Friday, March 4, 2016

Thoreau's prose has statements of proverbs or epigrams. Select a statement that's proverbial in nature and explain how its meaning can apply to our...

One of the greatest thinkers in American history, Henry
David Thoreau, a Transcendentalist, perceived nature as the doorway to the mystical
world holding important truths.  For this reason, he went into the woods "deliberately"
so that he could arrive at certain truths. Certainly, his work,
Walden, expresses profound truths which Thoreau arrived at by means
of his contemplation of nature.  One of these truths, or epigrams is found in the
chapter entitled "Economy":


readability="10">

Most men, even in this
comparatively free country, through mere ignorance and mistake, are so occupied with the
factitious cares and superfluously coarse labors of life that its finer fruits cannot be
plucked by
them
.



Thoreau
continues,


readability="8">

....He has no time to be anything but a
machine....The finest qualities of our nature, like the bloom on fruits, can be
preserved only by the most delicate
handling.



Probably now, more
so than in his time, Thoreau's observation is true, as people are so occupied with work
and the acquisition of material goods that, while they provide material things for
themselves and their children, they neglect the nurturing of their souls through walks
in nature, through listening to real music, to visiting art museums, attending plays,
etc.  In short, they neglect the aesthetic part of life found in the fine arts.  Most
importantly, they do not devote enough of their lives to the nurturing of the family
bond between them and their children through meaningful activities with their children,
real engagement with their families in vacations, family outings such as picnics,
boating, etc.  People must nurture the "fruit" of life, their souls, if they truly wish
to feel fulfilled and happy and loved.

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