1. Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

3.  I. Comments on Thoreau  II. Life, Education and CareerLife, Education and Career  III. Life on the Walden PondLife on the Walden Pond  IV. Major WorksMajor Works

4.  philosopher  essayist  poet  leading transcendentalist  environmental scientist I. Titles

5.  one of the most influential figures in American thought and literature  one of the major figures of the New England Renaissance  a supreme individualist

6.  sometimes cited as an individualist anarchist ( 个体至上 的无政府主义者 )  “I ask for, not at once no government, but at once a better government” ----Thoreau

7.  championed the human spirit against  materialism ( 物质主义 )  social conformity ( 社会常规 )  Never stopped looking into nature for ultimate truth.

8. III. Life on the Walden Pond

9.  July 4, 1845  a two-year experiment in simple living  moved to a small, self- built house  on land owned by Emerson  around the shores of Walden Pond  Way of Life: DIY

10.  The house was not in wilderness but at the edge of town, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from his family home.

11.  While at Walden, Thoreau did an incredible amount of reading and writing, yet he also spent much time “sauntering” in nature.

12.  Thoreau did not intend to live as a hermit.  Thoreau regarded his sojourn at Walden as a noble experiment with a threefold purpose.

13.  First, to find the true meaning of life and to escape  the dehumanizing effects of the Industrial Revolution  by returning to  a simpler, agrarian lifestyle

14. Second, he was  simplifying his life  reducing his expenditures  increasing the amount of leisure time to read and write

15.  Third, he was putting into  practice the Transcendentalist belief  that  one can best  transcend normality  experience the Ideal, or the Divine  through nature

16.  Thoreau’s other goals:  simplicity  self-reliance  the whole project was inspired by transcendentalist philosophy

17.  After two years and two months, Thoreau  completed his experiment in living & his book  returned to Concord

18.  Unfortunately, few people were interested in purchasing his book  He spent the next nine years,  surveying  writing and rewriting (creating seven full drafts) Walden before trying to publish it.

20.  He supported himself by surveying and making a few lectures, often on his experience at Walden pond.

21.  Many readers mistake Henry's tone in Walden and other works, thinking he was a cranky hermit.  That was far from the case.  He found greater joy in his daily life than most people ever would.

22.  He opposed the govern- ment for waging the Mexican war (to extend slavery) eloquently in “Resistance to Civil Government”, based on his brief experience in jail. Later Life

23.  he lectured against slavery in an abolitionist lecture, Slavery in Massachusetts.  He even supported John Brown’s efforts to end slavery after meeting him in Concord, as in A Plea for Captain John Brown.

24.  Aware he was dying, Thoreau's last words were “Now comes good sailing”, followed by two lone words, “moose” and “Indian”.  Died of tuberculosis on May 6, 1862 at age 44  Emerson wrote the eulogy spoken at his funeral.

25.  1. Walden; or, Life in the Woods, 《瓦尔登，或林中生 活》, 1854  2. Civil Disobedience,1849

26. 1. 1. Walden; or, Life in the Woods  (1)  (1) Introduction  (2)  (2) Major Themes

27. (1) (1) introduction  It details Thoreau’s sojourn in the cabin near Walden Pond.  one of the best-known non- fiction books written by an American.

28. (2) (2) Major Themes  Unity  self-reliance  solitude  contemplation  closeness to nature

29. a. a. Unity  According to Thoreau's transcendentalist philosophy, nature, humanity, and God are unified.  God is also immanent-present in every raindrop, blade of grass, and animal as well as in every human being.

30.  Further, one of the best ways for human beings to experience their own unity with God is to observe nature.

31. b. b. The Importance of Self-Reliance  Ralph Waldo Emerson  his great teacher and role model who  wrote an enormously influential essay entitled “Self-Reliance” ( 《论自立》 )

32.  Thoreau’s experiment is meant to put self-reliance into practice.

33. c. c. The Value of Simplicity  Simplicity is more than a mode of life for Thoreau; it is a philosophical ideal as well.  For Thoreau, anything more than what is useful is  an extravagance  a real impediment and disadvantage

34.  “Most of the luxuries and many of the so- called comforts of life are not only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind.” — Thoreau

35. d. d. Nature  Human should respect and reside closely in nature.

36. 2. 2. Civil Disobedience (1849)  (1)  (1) introduction  (2)  (2) Type of Work  (3)  (3) Publication  (4)  (4) Themes

37. (1) (1) introduction  《非暴力反抗；温和抵抗；论公 民有不服从（政府）之权利》  originally titled “Resistance to Civil Government”  one of the primary methods of nonviolent resistance.

38. (2) (2) Type of Work  an essay  that attempts to persuade readers  to oppose unjust government policies in general and the Mexican War and the institution of slavery in particular.

39. (3) (3) Publication  presented as a lecture in 1848  published in 1849 under the title “Resistance to Civil Government”  published in 1866 under the title “Civil Disobedience”, four years after Thoreau died

40. (4) (4) Themes  a. Citizens of good conscience should actively oppose unjust government policies through nonviolent resistance, such as refusal to pay taxes.

41.  b. Slavery is an evil institution that must be abolished.  c. The Mexican War is an unjust conflict because it is being fought to acquire new territory in which to establish slavery.

42.  d. Talk means little unless action backs it up.  Saying you are against an unjust government policy does nothing to eliminate that policy.

43.  e. Citizens must oppose efforts by groups that promote their own selfish interests at the expense of  morality  ethics  individual rights

44.  the active refusal to obey certain laws, demands and commands of  a government  an occupying power  without resorting to physical violence.

45.  Henry David Thoreau pioneered the modern theory behind this practice in his 1849 essay Civil Disobedience.