Walden.Notes瓦尔登湖英文版读书笔记

1、Walden(HenryDavidThoreau)Chapter1:Economy2013-11-5Quote:Thelifewhichmenpraiseandregardassuccessfulisbutonekind.Whyshouldweexaggerateanyonekindattheexpenseoftheothers?Comment:Thoreaumentionedinthefirstchapterthathehadweavedakindofbasketofadelicatetexture,buthestudiedratherhowtoavoidthenecessityofsell

2、ingthem.MaybeThoreauthoughtnotasuccessfullifewaspleasant,butasimple,plainandindependentlifewaswhathepursed.Manyotherpeoplehadeagerforsuccess,whileThoreaujustwantedtoknowwhatwasreallyessentialinlifethroughhisselflabor.Quote:Theywerepleasantspringdays,inwhichthewinterofmansdiscontentwasthawingaswellas

3、theearth,andthelifethathadlaintorpidbegantostretchitself.Comment:IhavequotedthissentencejustbecauseIthinkitisbeautifulandthatdistinguishesaliterarygiantfromthoseonlinewritersinChinatoday.Intermsofthisaspect,Ithinknobodycouldcomparewithhimindescribingnaturalbeautiesbecausehewasclosestwritertothenatur

4、e.Quote:Inshort,Iamconvinced,bothbyfaithandexperience,thattomaintainonesselfonthisearthisnotahardshipbutapastime,ifwewilllivesimplyandwisely:asthepursuitsofthesimplernationsarestillthesportsofthemoreartificial.Itisnotnecessarythatamanshouldearnhislivingbythesweatofhisbrow,unlesshesweatseasierthanIdo

5、.Comment:Thoreaumaintainedhimselfsolelybythelaborofhishands,andhefoundthatonlybyworkingabout6weeksinayearcouldhemeetalltheexpensesofliving.So,yousee,wecandoasimpleperson,needpeaceandpersistence.Althoughmanypeopleliveahumbleandmediocrelife,theyarereallycontentandhappy.Quote:Endeavortobecomeoneofthewo

6、rthiestoftheworld.Comment:WemayfirstbeassimpleandwellasNatureourselves.Weknowthateventheprophetsandredeemershadratherconsoledthefearsthanconfirmedthehopesofman,sowedontneedtobeanoverseerofthepoorbutliveaworthwhilelife,hespent6weeksayearworkinganddidwhatattractedhimjustlikeliteratureintheresttime.Hed

7、idntwastethetimebutdevotedhimselftowritingandtheresearchintonature.Chapter2WhereIlive,andwhatIlivedfor2013-11-6Quote:Ifoundmyselfsuddenlyneighbortothebirds;notbyhavingimprisonedone,buthavingcagedmyselfnearthem.Comment:ThoreaulivedinNature,andthatwashisanswertowherehelived.Unlikemanypeoplewhoraisebir

8、dsintheirhomes,Thoreauputhimselfinnatureandlivedclosetothebirds.Peopleneedfreedomandthesamewiththebirds,withallthecreaturesintheearth.IamjealousofThoreaustourofWalden.Quote:Onevalueevenofthesmallestwellis,thatwhenyoulookintoityouseethatearthisnotcontinentbutinsular.Comment:Thoreauwantedtotellusthatw

9、eshouldgooutsideofourownworldandtakealookattheouterworldorweshouldsometimestreatthethingsaroundusfromanotherangleQuote:Everymorningwasacheerfulinvitationtomakemylifeofequalsimplicity,andImaysayinnocence,withNatureherself.Comment:Thoreauwasasincereworshipperandhebelievedingettingupearly.Heknewthat“re

10、newthyselfcompletelyeachday;doitagain,andforeveragain.”Apersonwhohasadreamwontliein,whichiswhatourteacherhastoldus,andIthinkThoreausdreamwastobehimself,todiscoverhisconvictionandrealizeit.Quote:Thatmanwhodoesnotbelievethateachdaycontainsanearlier,moresacredandauroralhourthanhehasyetprofaned,hasdespa

