In addition to reading Thoreau's "Walden" over the break and writing your close reading response, please complete the following:
You wake up this morning and Henry David Thoreau is sleeping on the couch in your living room. OMG! Wake him up and take him on a trip through your daily life. Introduce him to the modern world and chronicle his thoughts, opinions and reactions. You may write this as a creative narrative or a journal log. Be sure to be true to Henry's Transcendentalist beliefs and support his opinions with facts and quotes from his work and his teacher Emerson's writings.
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DEAR JOURNAL,
ReplyDeleteFor some reason I have woken up in a different world. The trees on this planet are similar to the ones on Earth, and so are the aliens, but everything is different. I met this alien named Sarah, and she tried to convince me that we were on Earth. However, I refuse to believe her. We first went down stairs, and all of a sudden she pushed this button and all of a sudden her "garage door" started levitating. It was a miracle, but completely unnecessary. Then we went into her car, and drove to the end of the street. All I have to say is that these aliens are too lazy. She also showed me this thing called a "TV" which played pictures, and a computer. The TV seemed like a complete waste, but the computer was something different, something magical. It was revolutionary, and completely useful. With this device we can eliminate the use of books and libraries, making life so much easier! The main thing I was disgusted about this society however, was their lack of individuality. They all wear what Sarah called, "skinny jeans" and ugg boots, it's repulsive. Also, there is little to no woods, or natural environments. Sarah claims this is the Hudson Valley, but from my memory the Hudson Valley is far more beautiful than this planet is. If this was the Hudson Valley, people would be enjoying nature, and not destroying it by littering and cutting down trees. While the computer is very useful and should be brought to Earth, the rest of this mysterious planet disgusts me, and should be altered drastically.
--Henry David Thoreau
So I wake up on a Friday morning, and to my surprise, i see Henry David Thoreau asleep on the living room couch. After everything I've learned from class, i decided i would show Mr. Thoreau the modern day world, because i knew how upset he would be. I decided to take him with me throughout my day and wherever i went.
ReplyDeleteSo to begin my day, I took Henry around the house showing him all the technology i possessed, from my xbox and computer, to the toaster. After taking a shower and brushing my teeth, I used the computer and Henry was truly amazed. After he saw me using instant messaging and facebook, he extolled the computer because of simplicity. This made it much easier to talk to people instead of writing letters and also to receive information through the internet. He was also impressed by the cell phone because of its speed and direct talking, however, he felt as if it took away from people's lives. They depend too heavily on such items and cannot maybe realize the true beauty of nature. I then took Henry to the Palisades mall, a place where he can see many people and how they interact. He was upset at the time and effort people put into their style. He kept repeating, " why can't they just wear a shirt and pants" instead of a scarf, sunglasses, and jewelery. As we drove back from the mall, he saw how filthy the river was, and could not believe how horrible people treated nature. He also would have had us walk to the palisades, instead of driving. This man was way too simple in his approach to everything, but he did give me some tips on life. One in particular being that i should set high goals, and strive to reach them. He also told me that i should never follow by example, but set the example. My day with Henry David Thoreau was very good and funny to see his reactions to the modern day world.
My day started as any other, Saturday morning, took a quick shower and led myself to the kitchen. As I walked by the living room, I found Henry David Thoreau sleeping on the couch! At first, I was shocked thinking how such a figure could have ended up in my living room, but then I thought I should welcome him, thinking I could learn a lot from his philosophies.
