Nicole's Blog

What would life be like without computers, internet, cell phones, movies, guitar hero, or even running water? I myself, and probably many more Americans, can’t even really imagine living secluded in the woods. Why would you want to live without the conveniences of modern life? I think Thoreau wanted escape. Escape from an unfulfilling life, escape from a life heading where he didn’t want it to go, escape from routine, escape from the constant stress and emphasis put on money, escape from American culture… Thoreau saw the woods as the excellent means to break away from this life. The American life or life in the village commonly has several specific tasks that need to be accomplished. There is a specific timeline put on our lives. Go to school, get a job, get married, retire, etc. Life isn’t even personal. Our culture or other people often construct our life and decisions. This is what Thoreau probably thought of life lived in the village. The woods offered a simple, live by the moment, natural way of life. The woods could also be a way for Thoreau to test himself and his self-reliance/individualism. He didn’t know who he was living in the village because his life was constructed for him. However, in the woods he had to rely on himself and his own decisions. Perhaps the woods were the surrounding that he needed to find out who he really is.

On a side note, I think the theme of escaping to nature doesn’t necessarily have to relate to the woods. I think some of the things Thoreau feels resentment towards are in a way, western society based. I’m taking an anthropology class and one of my books talks about an anthropologist who is researching the Ashaninka tribe. In his research, he actually lives and conforms to the lifestyle of the Ashaninka people. He says, “my research on the Ashaninka also has forced me to ask questions about my own culture. I was impressed by the contrast between the precariousness and inequality of our market-based, industrial way of life and the ability of the Ashaninka to provide for all of their material needs-food, clothing, and shelter-while maintaining a high-quality environment and high levels of social equality. In this respect, their culture seems to be more effective than our own.� (John N. Bodley, Cultural Anthropology) These such cultures live with less material wealth; however, their daily work habits of preparing food are living deliberate; they are living on the essential facts of life, like Thoreau. Some Americans are working a job they don’t care about or don’t enjoy to live with certain materials. I think Thoreau felt like this; he was working for a certain lifestyle that he didn’t need or even enjoy. I just thought it was interesting how different cultures who are living this “natural� or even “in the woods� lifestyle compare with American culture.