11、iredoflife,andispursuingadescendinganddarkeningway.Comment:Allintelligencesawakewiththemorningandwemustbelievethatwewilldobettertodaythanwedidyesterday.Thoreauagainconvincedusoftheimportanceofcherishingthepresent.Quote:Tobeawakeistobealive.Comment:Briefasitis,thissentencereallyexpressesThoreausdeter

12、minationtostayawake.2013-11-7Quote:IwenttothewoodsbecauseIwishedtolivedeliberately,tofrontonlytheessentialfactsoflife,andseeifIcouldntlearnwhatithadtoteach,andnot,whenIcametodie,discoverthatIhadnotlived.Comment:Thoreauusedtheworddeliberatelytoshowthathedidnotwanttowasteanyandsecondinlife.Hehassaidhe

13、wantedtolivedeepandsuckoutallthemarrowoflife.Thoreauspent4hoursadaystrollingandtokeepvigorousandanother4hoursreadingallkindsofbooks.Heendeavoredtobeaworthyman.Quote:Ifwearereallydying,letusheartherattleinourthroatsandfeelcoldintheextremities;ifwearealive,letusgoaboutbusiness.Comment:Beitlifeordeath,

14、weonlycravereality.IthoughtThoreauhadtoldusnotworryaboutthedeathbecausewhatmatteredwaswhatwehaddonebeforeourdeath.Whenwearealive,weshouldmakethegreatestuseofeveryminute.Chapter3ReadingQuoteMyresidencewasmorefavorable,notonlytothought,buttoseriousreading,thanauniversity.Comment:IcantbelieveThoreaussa

15、yingthathiscabinwouldbebetterthanauniversitybecausehiscabinwasunabletocomparewithauniversityinthecollectionofbooks.Contrarytopeoplesthinking,Thoreauwasntcagedinthecabinandhealwayswenttothetownsandconnectedwithhisfriendssothathehadmorethanevercomewithintheinfluenceofthosebookswhichcirculatedaroundthe

16、world.TheonlyreasonIthinkisthatthepeaceandsolitudemadeThoreauburiedinhisreading.Quote:Readingisanobleintellectualexercise.Comment:ThatsThoreausattitudetowardsreading.Chapter4SoundQuote:Iloveabroadmargintomylife.Comment:IguessThoreaupreferredaleisurelifetoabusyoneandthenhecouldarrangethetimeaccording

17、tohisownwill,puttingthetoilofearninghislivingbehindhimself.HelovedreadinganddoingresearchintoNature.Quote:Theywerenottimesubtractedfrommylife,butsomuchoverandabovemyusualallowance.IrealizedwhattheOrientalsmeanbycontemplationandtheforsakingofworks.Comment:Sometimeswhenweforsaketheworkathandandloseour

18、selvesindeepthought,wewillfindweachievemorethanwegetthroughthemechanicalwork.Thoreauwassuretobenefitfromthecontemplation.Quote：Amanmustfindhisoccasionsinhimself.Thenaturaldayisverycalm,andwillhardlyreprovehisindolence.Comment:Quote:Iftheycouldbenaturalizedwithoutbeingdomesticated,itwouldsoonbecometh

19、emostfamoussoundinourwoods.Comment:Thoreauadvocatedthatalltheanimalsshouldnotbedomesticatedandthenatureistheirrealhome.ItindicatedThoreausconvictionoffreedom,notonlyconcerninghumanitybutalsoallthecreaturesintheearth.Quote:Iheardafreshandtenderboughsuddenlyfalllikeafantotheground,whentherewasnotabrea

20、thofairstirring,brokenoffbyitsownweight.Comment:ThisdescriptionissovividlythatIseeminglyseethescenerywithmyowneyes.2013-11-10Chapter5SolitudeQuote:TherecanbenoveryblackmelancholytohimwholivesinthemidstofNatureandhashisseenesstill.whileIenjoythefriendshipoftheseasonsItrustthatnothingcanmakelifeaburde

