Journal #11

“Where I Lived and What I Lived For” (232)

It’s about a man who lives in the woods and the best way to live life is the simple way. He says not to worry about the small things in life and just enjoy the ride. A simple life is a happy and fulfilling life.

Quote: “to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meaness of it, and publish its meaness to the world.”

“Sounds” (234)

He simply listens to the sounds of the day. How in society they say people need to go do stuff and be around other people but he is saying that he just needs to listen and look at nature. This is entertaining enough for him and he doesn’t need other people.

Quote: “I had this advantage, at least in my mode of life, over those who were obligated to look abroad for amusement, to society and the theater, that my life itself has become my amusement and never ceased to be novel”

“Brute Neighbors” (235)

In this passage he is telling the story of the ant’s life and how it is filled with hardship and war just like humans. He is saying that the life of an ant is just as hard to live as a human’s and that they fight as hard as we do in our battles. They also celebrate as much as the humans do when they are victorious. The balance in this is similar to the American Revolution.

Quote: “I was surprised to find that the chips were covered with such combatants, that is was not a duellum, but a bellum, a war between two races of ants, the red always pitted against the black, and frequently two red ones to one black.”(235)

“The Pond in Winter” (237)

The speaker talks about how when winter comes he sees fisherman and just watches them because they don’t follow all the rules. He goes down with the axe to chop holes so he can get his water from the pond. We go out into nature and experience it ourselves and usually it is a simple carefree life. Nature and life is still thriving in winter you just need to know where to look for it.

Quote: “But there was dawning Nature, in whom all creatures live, looking in at my broad windows with serene satisfied face, and no question on her lips.”

“Spring” (238)

He talks about how everything is changing and all the animals and plants are coming out again for the season. He compares spring to a recreation of nature and everything being reborn again. Grudges should be let go and you should forgive people and give them a second chance

Quote: “As every season seems best to us in its turn, so the coming in of spring is like the creation of Cosmos out of Chaos and the realization of the Golden Age.”