henry david thoreau （1817-1862）， the author of walden, was born in boncord, massachusetts. when he was a child, he always went to the woods and field with his old brother. so he loves the nature very much. in the middle of 19th century, american economies developed so rapidly that most people pursuit the material life and ignore the spiritual life. but thoreau wants to live a simple life. also for the transcendentalist movement was centered in boncord and emerson had a great influence on him. all these made thoreau go to build a cabin on the shore of walden pond and live alone to close to the nature in 1845. later, he wrote the famous book, walden, which mainly talks about his life and thoughts during he lived alone in the woods near walden pond.
when walden was published in 1854, it was not well accepted by people. instead it was regarded as "wicked and heathenish" .it was published only one time until thoreau died of disease. but many years later especially in twentieth century, it was gradually known and appreciated by lots of readers all over the world.
this is a book which tells in spring thoreau starts building a cabin in the woods， thinking about life, reading some books, and listening to the sound of nature. in autumn, he cultivates beans, observes walden pond. in winter, the walden pond freeze, lots of animals accompanies with him. as?spring's coming, the walden?and other ponds melt. every thing in nature is awake and reborn including thoreau. after two years,?thoreau leaves.
thoreau first writes that most people pursuit their necessary things of life such as fashionable clothes, houses and equipment. they pursuit these things while thoreau go to the woods to building a cabin which only costs $28.12, eating simple food and?needing little furniture. so?one of chapters in his book, “higher law", emphasizes more on the spiritual aspect instead of the satisfaction of material. further more; he urges people to read more classic literature such as homer’s iliad and odyssey and?other great writers’ masterpiece.
he also writes that though he?lives alone in the woods, he is close to?nature and makes himself as a part of nature. he?lives alone, but sometimes he also?talks with his visitors who are honest, sincere, thinkable and loving their life.
thoreau also mentions that the noise?in the town and the whistle of train disturb the quite life of the town. however, in the woods?life is quite. when?he?lives in the woods, he can listen to animals' sounds such as bird's singing, owl’s hooting, cockerel’s crowing etc. he?lives with animals friendly. he also describes the?walden pond. the water, blue and green, clear and pure, freezes in winter and melts in spring.
when i was reading walden?i felt that?i was listening to a wise man’s talking. the words and phrases about the nature?especially the walden pond are beautiful and?fascinating. the sentences are full of wisdom and philosophy.
reading this?book reminds me of those people who work hard to earn money, waste lots?of money to buy luxury and expensive things, waste time to entertain themselves. in my?point?of view, they may easily lose themselves, and though their bodies are full, their minds are hungry. the real life is to?make every?complicate thing to?be simple and?enrich our heart?and soul. in a word, just simplicity 、simplicity and simplicity!
one of?thoreau's thoughts about solitude attracts me deeply for i’m the person who likes to be alone. there are some reasons for why i like to be alone: firstly i think that living with others is?easy going to have a conflict whatever?you?are best friends. secondly just as thoreau?saying ‘a man thinking or working always alone and let him be where he will’。 i?always spent most of time to study, and i like to make myself busy all the time, so i have little time to stay with others. in addition to, what i'm?thinking and interested in is quite different from others. i like studying at library and reading books but don't like pursuit fashionable and new trend things for it makes me feel tired and bored. so i always live alone and people who around me think i must be lonely. actually it's not true. they don't understand me at all. when i'm studying, learning or reading, i don't think other things, just immersing in the ocean of knowledge .my heart is quite calm. and if learn new knowledge i got a feeling of happiness, satisfaction and fulfillment. so i was so surprised that what thoreau said was exactly same to what i thought. i was so glad to find a person who has the same idea with me.
when thoreau lived alone in the woods, people did not understand him, even emerson thought what he did was wrong. and now, people who around me think my life is not good. but i think thoreau’s life was successful, meaningful and happy, so do i. because i think that the success and happiness of life all come from exactly value. everyone deeply desires of themselves life. when you know what the value of yourself is, meanwhile you can enjoy your life according to the value every time. you will find that everyday you have full of energy and enthusiasm to do anything, hear the sure sound from your heart, and often feel intense achievement, the most important is that your heart is peace and calm.
last but not least, i envy thoreau so much for he lives in such a beautiful and comfortable nature environment. he can breathe the fresh air, live with wild animal friendly; appreciate the scenery of walden pond etc. while in modern society, people pursuit their own interests to hunt and kill animals, cut down trees and pollute the rivers and so on. as a result, the number of wildlife is decreasing, the area of lake is shrinking, and the water is not pure any more. the environment problems such as globe warming, climate change and air and water pollution have been becoming increasingly serious. reading this book makes me be aware of protecting the environment to realize the harmony between human and nature.
the concept of responsibility is a necessary fiction. although socities must hold their individuals accountable for their own actions, people's behavior is largely determined by forces not of their own making."
in the title statement, the speaker holds the contention that the concept of 'individual responsibility' is no existence but a fiction. moreover, the speaker says that the behaviors of human beings are fundamentally determined by the environment which out of their control. admittedly, one's actions are deeply influenced by laws, societies, schools and families and other exterior forces; individual responsibility exists and functions as a significant role to rule people's behaviors as well.
on one hand, the highest social animal as human being is, any individual has his specific role in a certain society. and this specific role gives one social identity and individual responsibility through education in schools and influence of ethical and moral standards. though some times one would feel that the certain responsibility is obligation from the society and organizations rather than his 'individual responsibility' at first, in most cases, the accountability would presumably become one's own eventually followed by the final identification of his specific social identity, and then direct one's behaviors without the force from the exterior world. for example, a soldier would think it is his duty to obey the rules without any hesitation; a surgeon would consider healing the patients as his accountability; and a historian would feel it is his responsibility to discover what is behind the historical descriptions. in fact, different careers and roles form diverse individual responsibilities, which result in individuals’voluntary behaviors.
on the other hand, there are not only specific individual responsibilities in diverse areas but also some fundamental values and accountabilities, which we all human beings cherish. from the moment one can speak or even is born, the society begins to instill the moral and ethical standards, which is so called humanity in every one's mind. the older one is, the deeper influence the humanity would be. when one is just a little child, he would go directly to what he like and claim it. then when he is old enough, he would realize that it is incorrect and ashamed. and because of the awareness of what is right and wrong, one would probably never do any misdeed again. actually, humanity is just the common individual responsibility shared by all of us.
however, every one lives in a certain society thereby one's behavior is more or less influenced by forces not of their own making. and to operate normally, every society has its laws, though many times have differences among them. it is true that humanity plays an essential role in ruling individuals' behaviors; yet laws are necessary. under the control of laws, people who have little individual responsibility would probably not dare to do any crime in fear of law punishment. besides laws, for example in school, rules are also an important factor as well as individual responsibility. nowadays, in most universities, a student who does not pass some certain courses in his four years college life would not get his diploma of bachelor's degree. so even if a student does not like his discipline, or dose not care about his gpa, the pressure of graduating forces him not to playing computer or basketball all the time.
in addition, individual responsibility and forces from outside world have overlapped parts some times. for instance, studying diligently is some hard- working students' individual responsibility as well as the pressure from schools and society.
generally speaking, it is hasty and incorrect to conclude that the concept of 'individual responsibility' is a necessary fiction. on the contrary, individual responsibility plays an important role which cannot be replaced. however, laws and the exterior force also have their significance as well. thus we can not put either of them aside and pay more attention to another
although i may not understand thoreau's thoughts completely, i’m really benefited from reading the book, walden.