ReplyDeleteI am not going to lie, I kept thinking how I should wake him up and introduce myself. So I decided to set up an alarm clock next to him and see how would he react. I hid behind a wall and waited for it to go on. His reaction was priceless, he kept trying to figure out how to turn it off. After a few seconds I walked in as if I did not know of his presence. After getting to know each other I invited him breakfast, which was very amusing to him because of all the different appliances I used. He kept looking at the refrigerator, the toaster, the microwave, I could tell he was really impressed by the technology and the simple way the food was cooked. After that, we went for a ride around New York City. Again, he was speechless by seeing all the lights and billboards hanging in Times Square. During our walk though, he kept telling me how the crowd made him feel really uncomfortable. The idea of urbanization and society being concentrated in materialism, pointing out the different stores. He went on and enriched me with one of his main thoughts, "I have never found a companion that was so companionable as solitude. We are for the most part more lonely when we go abroad among men than when we stay in our chambers. A man thinking or working is always alone, let him be where he will". He also could detect the smell of smog throughout the city and that sort of angered him. I really understood his last point, people in the city are careless about the environment, but his point of people shopping and being together, that was something irrelevant to me. I decided to take him to Central Park and admire nature for a while. He sat down and started writing for 20 minutes. He did not take his eyes off the trees and the birds singing, he was into his "spiritual" state I would say. I do glance and like the beauty of nature, but I can tell he takes it to another level. On our way back home he asked what were my goals and how I thought of accomplish them. I explained him that I was in process of getting into college and become an engineer. He congratulated me and told me to always seek for my highest potential, and not be a follower. Besides the critics he made about technology, like my the use of cellphones and the internet- which by the way were quite funny- my day with Henry David Thoreau went really good and learned more in depth about his teachings.
Recently, Derrick got me hooked on the show Heroes. So, of course I was watching the beginning of the fourth season when Henry David Thoreau appeared in my room. Sadly I wasn’t exactly shocked. This made me realize two things; I need more sleep and I really need to stop watching Heroes. Of course neither would happen.
ReplyDeleteHenry was very polite and immediately apologized for his rude intrusion. Then, he sat with me on my bed and watched Heroes. He told me that he likes the possibility of people with powers and being the best that they could be, but he doesn’t like the television. Although it is amazing how a person was able to capture images inside of a box, he truly believes that that same knowledge can be focused into other endeavors. I definitely agreed; so i focused his attention to my laptop. Not only did I show him that we can watch Heroes on my laptop too, but I googled him. I think he wasn’t happy about his entire life being available to the entire world. As much as I wanted him to like the internet, the only thing he was interested in was the video-camera that my macbook possessed. He thought it was helpful that I was able to chat and see my cousins in another state, and he took a few pictures of himself. Other than that, he thought that the internet invaded privacy. Also, if information was so desperately needed, then we should go to the library and look for it. He “pimp slapped” me with this lesson. He taught me that the internet helps us rush through life which isn’t something a person should be focused on doing.
I didn’t want him to get in trouble with his parents, so I insisted he call his parents to tell him where he was. When I handed him my phone, he yelled it. He’s not crazy, he just wasn’t sure that his parents would be able to hear him all the way from my house. I didn’t even bother getting into that one. I just told him to google it.
Later on in the day, I asked him if he wanted to go on a jog. He thought fresh air would be good for us both. Though as I started to run, he became frustrated again. He said that I was doing it again, I was rushing through my life again. He told me to walk and enjoy the scenery. This may have been fun for him but I know Elmsford is nothing to look at. By the end of the walk I asked him if he liked the the abundance trees. He was confused because there were probably about five trees we encountered. We agreed to disagree that Elmsford has beauty. Henry can see beauty anywhere, I wish I had that. Before he could argue his side, I threw a snowball at him. This was probably the most intense snow ball fight I had ever gotten in to. He could make a snow ball faster than I ever could. This made me realize that the tiniest skill a person could have just by not using your cell phone, or watching television or going on the computer. Not only did he have skill and grace with something so simple, but the way he moved made me doubt that he has ever had anything remotely close to fast food. He seemed so lively. All and all my day was pretty uneventful to be honest, he just brought a new perspective into view. I don’t think I’ll be using my electronics as much as I use to, but I think he may be more opened to some new ideas as well.
