Henry David Thoreau Literary Analysis

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Henry David Thoreau teaches of his fulfillment which he accomplished by living less. The author’s success of his self-reliance was achieved by living only through bare necessities and simple needs. Moving from previous estates to a modest cabin; after blindly following how others lived, he observed major mistakes in society which led him to live humbly and pursue a life of modesty and unselfish desires. The author implies happiness has left society due to the luxury and social class each person dreams of obtaining rather than enjoying their current success. The materialistic desire within an individual has butchered their view on the true definition of happiness.
Besides keeping someone covered and preventing a charge of indecency, clothing has helped to …show more content…
Cruise ship Titanic carried over 2000 passengers all varying in social stratification. “Class was a factor in who survived and who did not, 60% were upper class, where lifeboats were accessible, 24% lower class escaped drowning” (Macionis 234). The selfish views of society transformed a once accepting civilization into a tradition of respecting the most attractive and best dressed civilians. Thoreau introduces his story by connecting clothing to the owner as symbol of identity, a sign of what to expect in a person just from their clothes. It can be inferred a ballerina wears a tutu and the businessman wears a suit, switching their outfits makes both parties uncomfortable. The author writes a quote that cannot be taken lightly, “Kings and queens who wear a suit but once, made by some tailor, cannot know the comfort of wearing a suit that fits” (Thoreau 778). His quote suggests a person who wears clothing based on another individual’s opinion or to satisfy others will never realize their identity and fail in the search of happiness. Despite the social standing marked by one’s

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