21、ntome.Comment:Thoreaubelievedthatthenaturewasthemostfabulousandwhenweliveinthemidstofthenaturewewouldlivelifeup.Thosetoughlaborsatfirstfadedinthefaeeofthesweetnature,andhelovedit.Quote:IhavefoundthatnoexertionofthelegscanbringtwomindsmuchnearertooneanotherSolitudeisnotmeasuredbythemilesofspacethatin

22、tervenebetweenamanandhisfellows.Comment:Societyiscommonlytoocheap,Thoreauwrotelikethisinhisbook.Maybesomeonewondershowthestudentscansitaloneinthehouseallnightandmostofthedaywithoutennuiand“theblues”andhowThoreaulivedaloneneartheWaldenPondfor2yearsand2months.Actually,amanthinkingorworkingisalwaysalon

23、eandtherealdiligentstudentinoneofthecrowdedhivesofCambridgeCollegeisassolitaryasadervishnthedesert.Wefriendsmeetatveryshortinterval,nothavinghadtimetoacquireanynewvalueforeachother.Thoreauthoughtthecommunicationofheartsmatteredmorethanthesociety.2013-11-13Chapter6VisitorsQuote:Ihadwithdrawnsofarwith

24、inthegreatoceanofsolitude,intowhichtheriversofsocietyempty,thatforthemostpart,sofarasmyneedswereconcerned,onlythefinestsedimentwasdepositedaroundme.Comment:WhenThoreaulivedinthewoods,hehadmorevisitorsthanatanyotherperiodinhislife.Hiscompanywaswinnowedbythemeredistancefromtown,fewercomingfortrivialbu

25、siness.AndThoreauthoughttheymightbehistruefriends.Quote:Hesuggestedthattheremightbemenofgeniusinthelowestgradesoflife,howeverpermanentlyhumbleandilliterate,whotaketheirownviewalways,ordonotpretendtoseeatall;whoareasbottomlessevenasWaldenPondwasthoughttobe,thoughttobe,thoughtheymaybedarkandmuddy.Comm

26、ent:HisinterestingvisitorhadadeepdiscussionwithThoreau,andhisthinkingwasprimitiveandimmersedhisanimallife.Hewasexpertatarithmetic,whichhesupposedtocontaintheabstractoftheworld.Heparticularlyreverencedthewriterandthepreacheralthoughhehimselfwasalmostilliterate.Thoreaubelievedhelivedinthelowestgradeso

27、flife,hewasreallyagenius.Chapter7TheBean-FieldQuote:Breadmaynotalwaysnourishus；butitalwaysdoesusgood,iteventakesstiffnessoutofourjoints,andmakesussuppleandbuoyant,whenweknewnotwhatailedus,torecognizeanygenerosityinmanorNature,toshareanyunmixedandheroicjoy.Comment:Thoreaumentionedmanyvirtuesinthecont

28、extsuchastruthorjustice,sincerity,simplicity,faith,andinnocence.IfwemeetamanthatwearesuretoseethequalitiesThoreaunamed,weshouldreallybefedandcheered.Andweneedthesevirtuesinoursocietyjustasourbodyneedsthebread.Wehavetoadmitthatthequalitieswontbringusutility,butwecanhardlyimagineasocietywithoutthose.Q

29、uote：Thetruehusbandmanwillceasefromanxiety,asthesquirrelsmanifestnoconcernwhetherthewoodswillbearchestnutsthisyearornot,andfinishhislaborwitheveryday,relinquishingallclaimstotheproduceofhisfields,andsacrificinginhismindnotonlyhisfirstbuthislastfruitsalso.Comment:Atruehusbandmanenjoysthecourseoffarmi

30、ngmorethanharvest.Andwepeopleshouldlearntoenjoythescenesinourlives.Quote:Weshouldneverstanduponceremonywithsincerity.Weshouldnevercheatandinsultandbanishoneanotherbyourmeanness,iftherewerepresentthekernelofworthandfriendliness.Weshouldmeetthusinhaste.MostmenIdonotmeetatall,fortheyseemnottohavetime;t