I woke up this morning and saw Henry David Thoreau sleeping on my floor! How on earth did he get here!? Isn't he dead!? So, I woke him up and he was kind of in shock. He looked around and said "I died in 1862, what year is this? Who are you?" I said Henry, I am Maddy and its 2010. For a second I thought I had gone completely insane. I thought this may be a dream, after all I was reading his works that Ms. Silva assigned over the break, so maybe I was dreaming about him. Whether it was a dream or not, I decided to carry on and offer him some breakfast. Before we went downstairs, he made a comment about the clutter in my room. He said "our life is frittered away by detail...Simplify, simplify." I guess I should listen to my mom and clean my room sometime. So we went to the kitchen and I asked if he wanted coffee or orange juice, but he said "I believe that water is the only drink for a wise man." So, I gave him water and I felt good about myself because I always drink water! I offered him some eggs and bacon but he said he is trying not to eat animals, so I made us pancakes instead. He explained to me that it is very important to be awake, to miss nothing and do everything you can. Henry said, "To be awake is to be alive." I thought that since it was a beautiful day, we would go for a walk on the trail in Elmsford. As we started walking, he was walking off the trail and observing nature. He saw the brook and started analyzing the color of the water and the surrounding landscape. He compared the water to that of the pure Walden pond. He encouraged me to explore some new spots along the trail and find something new and exciting. He alluded to Gods and other beliefs/objects that I did not understand so I just nodded and smiled. Too bad I did not carry my glossary with me. He told me the story about his cabin around Walden pond and used so much natural imagery that I could picture the landscape in my mind. He wanted to be one with nature, "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." He was able to live the simplest life possible and I found that intriguing. Henry asked me, "Why should we live with such hurry and waste of life?" I thought about this and realized that life does move very fast and its almost as if it is passing us by without us truly enjoying it. After all the deep discussion , it started snowing so I thought it would be a good idea to go to the mall. He was completely overwhelmed (maybe this was not the best idea). He looked around and noticed that a lot of the teenagers were all dressing alike. He told me about what his teacher, Ralph Waldo Emerson taught him about conformity. In his essay, "Self Reliance", Ralph Waldo Emerson discusses the importance of one not conforming to society and not imitating others. Henry yelled at me for wearing Converse sneakers because many other people were wearing them as well. We continued walking in the mall and it got late so we went back to my house. I do not really remember where Henry went but I will always remember what he told me before he disappeared: "The fault- finder will find faults even in paradise. Love your life, poor as it is." I will no longer let life pass me by and I will work hard to do what I like and my own work. I woke up the next morning and Henry was no longer there. I was sad that he was gone, but I knew that this was out of his time and the change was very overwhelming for him.
ReplyDeleteSomething you would not expect, Henry David Thoreau spent the day with me. He was a nice guy, I guess. The thing he liked right away was that my house had this amazing view of the hills. The thing he did not like was that my neighbors were not 20 miles away from me. However, we spent the day going to school, going around the town and lastly heading to the sectional game at the end of the day. The first thing he noticed was my alarm clock, how I had to rely on it to wake me up, he first thought that I relied on technology, but he sought the usefulness of the alarm clock. It is there to hold time and send warnings on when I should proceed on an action. The next thing he noticed was that my family owned three cars, thinking, can your family live with one? He was upset that we would use three cars instead of owning one that could provide the same service. The next thing he was disgusted with was the fact that Sarah drove to school. HE SCREAMED THAT IT IS LESS THAN TWO MILE AWAY. It scared me bought he is right. (Sarah do not hurt me) Then he noticed our school, how we are taught certain things, he liked that everyone is being educated but did not agree with the idea of a curriculum. People should choose what they learn and not have people tell them what they should know. After school we went around town and noticed fast food places. He liked them, surprisingly,(no sarcasm) he was pleased to see places that offered food quickly. I did not get why he liked it so much, probably because he liked the idea he did not have to cook. Lastly we went to the county center. What an useless building. What purpose has it served. I would destroy or make it a place for people to rent. He was pleased to see some things, and other things he could not handle. DRIVING TO SCHOOL.
