He really wanted to be alone.
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This essay is classified as nature writing,
which is a type of essay in which the writer
uses first-hand observations to explore
their relationship with nature.
This writing will be loaded with images of
nature.
◦ An image is a phrase or set of sentences
that construct a picture in the reader’s
mind of a place or a thing.
 It also has meaning to the piece.
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First
◦ Read “Where I Lived and What I Lived For.” pg. 382386
 Record one image of nature.
 Quote the image.
 Page Number and Line Number.
 What is the image saying or its meaning.
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Second
◦ Summarize “Where I lived and What I lived For.”
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Pair up with a partner and share your
thoughts about this first section.

When astronomer Galileo observed sunspots
in 1610, church leaders were angry that he’d
suggest the sun wasn’t perfect; today we
know sunspots are the sun’s relatively cold
areas.
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Please write these in your notes
◦ What is the significance of Thoreau taking up
residency at Walden Pond on the Fourth of July?
◦ What does Thoreau mean by saying he wants to
“suck all the marrow out of life”?
◦ Why is Thoreau constantly suggesting simplicity?
◦ So far what do you think of Walden?
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What are your questions?

Millions of creatures live in and on our
bodies; the human armpit, for instance, has
up to 500 million bacteria in the space of a
tiny, insignificant pinhead.

I can cite how Thoreau addresses the beliefs of his
society and his relationship with nature.

First read the title of this section
◦ Read “Solitude” pg. 386-387
 Look for how Thoreau criticizes society.
 Write his criticism as it is written in the text.
 Include Page Number and Line Number
 React to his criticism.
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Second
◦ Summarize “Solitude.”
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Third
◦ Share with your partner.
Which would best describe Thoreau’s
feelings throughout the section entitled
“Solitude”?
A. Peaceful and Content
B. Anxious and Expectant
C. Lonely and Wistful
D. Restless and Eager
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What can you infer about Thoreau, based on
the unconventional lifestyle he adopted?
A. He is a person in search of excitement.
B. He is unhappy that most people would
reject his lifestyle.
C. He would return to the unconventional
society if he felt he could succeed there.
D. He is not afraid to follow his own path,
despite what society might think.
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
French author George Sand, born July 1,
1804, was a well-known rebel for the
following reasons: she took numerous lovers,
she dressed in men’s clothes, and she
smoked cigars.
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I can find and describe how Thoreau writes about
his relationship with nature.
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Pre-Reading Question: Like the previous
section, now look at the titles of the two
sections and make predictions about that they
will be about?
Read “The Pond in Winter,” pg. 387 and
“Spring” pg. 388
Write down an image of nature for each. (12
points)
◦ Write the image as it is worded in the text.
◦ Include page number and line number.
◦ Explain how each of these are examples of
something Thoreau has learned about nature.
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What is “The Pond in Winter,” about?
◦ What has Thoreau learned from nature
based on this title?
◦ What does he mean by “Heaven is under
our feet as well as over our heads?”
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What is “Spring,” about?
◦ Again, what we assume Thoreau has
learned in this brief section?
◦ What could he mean by “where yesterday
was cold and gray ice there lay the
transparent pond already calm and full of
hope like the summer evening.”
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Surely Thoreau wrote about other seasons,
but why would the book choose to include
“Spring,” and “The Pond in the Winter,”
instead of the sections about fall and
summer?

According to a study published in January
1995 journal Archives of Pediatrics and
Adolescent Medicine, athletes’ back-pain
symptoms may indicate fractured vertebrae.

Head lice lay their eggs, which are called nits,
in people’s hair; consequently, just-hatched
lice have a ready-to-eat food source in the
blood under their hosts’ scalps.

I can explain what Thoreau learned from his time at
Walden Pond.
“I left the woods for as good a reason as I
went there. Perhaps it seemed to me that I
had several more lives to live, and could
not spare any more time for that one.”
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Read “Conclusion” pg. 388-391
◦ Write one lesson Thoreau has learned from his
time at Walden Pond (6 pts)
 Quote something Thoreau has learned from
nature.
 Include page number and line number
 What does the lesson Thoreau has learned
reveal about his time there.
Group Discussion
1. Why are the poor rich according to Thoreau?
2. “Money is not required to buy one necessary of
the soul….” what is the necessary Thoreau could
be referencing?
3. What is the main idea of Walden?
4. Could you live your life like Thoreau suggests?
5. How would Thoreau and the Transcendentalists
feel about Facebook, Twitter, and other social
networking sites?