31、heyarebusyabouttheirbeans.Comment:ThoughIdontknowhowThoreaucanlinksinceritywithbean-planting,Ireallythinkthissentenceiscritical.2013-11-16Chapter8ThePondsQuote:ManyaforenoonhaveIstolenaway,preferringtospendthusthemostvaluedpartoftheday;forIwasrich,ifnotinmoney,insunnyhoursandsummerdays,andspenttheml

32、avishly.Comment:ItsoundssoextravagantforThoreautowastethemostvaluedpartofthedaybutactuallyasThoreauhimselfmentionedinthefirstchapter:hecouldworkforonly6weeksandthatmetallhisexpensesoflives.Thus,hewasabletoenjoythenaturalviewsandcomposehisarticles.Ithinkthatisthereasonwhyhesaidhewasrich.Quote:Neverth

33、eless,ofallthecharactersIhaveknown,perhapsWaldenwearsthebest,andbestpreservesitspurity.Manymenhavebeenlikenedtoit,butfewdeservethathonor.Comment:InThoreausopinion,thepondismuchpurerthanapersonwhoisevenofhighvirtuebecauseWaldenpreservesitspuritywhilepeoplechangeswiththesurroundingsdo.So,Thoreausaidno

34、bodydeservedthathonorthathecouldhavebeenlikenedtotheWalden,butIthinkmaybeThoreauhimselfdeserveditbecausehehadimmersedhimselfintheresearchintopurenature,whichsoundsunimaginabletopeoplebothatthattimeandnow.Quote:Ithasnotacquiredonepermanentlywrinkleafterallitsripples.Comment:Thissentenceindicatesthatt

35、heWaldenavoidedbeingchangedthoughexperiencingsomuchgreatchallenges.ThewoodchoppershavecutdownthetreesalongtheWalden,andtheIrishhavebuiltitssitesbyit,andtherailwayhasinfringedonitsborder,buttheWaldenpreservesitspurity.Itisitselfunchanged!Wecannotevenimaginehowgreatlyamanwillchangeafterhisrightsarevio

36、latedorheisputunderacircumstancewhereeverybodywantstochange.Chapter9HigherLawsQuote:Ifoundinmyself,andstillfind,aninstincttowardahigher,or,asitisnamed,spirituallife,asdomostofmen,andanothertowardaprimitiverankandsavageone,andIreverencethemboth.Ilovethewildnotlessthanthegood.Comment:IthinkThoreaubeli

37、evesthatthehumanityisprimitivelywild,sothewildnessandadventureinfishingattractedhim.Fishingisonlyonepartofthesimplelife,butthatisalsooneoftheclosestacquaintanceswithNature.Namely,IguesswhatThoreaucalledhigherlawisthepursuitoftheprimitivelife.Quote:Weareconsciousofananimalinus,whichawakensinproportio

38、nasourhighernatureslumbers.Comment:Thatis,weneverfollowourgeniusuntilourinstinctmisleadsustoawrongroadandtheresstillsomethingevilinourgeniusifwearenotwillingtolistentothepurestadviceofourheart.Quote:Anynoblenessbeginsatoncetorefineamansfeatures,anymeannessorsensualitytoimbrutethem.Comment:Anyextreme

39、virtuecangreatlychangeaman,sowhatwillyoubelikedependsonwhethertochasenoblenessormeanness.ConclusionQuote:Itisremarkablehoweasilyandinsensiblywefallintoaparticularroute,andmakeabeatentrackforourselves.Comment:Thatis,thefactthatwearequicklyaccustomedtoanewenvironmentiscommon.Wehumanityisadaptablecreat

40、ures,butweareusedtochangingthesurroundingsratherthanourselves,whichhasbothprosandcons.InThoreausopinion,thesurfaceoftheearthissoftandimpressiblebythefeetofthemen;andsowiththepathswhichthemindtravels.MaybeThoreauwantedtotellustheadaptionofhumanitywasofgreatadvantagesbecausewemightfeelproudwhenwegotol