ReplyDeleteDear Journal,
ReplyDeleteToday the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was the face of the most important Transcendentalist, Henry David Thoreau. At first I panicked then realized that it was a man of great peace, so the fear I had disappeared. When I walked around my house I turned on the various technologies that are quintessential to my daily routine. As I turned my iPod on to play music to start my day, I heard a gasp. I turned to see Thoreau’s face in complete awe; He had never seen such a device. Seeing the awe in his face I decided that it was time to take a stroll through the big apple. As we walked past several stores he saw the various prices and said, “I have but ten cents” and it made me laugh. He soon came to the realization that ten cent can get him absolutely nothing. Acquiring this new knowledge he seemed angry beyond measure. I personally couldn’t even explain how frustrated he became. After several minutes he became peaceful, I heard him say “its simplicity that’s important, nothing more.” Before we even knew it, it was dark outside; but since we were in the city the lights flashed before our eyes. I turned to look at Thoreau’s face and saw utter amazement. Never in my life had I seen someone appreciate something like the lights in Times Square. As we rode the subway home, Thoreau told me that my life was too elaborated, “Certain things in life are unnecessary.” As I thought back to what we did for the day I couldn’t fathom what could possibly be unnecessary; all I could think of was my iPod. I personally believed that everything else was needed in order to have a smoothly running schedule. As we walked into my house Thoreau said, “Today was the first time I witnessed a never-ending supply of technology. As well as the overabundance of technology, the excessive food people devoured showed how little people appreciate things that exist in a daily life.”
After Henry David Thoreau left I started to rethink everything that I believed was needed in my life. Once I heard the word “simplicity” repeated to me every given moment, I felt the urge to just simplify things in my life. I tried to simplify my life but I realized that its harder to simplify life when there are so many temptations out there.
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ReplyDeleteI woke up this morning, and saw a random man standing in the middle of my room. He woke me out of my sleep and I was furious, because sleep is not something which I get in big quantities. I asked, “ Why did you wake me up?” He told me “to be awake is to be alive.” I had no idea what he was talking about, so I questioned who he was, and if he had any ice cream. I was in the mood for ice cream. Well, he wasn’t listening to me, and I felt rude, because he was just standing there in the mess of room. I told him to sit down, but instead, he continued to look around my room with a look of disgust. After doing so for a long period of time, he told me “our life is fritted away by detail” and that I should “simplify.” I told him if he wants to simplify, he can clean my room himself.
ReplyDeleteI asked who he was, and he said that he was Henry David Thoreau. I decided to Google him, because this “Henry” guy didn’t even have a Facebook. He found my computer, as well as my TV, and my cell phone, to be ridiculous, and completely unnecessary. I thought that it was extremely useful because it helped me figure out who he was instead of kicking him out. I decided to let him stay in my room and checked my phone. While I was texting people, he stared over my shoulder to see what I was doing. Rather than to be angry at him for doing this, I felt guilty for ignoring him. I assumed that my TV would only make things better. It didn’t, and he was only more horrified. He asked me if this was my life, and I told him no, I have other things to do. I decided that one of my other things would be for me to go to sleep, and I did so.
An hour later, I woke up and realized that my laptop, my TV, and my cell phone were all missing. I asked Thoreau where all of them were, and he said “we must learn to reawaken, and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aids, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn, which does not forsake us in our soundest sleep.” I could not believe him for what he did. I wanted to smack him. First, he took my stuff, then, he tried to talk me like some fortune cookie? I mean, seriously, what‘s the point of having the fortune if there’s no cookie? He could have at least gotten me ice cream. Up until that moment, he was only a disappointment. I tried to talk to him, but he kept bringing up Nature. His exact words were, “let us spend one day as deliberately as Nature.” To be honest, I love Nature, so I agreed, but I hoped we could get some ice cream first. Because, obviously, I was really in the mood for ice cream.
We didn’t get any ice cream, but we did go to the beach and stare out at the ocean. We walked around a little, but when we sat, we had a really deep talk, and I realized that he was a really great guy. He told me that “however mean your life is, meet it and live it; do not shun it and call it names.” I understood exactly what he was speaking about and found that a lot of his theories on life were correct. The day ended in a great way. He told me where he put all of my electronic devices, and I was happy, because after he left, I ate my ice cream.
