Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau was an American author, philosopher, and naturalist. He was born July 12, 1817 in Concord, Massachusetts. Thoreau graduated from Harvard College in 1837. He was an instrumental part of the Transcendentalist Movement., which was a search for reality through spiritual intuition. Thoreau is best known for his “Civil Disobedience” essay. He refused to pay the poll tax in protest over the United States invasion of Mexico. The result, he ended up spending a night in jail.
Thoreau is one of the most quoted authors. His writings appear in high school and college literature classes nationally, and even on shirts, mugs, and posters. His words have touched millions inspiring conversations and thought (The Thoreau Society, 2006). Thoreau did not gain the fame he is acclaimed to during his lifetime, in fact he was not well known outside of his peers and friends. Thoreau mainstreamed the philosophy that humans are part of nature and humans function best individually and in society when they are aware of this reality (Weiss, 2003).
Thoreau is considered to have earned his role in The Ecology Hall of Fame for the time he spent at Walden Pond. He moved to Walden Pond in 1845, a few years after his brother had passed away. Thoreau was in search of a quiet place to write a book about a canoe trip he and his brother had taken (Weiss, 2003). Unbeknown to him, Walden Pond would influence the way he lives and his relationship with nature. Thoreau stated, “I seek acquaintance with nature, to know her moods and manners (Brower, 29). Thoreau spent a great deal of time walking and thinking. He became lost in his thoughts and embraced all of the beauty around him. Thoreau studied the trees, plants, and seeds the forest bared. He read and kept journals of his days in the wilderness. Thoreau immersed himself in human experience and for that and his inspiring words we appreciate life more.
References
About Henry David Thoreau. (2006). The Thoreau Society. Concord, Massachusetts. Retrieved March 28, 2007 from http://thoreausociety.org/_news_abouthdt.htm
Bode, Carl. (1964). Thoreau. New York, NY: The Viking Inc.
Brower, David R. (1993/1994). Stop the Carnage. Earth Island Journal, 9(1), 29.
Weiss, Don. (2003). Ecology Hall of Fame Henry David Thoreau. Ecotopia. Retrieved March 28, 2007 from http://www.ecotopia.org/ehof/thoreau/bio.html
