Caedmon Foore

Dr. Gross

English 235

6 March 2024

Where about is Walden?

            Walden pond is a small glacial lake just south of Concord Massachusetts. There Thoreau lived for two years, two months, and two days. The young 27-year-old Thoreau constructed a small cabin on the north end of the lake out of local pines until he moved in on July 4, 1845. This small cabin measured 10 by 15 and only contained the essentials that Thoreau would need for the next two years. He would survive mostly on local berries, nuts, and beans that he found and cultivated. These beans gave Thoreau much trouble as he dedicated an entire chapter to them in Walden. During his time at Walden Thoreau had much time to reflect on why he was there and how this time was affecting his life. Although not popular at the time it would be hard to argue the mastery of his writing. “The physical act of living day by day at Walden Pond is what gives the book authority, while Thoreau’s command of a clear, straightforward, elegant style helped raise it to the level of a literary classic.” (Bauer). This acclaim is due to the dedication and reflection that was put in years after his actual stay at the pond. These two years spent at Walden would not only shape Thoreau’s life but also lives of his readers for the next hundred and seventy years.

Works Cited

“Henry David Thoreau.” Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/today-in-history/july-12/#:~:text=Writer%2C%20philosoph....

Bauer, Pat. “Move to Walden Pond of Henry David Thoreau.” Britannica, www.britannica.com/biography/Henry-David-Thoreau/Move-to-Walden-Pond.