It was an early morning last Saturday. As usual, I woke up at 7:40 am to watch the all-important soccer matches on TV. But not quite as usual that day, as i entered the living room to turn on the TV, I saw a human figure lying on the couch, either asleep or dead. I stepped closer toward the stranger, and i noticed that it was a he, not any he, but a Henry David Thoreau he. I have acquired that he has been one of the founders of transcendentalism, which we are learning recently. Therefore, I was quite exited.He seemed incredibly tired, even when asleep so I did not want to wake him up. However, I had to turn on the TV. The minute the sound came out, he immediately woke up! I guess he wasn't used to the TV's distractions. So I introduced myself to Thoreau, who seemed still lost. Then he recalled his memory; he was given the task by the philosophers and thinkers of his 19th century world to visit the 21st century world, and report back the behaviors and daily lives of the modern people. He said he has made a long journey across TIME, and when he arrived at my house, he felt this was the right place to take a break from his trip. Apparently, we forgot to lock our door last night, therefore he was able to walk in.
ReplyDeleteNow that he recollected himself, i explained him that i watch soccer matches this early in the morning every Saturday. He says he admires my motivation and drive toward something I really love to do. Thoreau and I enjoyed watching the soccer match together. After that, I signed on facebook. Thoreau believed that going on facebook is the improper way of escape from the real world I live in, where I could be doing a lot other productive things instead of facebook. I did not agree but I kept my mouth shut. He also thought facebook is the perfect example of modern technology wrongly and pointlessly used. He said simplicity in life itself is important and humans should focus more on the self and the self only. Then, he muttered something about industrialization and its effects, or something. I did not hear it clearly.
In the afternoon, I had a lunch appointment with my friend at an undecided diner. I insisted that Thoreau comes with us, and he agreed. In the car, she asked where we should go to eat. I told her "wherever you want to go". She said the same thing to me as well. Thoreau, impatient, intervened and said, "Thou should not follow other people, never!. Thou should pave thine own way and path to glory thyself!" After that, we both said we wanted to go to Eldorado's coincidentally. Therefore, Thoreau's advice paid off.
In the evening, I had to go to CVS near my house. Thoreau insisted that i walk and he accompany me. I agreed. When we stepped out of the house, I took out my earplugs and my MP3 player. Thoreau told me that listening to music is not the best way to enjoy the pure beauty of nature. He says every human being should appreciate the sublime nature. Paying my full attention with all my five senses is the only way to do so, according to him. That also worked as well. For the fist time, I got to enjoy nature more deeply and in a way I never have before. During our walk, we got to talk more about his beliefs, such as minimum government control, importance of truth, individualism, and living a productive life.
Thoreau departed after I treated him with dinner when we got back from CVS. Henry David Thoreau has moved on from my house to continue his long voyage!
Dear Journal,
ReplyDeleteToday is Saturday so woke up around 12:00pm. After brushing my teeth, I walked into my living room and OMG guess what I see!!! Henry David Thoreau is sitting on my couch looking furiously into my eyes. He says, “This is the time you wake up? Do you know how long I’ve been waiting?” I stared at him with the most confusing face and I didn’t even bother to ask why he was in my house. I asked him, “What is wrong with waking up at 12? Gosh! It’s a Saturday!” He gave me an evil stare and told me that I should wake up early in the morning and take a peaceful walk around the neighborhood on Saturday mornings. Then he went about talking about how he can hear the chirps of the birds in the morning and how beautiful that experience is. I didn’t even bother to pay attention to him because I desperately wanted to go downstairs and check my facebook. In the middle of his lecture, I ran downstairs and turned the computer on. He runs down after me and sees me turn it on. His face when he saw the computer was hilarious! I should have taken a picture of it. He pointed to the computer and asked me what it was and I told him that it was the best thing ever invented. I spent at least two hours teaching him how it works, but that did not bother to help because he kept criticizing it. He yelled at me and told me that instead of being on the computer all day, I should go read some books. He went on about another lecture on books. He stated, “Books are the carriers of civilization. Without books, history is silent, literature dumb, science crippled, thought and speculation at a standstill. I think that there is nothing, not even crime, more opposed to poetry, to philosophy, ay, to life itself than this incessant business.” After a while, I got bored of his speech and ran back upstairs into my room. He followed me AGAIN up to my room! He looked around with repulsion because of the mess in my room. My clothes were all over the place and there was unnecessary junk everywhere. He asked me why my room was like that and I said that it was because I never get time to clean. He asked me why I never get time and I told him that it was because I never get time to do anything because my life is complicated. His response to that was, “Our life is frittered away by detail...Simplify, simplify." I ran away from him again out of my room and called Dora and Maddy. I told them that Henry David Thoreau came to visit me and that it was creeping me out. Although they did not believe me, they still came because they thought I was going insane. To their surprise, they saw him and looked at him in amazement. He met them and immediately started lecturing all of us about how nature is wonderful as he looked outside at the trees. I guess Maddy was the only one that was actually paying attention because she loves the topic of nature. After hearing his speech, Maddy suggested that we should all go for a walk. We left Thoreau at my house and went outside for a walk around the neighborhood. While walking, we realized that he was absolutely right about nature. The sound of the birds chirping in the evening was amazing. We all sat down under a tree for a while and talked. It was an amazing experience because it was the first time I actually appreciated nature and looked upon it with admiration. Then we all went back to my house and found that Thoreau was gone. We cleaned up my room and relaxed with a nice cup of coffee, forgetting about the troubles we had in each of our lives.
