The Missus

The writings of Emerson and Thoreau truly impressed me. This was my first time reading works from either of the authors. Thoreau embodies many aspects of Emerson’s description of the American

Henry David Thoreau was born on July 12th, in Concord Massachusetts. Thoreau was many things, not simply just a writer; but he was one of the most influential writers America knows today. Early on in his life he grew up in a simple home with hard-working parents, and an abundance of siblings. His father and mother both had worked as teachers as well as investing in many other trades to get by. Henry started developing his talent for writing early on, by age ten he had written his first piece of writing, “The Seasons,” as well as many other academic achievements for somebody his age. He was articulate and mature beyond his years, these things developed into key traits that brought him to, instead of listening in on lectures at the Concord Lyceum- being the one leading the lectures in the later years of his life. He came back to Concord after graduating from Harvard University, starting to work at a public school he’d attended as a child. He was a man with morals; known to look at things in a more progressive way than many in his life. After being asked to conduct corporal punishment on a student he left the school he was teaching at to expand his studies and find further employment. His talents broadened further than essays and poetry, he gave himself away to a life of helping others, sheltering runaway slaves on their journey to freedom. He was a man of nature, not as much an adventurer, but he took two years to emerge himself into the depths of nature and not

Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau was very close author who wrote towards same points by criticizing the corrupted government because people were treated very badly and they were not given individual rights. They were good author who brought people together and made them understand about the system of the Transcendentalist movement in America. The governor and government itself was very poor to control the people and society due to corrupted leaders and government. Due to economic progress and poor system of government Emerson started criticizing government indirectly and wrote the poem about nature and society because maximum people could not enjoy the same facilities and freedom. But his intension was very clear and he wants to

“Don't listen to him,” her mother says, taking her hand and leading her inside the small house, closing the door on him. “He'll come around, Awen, you'll see. Please, sit down. We have so much to get caught up on, and I just put dinner in the oven.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau are two of the most influential writers of the Nineteenth Century. They influenced the American society and future writers to become an individual through their own writings. Transforming a movement known as Transcendentalism, both Emerson and Thoreau used this simple idea of nature, society and individualism to their advantage. Both used this simple idea to not only understand themselves, but also the world around them. Emerson and Thoreau held many of the same values on nature and relationships, but they did not agree on everything individualism had to offer a man.

I replied in amazement “I'm your son and Sally Hemmings is my mother I am now sixteen and I wanted to know why you couldn't be with my mom.”

It did not take him very long to jump right into his writing career, but it would have not been so easy without his fellow friend, Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson who is an essayist and poet, seen nothing but pure potential in Thoreau. They worked side by side throughout the years to make each other better and better each day. Thoreau looks at Emerson as a guide, or a father figure, as Emerson looks at him as a young star that has a very bright and rewarding future in front of him.

In Henry David Thoreau’s writings, he explores a different, more thoughtful way of life. Thoreau was a student of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson gave Thoreau the property on Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts; where Thoreau spent about two years living away from the society. Thoreau’s social experimentation required him to separate himself from the society, to be an individual, and to learn from his experiences.

Henry David Thoreau was born on July 12, 1817, in Concord, Massachusetts. He was also raised there for most of his childhood. After graduating from Harvard College he worked in his family’s pencil-making business. Later, he became a schoolteacher but he resigned after two weeks. He became acquainted with Ralph Waldo Emerson to edit the Transcendentalist magazine, The Dial, and from there, their friendship grew. They bounced political and ethical opinions off of one another despite their very different outlooks on various topics. Eventually, Thoreau took to philosophical writing, his ultimate passion.

Thoreau’s views on Transcendentalism and how he practiced it. If it has not become apparent thus far Emerson and Thoreau were close friends and lived with each other on occasion. Naturally because of their close friendship they influence each other’s work, but in most cases you can see Emerson’s influence in Thoreau’s works clearly. His is the main difference between the two writers however in their belief and writing patterns Thoreau loved nature. Thoreau’s love of nature can e explained here in this quote, “Nature plays a central role in most of these writings. On the one hand, it serves as a mirror and metaphor of human existence. It reflects the way one lives and provides exemplars of how one might live” (Henry David Thoreau). Thoreau

These classical writers served as great inspiration for the young writer. Like many other transcendentalists “Thoreau was an avid reader of Hindu scriptures and he quotes them often in Walden”, “The Hindu and transcendentalist belief in the imminence of god leads to the doctrine that every person can, without the need for an intermediary, experience the divine within himself or herself” (Norvell 1). Thoreau captured a lot of these moral values and brought them with him throughout his life. This is a perfect comparison to Thoreau’s individualistic ideas and appeal to institution. Years after graduating Harvard, Thoreau submitted many essays to the transcendentalist magazine, the dial. These essays greatly reflected his college education in literature. Emerson’s speech at Thoreau’s graduation also was reflected in much of his essays. Thoreau was greatly impacted by this speech, from then on Emerson was a life mentor for the young writer.

“Ha!” he chuckled. “Maybe you should ask your young man first before you make such a bold statement. Cathleen, have a safe trip. Son-in-law, she is less demanding when she gets her way.”

Silence nestled into the cupboards and drawers of the kitchen, only breaking once you remembered a thought you were contemplating the day before. Tomorrow he would be in his own home, which wasn’t too far, but for his last day here you wanted to do something nice. Your notion was to cook for him before sending him off, and you certainly had a lot to live up to. Sonny was nothing short of an expert, but you had your own experience to show off. After this moment of contemplation, you opened your mouth to speak. In that instance, though, he had something to say, as well.

Another thing I’ve noticed is that both Thoreau and Waldo are very similar to each other. Thoreau’s mother says that Waldo talks just like her son. Both of them resigned from their jobs because they didn’t want to follow the rules/custom. On page 23, Henry says: “—has administered the Sacrament of the Schoolroom; and he resigns as a ‘teacher’ in the Public Schools of Concord!” Waldo then says “Intellectually, emotionally, spiritually,

Henry David Thoreau was born in Concord, Massachusetts on 1817, the third child of John Thoreau and Cynthia Dunbar Thoreau. He was graduated from Harvard in 1837, Thoreau returned to Concord to teach in the local grammar school, but resigned shortly in only his second week on the job, declaring him unable to impose physical punishment on misbehaving learners. It was around this time that Thoreau met Ralph Waldo Emerson, a noticeable American philosopher, essay writer and poet who had recently moved to Concord. The friendship between the two would eventually prove the most important of Thoreau’s life. Thought both the writers were from different places but they became friend and helped each other in their work. Emerson and Thoreau were considering as the most inspiring transcendentalist writer of their time. Though they were different writer but they both share the ideas of nature and man and how nature and man are related to each other.