December
6
Thoreau Soapstone– “Where I Lived and What I Lived For”
Complete a soapstone on the essay after listening to the podcast, (directions on “Newsflash” page) and after reflecting on the excerpt documenting Thoreau’s memorable self-reliant exercise in the woods. Remember that while Emerson wrote beautifully and idealistically about revolt and self-realization, Thoreau was “about that life.” He lived out his philosophy. I wonder what you think of about that fact.
Your soapstone should contain one summary paragraph–remember what must be included–and one personal reader response paragraph in which you may use “I.”
Adiam Habtay
Ms.keeble
Period 5
In the short essay “Where I live, and
Summary:
What I live for” Henry David Thoreau expresses the beauty of simplicity of living in the woods. His intended audience may have been the people who take the harmony of nature for granted, and do not realize that that innovative gadgets are not a necessity to life. Thoreau believes that one does not need to live a materialistic life style.The simpler you live the happier you will be.He seems to be frustrated that everyone is drawn in to industrial era,and forgot what truly matters.
Reader response:
The essay “Where I live, and What I live for” was eye opening.I agreed with Thoreau’s philosophy throughout the essay.He asserts“Why should we live with such a hurry and waste of life?”(destiny). Last summer I went to my native country Eritrea,in which lacks the resource of technology and materialistic items. I dreaded it the first couple of weeks. But came to a conclusion that the simple life,is the beautiful life. We live in such a hurry and do not know where we are going. Just live life nice and slow, and be happy:)
Angel Munoz
1st period
Ms.Keeble
In the essay “Where I Lived, and What I Lived For,” by Henry David Thoreau, he states that he hopes to see materialism. He persuades us readers that living away from the material things can open up new ideas from the mind. He say that material things do not make you happy an actually avoid the luxury and material. For example having an iphone and sitting on it all day wouldn’t do you any good but slow the brain. What Mr.Thoreau is saying that it would be better to live without the fancy items in life.
My response towards this actually related to what we see know a days with our generation being involed with many gagets and not putting them down to see the good. I really enjoyed it even though I responed late and Mr.Thoreau is one great writer
Abraham N.
Ms.Keeble
Period 5
13 December 2012
AP English 11
In Henry David Thoreau’s essay, “What I Lived, and What I Lived For”, Thoreau longs for a simpler life and proclaims that life moves to fast for him. Because of these reasons, Thoreau moves to Walden Pond, a place in the woods where he could actually live the life he wanted to, simplistic and independent. Thoreau’s main purpose was to get his audience, readers who probably live life in an elaborate fashion, a little insight on how life in Thoreau’s mind, should actually be lived. The essay was put into a persuasive tone to attempt to change the reader’s outlook on life, from detailed to a more simpler look on life.
I thought that the essay was informative and thought provoking because I believe that it would be very challenging for me to live “the simple life” like Thoreau did, mainly because of technology and how much it affects my life now, makes me think that I would not last much without it. Although I do not agree with Thoreau on living life simple, I do agree with him on how we are currently living life now so fast, and I believe that we are a society that wants quantity over quality. Finally, I think as a society, we do not have to completely live life simple, but if we just stop what we’re doing sometimes to appreciate our surroundings like the nature or even a good book, society as a whole should be fine.
Maribel Rodriguez
Ms.Keeble
AP English
12 December 2012
In the essay “Where I loved and what I lived for” Thoreau tells us about the experience he had when he went to live out in the wilderness. The way he talks about his perspective in thie things that are actually needed in life. The materialistic things and money are not really necessary. Thoreau’s essay made me understand how today’s society is so dependent on sertain things.
Henry David Thoreau’s essay, “Where I Lived, and What I Lived For” argues the way living has changed in general. He wrote to inform everyone who didn’t realized life is too advanced. Everything always has an upgrade which makes life more difficult. He valued simplicity and taking the easy way out. Thereau acted out against this through a tactic of “civil disobedience” by moving into the woods. There he discovered the change of nature and philosophy over time.
I highly respect Thoreau for making his own decisions. Only you know what is right for yourself and that’s exactly how he thought. I also agree with Thoreau’s philosophy of the mankind. People have become too dependent on materials that without them they react negatively. Thousands of items like food and paper go to waste daily. We should be more courteuos of ones who are less fortunate and more independent thinkers.
Doesn’t he argue against blind industrialization? So he is arguing against something.
Canyon Riley
Ms. Keeble
AP English 11
10 December 2012
Henry David Thoreau’s “Where I Lived, and What I Lived For” is an excerpt from his book Walden, published in 1854 during the Romantic Period in America. Many Americans during this period were influenced by the transcendentalism of the last decade and became individualists. At the time, Thoreau wanted everyone regardless of class, especially the residents of Concord, to read this essay as not only a reflection on himself, but on the nation itself. The tone Thoreau uses throughout the piece is very down to earth. He believed that Americans were becoming too temporal and we will grow too dependent on the inessentials of life. So he conducted a two-year experiment by living in woods only to survive off of what nature could provide him.
I agree with Thoreau that we should live a simpler lifestyle. The only dilemma that would hinder this is the fact that our economy is based off of a materialistic lifestyle. Everyone in a sense is materialistic in some way. People who wear brand names are no exception, especially the students at Hayward High or any high school in general. Everywhere I go I see Nikes, Aeropostale, and Hollister just to name a few. It is free advertisement for these companies and nobody is noticing it.
Maria M.