Alright so this morning wasn’t the typical morning that I’m used to. I tend to go to sleep around 3 or 4 in the morning and wake up around 2 or 3 in the afternoon so pretty much half of my day is gone. This morning, however, I was rudely awakened by someone at 8 in the morning. At first I thought it was my Dad or Mom but when I took a closer look, it was a random man! I was scared so I kicked him in the stomach, threw my pillow at him and ran for my life. That’s when my Mom stopped me and explained to me that the funny looking man was Henry David Thoreau and that he came here to visit Elmsford. I was still a little confused as to why he was here, in my house but I went along with it. I ran back into my room and saw the poor man lying on the floor, still trying to find some strength to get up. I quickly helped him up and apologized for my improper behavior. I explained to him how I don’t usually wake up at this time and he replies by stating, “to be awake is to be alive.” At first I thought to myself that this man is crazy but then it made sense; when you’re awake, you engage in copious activities and that involves movement and thus shows that you’re alive. And with that, I thought I would take him on a tour of Elmsford and show him around our small village.
ReplyDeleteAs I got ready, I went on the computer to check my email and my Facebook. He looked so confused at what I was using and he asked me, “What is this mechanism that you’re typing on?” I explained to him that I’m using a computer that connects me to the world-wide-web. He then asked why I’m on it and I told him I had to check my Facebook and update my status on what I’m doing. He became furious and went into a tantrum! He explained that life shouldn’t be about using Facebook or going on the computer; he explains that “our life is frittered away by detail” and that we should “simplify, simplify.” I was confused yet again but I just agreed with him and left.
I told him I would take the car but he refused. Instead, he insisted that we take a stroll and observe all the nature at exists in Elmsford. I thought to myself, why not, I needed the exercise anyway. And so we were off. As we walked down my street, he kept on talking about how beautiful the skies were and how the snow brings out the beauty of the shriveled trees. To me, it just looked like a bunch of dead trees with snow on it but I understood where he came from. During our little walk, he explained to me how life isn’t about using all these technologies that we have. Instead, “its simplicity that’s important, nothing more.” And in a way, he was right; I think people got so used to the advancing technology around them that they forgot that we don’t need some technologies to survive. According to Thoreau, “we must learn to reawaken, and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aids, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn, which does not forsake us in our soundest sleep.” He was right; people are so occupied with all the technology that they have that they don’t acknowledge or admire all the beauty that surrounds them. I usually text a lot and so for a change, Thoreau told me to put away my cell phone for a day and see what it was like. Of course I thought this man is definitely crazy! I mean, there’s no way I would be able to survive without my phone but I listened to him and left it in my drawer.