41、dandrecalledourwholelives.Quote：Ifoneadvancesconfidentlyinthedirectionofhisdreams,andendeavorstolivethelifewhichhehasimagined,hewillmeetwithasuccessunexpectedincommonhours.Comment:Thissentencemarksthesignificanceofdreams.Heencouragedpeopletochasetheirdreamsbravelyandnevershouldtheygiveup.Dreamsandpe

42、rsistenceleadtosuccess,whichisgenerallyaccepted.AsforThoreauhimself,hisdreamwastoliveasimplelife,andhedidit.Quote：Anytruthisbetterthanmake-believe.Comment:Thoreauisamanofelevatedpietyandhebelievesinnature,simplicityandalsothetruth.IhavetoadmitthatThoreauisaphilosophermorethanawriterbecauseevenaphilo

43、sophermaynotdeservethereputationofrewritingthefateofacountry.Quote:Howevermeanyourlifeis,meetitandliveit;donotshunitandcallithardnames.Itisnotsobadasyouare.Itlookspoorestwhenyouarerichest.Thefault-finderwillfindfaultseveninparadise.Loveyourlife,poorasitis.Comment:Thoreauconvincesusoftheessentialityo

44、flovingourlifeandguaranteesthatourpassionforlifewillultimatelybenefitus.Nevershouldwefindfaultwiththelifeanditisnouseshunningthethistlesandthornsinlife.Wemustlearntofaceit,combatitandconquerit.TheWaldenImpressionWhenIfirstreadWalden,IwasratherconfusedbytheobscurewordsandexpressionswhichThoreauusedin

45、hisarticlestodescribehisprimitivelifealongtheWalden.However,IamgraduallytouchedbyThoreausunyieldingfaithinasimplelifeandhisuniqueperspectiveonlifealthoughthephraseologyinthisbriefbookisexactlynotsimple.WhilepeoplewerebusyearningmoneyinUSAatthattime,ThoreauchosetolivealoneinwoodsalongtheWalden.Manype

46、opleguessedthatThoreauhadtendedtoescapefromtherealityorhadbeenannoyedwiththenoisesandpollutionofindustrialization,butactuallyThoreaulivedapartfromthecityjusttoobservethesocietyaswellasthenaturefromanotherangle.Justashementionedinhisbook,IwenttothewoodsbecauseIwishedtolivedeliberately,tofrontonlythee

47、ssentialfactsoflife,andseeifIcouldntlearnwhatithadtoteach,andnot,whenIcametodie,discoverthatIhadnotlived.So,Thoreaukeptreflectingonhimselfeverydayduringhis2yearsand2monthsstayinthecabinalongtheWaldenwhichhebuiltbyhimselfwithonlyalittlehandcraftedfurnitureinit.Actually,IthinkThoreauwasinspiredbythetr

48、anscendentalist,Emerson,whowasbothhisfriendandhismentor.Thetranscendentalistsadvocatetheideathatthekeytohaveagoodcommandofanysystemofphilosophyliesincriticalexaminationoftheprogressofexperiencingthenature.Thus,herecameThoreau.Hedisdainedthosewhopursuedextravagancesuchasfashionableclothesandbighouse.

49、Aswelearnedfromthebook,Thoreauonlyspent$28onhiscabinandlaterhefarmedforonly6weeks,butthatmetallhisexpensesofhissimplelives.JustashementionedinhisfirstchapterInshort,Iamconvinced,bothbyfaithandexperience,thattomaintainonesselfonthisearthisnotahardshipbutapastime,ifwewilllivesimplyandwisely:asthepursu

50、itsofthesimplernationsarestillthesportsofthemoreartificial.Itisnotnecessarythatamanshouldearnhislivingbythesweatofhisbrow,unlesshesweatseasierthanIdo.IhaveeverwonderedwhatThoreauwoulddointhenext46weeksoftheyear.Wouldtherebesomethinglikeonemaninaboatonthepondeveryday?No,Iwaswrong.Thoreaudidntwasteanyminuteandspentallhisresttimereading,writing,anddoingresearchintonature.WecanconcludefromthebookthatThoreaulove