Thoreau's Journal #2

Thoreau's Journal p. 35, March 21

“These are But few of my chances, and how many more things may I do with which there are none to be compared!”

Here Thoreau is discussing all of the opportunity there is to accomplish something in the world. He lists many famous accomplishments that have been achieved in the past, that he says he is capable of. Then he then points out that he is capable of accomplishing things that haven’t even been talked about or accomplished by others. Thoreau is giving a sort of motivational speech by preaching that you are capable of achieving the highest feats.

Thoreau's Journal

Thoreau's journal, p. 35, March 21

“Thanks Fortune, we are not rooted to the soil, and here is not all the world.”

In this quote Thoreau is explaining that people aren’t meant to stay in one place their whole life like a plant. People aren’t supposed to pick one spot in the world and stay there eternally. In Thoreau’s opinion, we are meant to g out and explore the world. We should experience life in all different settings. Thoreau explains that people can live many lives in a lifetime.

Paper Topic Chioce

I have decided to do essay number two on the comparison of Emerson and Thoreau and thier transcendentalist values.

Henry David Thoreau's Reading Quote #2

Henry David Thoreau’s “Where I Lived, and What I Lived For”

“To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts”

Here Thoreau is discussing artistic talent. He says being able to make a something beautiful is a great talent like painting a picture or carving a statue. But to be able to make one’s environment beautiful or to be able to make a day more special than others is true talent. Taking advantage of everyday, being able to make everyday a new beginning and more special than the rest is the most difficult talent to maintain.

Henry David Thoreau's Reading Quote

Henry David Thoreau’s “Where I Lived, and What I Lived For”

“The millions are awake enough for physical labor; but only one in a million is awake enough for effective intellectual exertion, only one in a hundred millions to a poetic or divine life.”

Here Thoreau is explaining that nearly all people don’t get to experience the intellectual stimulation that he experiences. Most people drift through life concerned with material items and dedicate their life to working in industrial environments. These people never wake their inner genius as Thoreau calls it. He feels that if people stopped caring about material objects and other mainstream ideals, they would be able to experience this “intellectual exertion” he is fortunate enough to experience.

Emerson's "Nature"

Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Nature” p. 20

Another Quote that I liked from Emerson’s “Nature” was when he wrote, “It is this which distinguishes the stick of timber of the woodcutter, from the tree of the poet.” Nature is what you make of it. Unfortunately today, to many people look at nature and just see natural resources. Not enough people look at nature and appreciate its beauty.

Reading Quote from Emerson's "Nature"

Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Nature”

Although I didn’t like this piece as much as Emerson’s “Self Reliance” there were some parts that I liked. “Nature is a setting that fits equally well a comic to a mourning piece.” Here Emerson is preaching one of the reasons why he thinks nature is so special and important. This makes sense to me, nature reflects back to you however you are feeling. There is so much involved in nature, depending on your mood you can focus in on the things that stand out to you depending on your mood.

Emerson Reading Post #2

Ralph Waldo Emerson “Self Reliance” p. 18

Another quote I likes from Emerson’s piece was when he said, “Must not be hindered by the name of goodness, but must explore if it be goodness”. This shows that Emerson was not preaching for all people to be perfect (unlike many other religions). Emerson was advising people to figure out for themselves what they think is right and how they should go about their ways. He doesn’t want society to scare people from doing things just because that is the opinion of the populous.

Quote From Emerson

Ralf Waldo Emerson From “Self Reliance” p. 17

One quote that I read in Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Self-Reliance” was very interesting to me. “Accept the place the divine province has found for you”. Emerson is trying to tell the reader or anyone that before you go trying to be somebody your not, accept who you really are. Once you have done this you will be more successful as a person because you will be more in tune with yourself.

What I Want to Get Out of Class

There are many thing that I want to get out of this years English class. I want to improve my essay writing and learn how to make my points stronger and more clearly. I also want to become a better reader and learn how to interpret literature better so it makes more sense to me.