By evening, we came back for dinner and indulged in some of my Mom’s chicken curry. I think it was Thoreau’s first time eating Indian food because he drank an awful amount of water to soothe his burning tongue of the spices. At the dinner table, Thoreau asked me what I would do if I didn’t have any of this technology and so I showed him. I took him downstairs to my little gym in my basement and explained to him that I would work out. He was amazed because he never really thought that exercise could be used as a substitute or even a time pass to compensate for the other daily utilities. And so, I showed him a couple of workouts. Poor Thoreau; he hasn’t worked out a day in his life. By then end of my workout, he was crying, begging to go home. And so I concluded our day together with that. Hey, at least this way he’ll never forget his visit to Elmsford. :]
ReplyDeleteDear Journal,
ReplyDeleteSo I woke up this morning (or afternoon)expecting to have another lazy day of vacation. I went down stairs to have my cereal when all of a sudden I found this hairy guy right in my living room. I was still a little sleepy, so my first thought was this guy, like me, seriously needed to go see a barber. Suddenly I realized that this was Henry David Thoreau. He told me to "wake up!" and said something like "all memorable events, I should say, transpire in morning time and in a morning atmosphere." I then began to think of the possible ways I could entertain my new guest. I knew he wouldn't appreciate it if turned on my x-box or computer so I went with my original idea to go to the barber. To make it a little bit more pleasurable for him, I decided to walk to the barber shop. On the way I introduced him to my iPod. He seemed to enjoy it, but did not find any music that he liked. After getting him a good shape up at the barber shop, we walked back home. Luckily my grandmother was home. My grandmother for much of her life lived in the middle of no where just like Thoreau did. I let them converse for a while I watched an episode of Heros. Afterwards, I decided to go on a walk with my grandmother and Thoreau on the bike trail. My grandmother is always loves going on walks and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity. On the walk, Thoreau spoke much about his transcendentalist philosophy. The words that still resonate in my mind are "simplicity, simplicity, simplicity!" He explained how happy one could live if they lived life simply. He was right. Life cannot get very complicated if your on walks all day. We got back home and invited Thoreau for dinner, but he refused. He said he had to go back and finish some essay called "Civil Disobedience." Hopefully, he was able to go back and finish it...
I don't think I've ever had a morning as crazy as this! I mean the morning I woke up to the police knocking on my door with a very sheepish looking Samuel Coleridge being arrested for drug possession was a close second. However since I bought that leather couch from that creepy antique book store I have never had quite the fright I had this morning: waking up to a Transcendentalist lying on the couch.
ReplyDeleteI recognized the literary giant almost immediately by his very scruffy and unkempt facial hair (apparently he ruled out shaving kits when he said "simplify simplify"). As I shook Henry David Thoreau awake, I caught the distinct scent of pond algae mixed with pine needles. The transcendentalist awoke with a start. I thought the first thing he would ask me for would be for a comb. Yet, he inquired immediately where the closest forest was. As I led the disheveled man up my street to a small forest, I noticed he did not look straight ahead, but rather looked all around himself. It was as if he did not want to let a single aspect of the wintery landscape escape his glance. I asked him why he was so entranced by nature. He answered: "The beauty of nature is the physical representative of the beauty found within man. One can find such beauty even in this frozen plane. For one can be sure, when the spring comes again, these barren trees will be laden with green. This is just the same as when man slips into his wintry sleep at night. He is sure to awaken the next morning with the renewed energy of the blossoms on trees in spring."
We reached the forest and Thoreau's face brightened. I have never seen someone so elated to see a few trees. And somehow, Thoreau's monologue before made sense to me as I walked past the trees. I had never realized how much the ridges in the bark of a tree resembled a human fingerprint. Before I could mention this to Thoreau, a strong wind blew towards the east. I turned, and Thoreau was gone. I had learned much about the beauty of nature, and it was all thanks to Henry.
Ever since that day, I have always taken a moment while walking to school to take in a little bit of the nature around me.
Yet, I always find the beauty I examine in my surroundings, is already present within me. My pulsing heart, my expanding lungs, and my soul are just as beautiful as the first flower of spring.