AP English
Period 1
Summary:
In “Where I Lived, and What I Lived For” Thoreau states that people seem to live more happily when they do not prioritize materialistic stuff so much. People who are not so materialistic enjoy of life more freely. He says that people should have a simpler life, that there is no need of all those materialistic things. he says that people would be better off if they would not be so materialistic and would take their time of enjoying what surrounds them more.
Reader’s Response:
I strongly agree with Thoreau. I think our society has come to a point where for example people cannot live without any type of technology. people do not take their time to enjoy of nature more, not noticing that nature is something really valuable , and can never be replaced, unlike their materialistic stuff that can. Humans invert their money on unnecessary stuff instead of using it wisely.
Haley R.
Ms. Keeble
AP English per 2
10 December 2012
In “Where I Lived and What I Lived For” by Henry David Thoreau; a man focused on living a life for himself, shares his thoughts on how people should live more simplistic lives than we are now. Because many people buy and use things they do not need, we become very greedy and selfish people. If we were to simplify our lives by not buying that new gadget that was just released or getting a coffee from Starbucks every morning we would be more nastalgic people.
The message that I interpreted from Thoreau was a powerful one; you don’t need to fulfill your life with material, but with spirit. Having this thought run through my mind reminded me a lot of the mindsets of Gahndi and Buddah, meaning you can sit on the grass under a tree and be happy without any excess technology around you. Being more simplistic people sounds like an interesting challenge, but I’m curious as to who would participate. I feel this would ultimately test our strength of being on our own as well as being our own person. I also believe we would be more peaceful people; we could amount to things we never have. This essay reminds me of a large field with one lone tree and a meditating person beneath it. Thoreau did an exceptional job of making the simple mind weak for more intellegence of simplicity.
Bilguun Batdorj
Ms. Keeble
AP English
Dec 10 2012
Henry David Thoreau and his friend/colleague Emerson shared the same principles on how a person should live out their lives. Thoreau believed that men should make their own lives as simple as possible and to avoid luxury. The author lived by his principles unlike Emerson. He lived in the woods and claimed that it was better to live a life without worry or hassle.
I have mixed feelings towards Thoreau’s viewpoints. I believe a person who does not cherish the many commodities he/she has is downright stupid. We live in a age that a normal middle class individual has access to things that not even a rich medieval king could have imagines. If that same middle class individual throws away his/her lifestyle and move to a small island and live in the forest just for the sake of simplicity then that is the most absurd story i would ever hear. On the other hand, individuals should be happy of their basic materials. Instead of buying a 50 inch television, you should get a 35 inch television and save the rest of the money. I believe a person should not bulge in on their greed.
Caleb M.
Ms. Keeble
AP English, Per. 2
10 December 2012
In “Where I Lived and What I Lived For”, Henry Thoreau, a renowned individualist of the 1800s, justifies and explains the reasons why he moved to the woods away from society. Thoreau’s audience were mainly common people from the Industrial Age and his purpose was to explain that material things could not bring happiness or enlightenment. Thoreau also has an angered and frustrated tone throughout the essay.
I thought the essential goal of the essay was fascinating, however I found the author’s writing style to be strange and challenging to interpret. I think that Thoreau’s philosophy, which was based on individualism, was ideal to personal development of character, and had a Native American type of philosophy to it. I also agreed with how Thoreau criticized the governments system, and capitalistic nature.
Adria W.
Ms.Keeble
AP English per.2
12/10/12
The speaker in “Where I Lived and What I Lived for” is Henry David Thoreau. Throughout the essay, he is persuading his readers that living away from the material things in life can open your eyes to world has to give. The audience aimed at for this essay are people who are materialistic. Thoreau’s tone set throughout the essay is persuasive and passionate towards what he believes in. He believes that people are capable of living without the distractions or media corruption and that his way of life is easier to enjoy.
I agree with what Thoreau believes in. In today’s society, many people are never satisfied with what they do have and always want more. Most people don’t realize that material things should’t make a person happy but rather the way you live your life and how you spend the time given to you on a daily basis should.
Areli Sanchez
Ms. Keeble
AP English 11, 2
Dec 10th 2012
Soapstone: “Where I Lived, and What I lived For” by American thinker, Henry Thoreau is an essay excerpt from his journal, Walden. This piece is in regards to simplicity he hopes to see and materialism in the nation while retreating in nature and living there for two years. This piece is directed to an audience composed of humans, in more relevance to those in America. The essay serves to in a way open people’s eyes.
Readers Responce:
I actually like this piece compared to the past others we have read. I would also personally embark such retreat into nature if I could. I know it would be hard but I would love to be able to live a life without materialism and just simplicity, I have tried but failed to do so because it is everywhere. I agree with his points regarding materialism, because it is a huge problem here in the United States. To me, this materialistic world makes me sad, because life hasn’t continued to be one of true survival and actually living. Today it has become one in which we overwork ourselves to supply our wants and actually never take time to actually live. Materialism I believe destroys our character. Unlike other places in the world, we have become infatuated with thi desire and have lost ourselves in this materialistic world. I rather be connected to nature at a deeper level than be consumed in a materialistic society, which yes , I part-take in.
Dartise
Dec. 12, 2012
1st period
Summary:
In, “Where I Lived, and What I Lived For,” by Henry David Thoreau, he makes it clear, in some ways, by his actions and words that people should live more basic and be less materialistic. Thoreau’s primary audience was people who were more self reliant and who only depended on themselves. His purpose was to inform people that were dependent on the government to survive, that all they really need are the basic necessities. His tone was desperate, mad and informative.
Reader Response:
I didn’t really enjoy reading this essay because it really didn’t catch my attention. Even though Thoreau made a smart argument and seemed very passionate about it, it had no true hook to it that interested me.