I really enjoyed reading this chapter of Walden. Thoreau's writing style is still easy to read, and I find the subject matter really interesting. I especially found the section on page 898 when Thoreau was talking about his pleasantest hours intriguing. He stated that he was happiest when there were long rain storms in the afternoons of spring and fall. He enjoyed being confined to the house and listening to the "ceaseless roar and pelting". This is interesting because many people get annoyed with rainstorms, especially farmers when the storms mean they can't get to their crops. Thoreau didn't seem to mind that, though.
I really enjoy rainstorms as well, and staying inside watching movies and baking and doing the like. I enjoy them most, however, because I am with other people. I'm not sure I would enjoy them if I was by myself. Many people don't really like being alone like Thoreau did, and I am one of them. Maybe Thoreau was an introvert because he enjoyed his time alone so much. I think people who are normally extroverts, like myself, and are energized by being around people would have a much harder time with the solitude Thoreau experienced. There is something to be said for time alone, though, and maybe since we're coming into spring and going to be getting rainstorms, we will be able to enjoy them in the solitude of our homes by ourselves.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
aubri.
ReplyDeletegreat insight! i love your suggestion that thoreau may have been an introvert, and i can definitely identify with you in your question as to whether you would enjoy that much time alone. to be honest, i always considered myself an extrovert. it wasn't until i started college that i realized i had been wrong the whole time. this january, i spent a month studying in new york, and that was the "confirmation" that i needed to officially categorize myself as an introvert. my favorite moments in that city were the ones spent flying solo.
anyway, im certainly not saying this is the case with you, but i do invite you to do some investigating. you never know what you may discover about yourself!
thanks for the post!
anne.
In not certain that Thoreau was an introvert. He often went to town to visit other people and was a big part of Emerson, et al.'s club. And as he mentions, other people came to Walden to visit him. Before actually reading Walden, I always assumed that Thoreau was far from civilization all by himself. But that really wasn't the case. Anyway, I think Thoreau was like all of us. With a little bit of introvert and extrovert combined.
ReplyDelete