Dear Journal,
ReplyDeleteThis morning I turned on my laptop, turned on Pandora and listened to music as I began to do my normal morning routine. I went to the next room for a quick second to get something. When I returned there was a man sitting at my desk staring at my laptop. It was Henry David Thoreau!!! Of course I was in shock to see him in my home. I was all dressed and ready to go for my usual morning jog with my headphones plugged into my ears blasting music. When he looked up at me he looked completely confused. “What is all of this for?” I tried to explain to him how this was what I did every morning. He said to me, “[While living at Walden pond], every morning was a cheerful invitation to make my life of equal simplicity, and I may say innocence, with Nature herself…I got up early and bathed in the pond; that was a religious exercise, and one of the best things which I did.” I only realized, later on in the day, why exactly he said that to me. When I asked him if he would like to join me on my morning run, he gladly accepted. While jogging through the neighborhood, he noticed many other people on their morning walks and jogs. They also had music to listen to while exercising. He had an upset face. When I asked him what was wrong he replied by saying, “Is it necessary for this device to be used during a wonderful exercise? It is a distraction! Why not enjoy the nature around and appreciate it. It is much more beautiful than our lives. Just take a closer look.” I thought that what he said was wonderful. As I looked around, I noticed the beautiful colors of the leaves and the bright blue sky. The birds were singing while sitting at the tip of a tree branch. I soon realized how correct he was. Most people don’t see how wonderful nature is and the meaning behind it all. Even after the run, we continued to talk and walked a little. He told me about his transcendentalist life. He explains why he chose to live in the woods in order to simplify his life. He wanted to live a life with no worries or responsibilities.
Now, when I go running or for a simple walk, I take the time to look at what surrounds me. The sky, trees, leaves, flowers and everything else that belongs to Mother Nature; it is definitely an amazing sight. It will never get old and will always bring a smile to my face.
Dear Journal,
ReplyDeleteIt was my normal morning routine. I woke up, brushed my teeth and showered. You know the usual. It was a Saturday morning and I was planning on going back to sleep. However my plans changed when I went into my living room. At first I thought I was hallucinating and I wasn’t sure that what I saw was really there. It was Henry David Thoreau! I could not believe my eyes. He was supposed to be dead. He was just lying there asleep, peacefully asleep. It seemed as if nothing bothered him. I woke him up and he slowly opened his eyes and stared at me. I was scared because he was just staring at me. He finally said, “Hello, where am I?” I told him that he was in the 2010 and my name. He looked around and I offered to show him my room because that’s where I have everything including my television, iPod, key board, and computer. He looked highly confused with a hint of awe. He had never seen such devices. I explain what each item did and the first thing he said was, “Is it necessary for you to have all this?” I replied with a slightly annoyed “yes”. He then said, “Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify.” I had enough of Transcendentalism over the vacation and I wanted to enjoy the “details” of my room so I just ignored his comment. I decided to take him out to the local park. He was amazed at the scenery. I didn’t think it was that amazing I’ve seen much more beautiful parks, but I didn’t complain. I gave him an orange soda and told him to try it. He put his nose to the bubbles and one of them popped in his eye. He dropped the soda and asked me what it was. I told him it’s called soda. He looked at it with disgust and said, “I believe that water is the only drink for a wise man”. So I bought him a bottle of water instead. I mumbled underneath my breath that he wasted my money, but then he said in his Transcendentalist voice that, “money is not required to buy one necessary of the soul”. I was really getting annoyed with him I think it was because he was analyzing my lifestyle. I also didn’t get enough sleep. I don’t like to be bothered when I don’t get my sleep. He told me to enjoy the day and not to sleep it away. I soon got over my crankiness and wanted to take him to White Plains. Before we went to White Plains, I showed him pictures of New York City on Google. He was so consumed with the materialism of what he saw. He commented on the billboards, ads, everything. I showed him pictures of Time’s Square, Broadway, and Central Park. He asked if he could go to Central Park instead and growing fond of him, I scraped up some money and took a subway to central park. He was amazed by its beauty, especially such beauty in the middle of the city. He lay on his back and commented on the trees and natural scenery. I somehow felt connected to nature when I saw him trying to connect with her. I lay on my back also and took in her beauty.
At first, I didn’t understand his little aphorisms. He reminded me of a little robot that would say the randomness things at the weirdest of times. It was not until after he had left that I realized what he was trying to teach me. Since then, I grew to appreciate nature and its beauty. However, it did not stop me from sleeping all day. I couldn’t give that up.