“Walden” by Henry David Thoreau (Text 193-204)
Groups 1, 2, and 3: “Where I Lived and What I Lived For” (196-197)
Groups 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8: “Conclusion” (203-204)
The assignment due Monday 12/7:
1. Present lesson on passage to the class
2. Create a poster with a quote and a visual from passage
3. Type 4-5 paragraph essay about essay
What to do:
1. Read and analyze passage as a group
2. Determine the following:
1 – The main idea of the passage,
2 - What he meant on a figurative level (the underlying message),
3 - The devices he used (such as metaphor, simile, parable, allusion, analogy, rhetorical questioning, imagery, etc),
4 - How his message relates to the philosophies of Transcendentalism, such as self-reliance,
non-conformity, individualism, etc. (Text 147; IR 70-72), and
5 - How his message connects to us today. Think of concrete examples to share with the class.
3. For your poster: select a quote that best expresses the main idea(s) of the passage and create a visual to accompany
the quote you selected
4. Compile your ideas into a group essay.
How to do it:

Read selection through once, and then read it again. You will need to read it several times in order to fully
comprehend its message.
 Analyze the passage carefully and thoroughly before you try to interpret it. You need to dissect the passage
sentence by sentence because Thoreau’s writing is dense with meaning. He uses metaphor, simile, allusion, parable,
analogy, rhetorical questioning, imagery, and many other devices to express his philosophical ideas. Even his literal
descriptions and detailed explanations (of nature, railroads, sailboats, bugs, ants, etc.) are more than they appear to
be. Look beyond the surface (read between the lines) to discover the veiled truths Thoreau reveals about mankind,
society, and life in general.
 Select a quotation (1-3 sentences) that you feel best expresses the main points Thoreau is trying to convey.
 Create a visual representation of the passage. It can be a realistic drawing or a symbolic rendition, as long as it
illustrates your understanding of the passage, provides insight, and provokes thought.
The Presentation:
1. A poster with your visual and your quote (cite author and page). Be sure your writing is large enough for the class
to read. Hang this poster up on the whiteboard behind you.
2. You need to teach the class your passage from Walden. To do this effectively, you will need to know the passage
inside and out and be knowledgeable about all the lesson requirements, not just your part of the presentation.
There are five lesson requirements: 1 – The main idea of the passage, 2 - What he meant on a figurative level (the
underlying message), 3 - The devices he used (such as metaphor, simile, parable, allusion, analogy, rhetorical
questioning, imagery, etc), 4 - How his message relates to the philosophies of Transcendentalism, such as selfreliance, non-conformity, individualism, etc. (Text 147; IR 70-72), and 5 - How his message might connect to us
today (Does it still apply?). Give concrete examples to help the class “grasp” what you are trying to communicate.
3. In your presentation 1) direct the class to the passage in the text. Next, 2) state the main idea of the passage 3)
read the passage out loud to the class. 4) address each of the five lesson requirements. (Remember to share, explain,
and elaborate on the quote you selected and the visual you created. 5) take turns addressing the questions, concerns,
and comments of the class.
4. Each member of the group must participate and speak during the presentation. I repeat: everyone is expected to
speak. Divide the lesson requirements up so that no one person does all the explaining (literary devices,
interpretation, message, relation to Transcendentalism, and connection to society); however, keep in mind that you
are all responsible for knowing the content of the entire passage and all aspects of the presentation. Do not depend
on a single member to handle the class questions; every member must be able to insightfully answer the questions
asked of the group. Take turns calling on the students who raise their hands and be sure that each of you answers at
least one of the questions posed by the class.
5. You may use note cards, but you cannot just stand there and read from them. You need to make eye contact with
both sides of the room. Scan the class with your eyes; look at your classmates, not at the walls behind them. And
don’t just look at me. In fact, try to avoid looking at me – pretend I am not even there.
6. Speak up. Speak clearly. Don’t mumble. Slow down. Don’t talk to fast. Pause for a brief moment at the end of each
sentence to give your audience time to process what you are saying. Use hand gestures – take your hands out of
your pockets and use them to emphasize what you are saying. Don’t upstage each other. Don’t hide behind each
other. And do not chew gum.
The Paper:



1.
2.
One typed, MLA formatted paper per group. Include the name of each member in the upper left corner.
Third person, present tense
Four to five paragraphs (3 pages) – Same as your presentation (convenient, huh!)
Introduction is done for you, except for the thesis; you need to add that.
Introduce the main idea of the passage. Basically, explain what it is about and how (through what metaphor,
analogy, etc) it communicates that idea. Does it tell why he went to the woods? How? Does it express the
importance of simplifying life? How? Does it claim that society is too focused on external progress rather than
internal development? How? Etc.
3. - 4.A figurative interpretation of the passage, the underlying message -what he really means. Dissect and
interpret the devices he uses to convey his message. (You may need to divide this into 2 paragraphs.)
5. Conclusion: relate his message to the philosophies of Transcendentalism, such as self-reliance, non-conformity,
individualism, etc. (Text 147; IR 70-72), and make a connection to society today.
NOTE: You will probably want to include the quote you selected as well. Be sure document it properly and cite it.
It should be smoothly integrated into the paper – it will most likely fit best in the 2nd paragraph where you are
interpreting the passage, but it might also work in the 3rd paragraph if you can use it to link Thoreau’s ideas to
Transcendentalism. I really don’t see it working well in the 1st paragraph.
Walden Presentation Rubric
Individual and Group
Expectations
1 – Needs
Improvement
(Below Basic)
2 – Okay
(Basic)
3 – Good
(Proficient)
4 – Excellent
(Advanced)
Individual
Speaks Clearly and Loudly
Individual
Makes Eye Contact
Individual
Knowledgeable and Well
Informed
Group
Covers all 5 Lesson
Requirements
Group
Prepared and Well Organized
Point Total and Overall Grade: ______________X 3 = _________________/60