where i lived and what i lived for Essay

Submitted By jennnnie16
Words: 374
Pages: 2

Jennie Le
Fadiran
AP Lang & Comp A
2 December 2014
“Where I Lived, and What I Lived For”
A. In “Where I Lived, and What I Lived for” Thoreau discusses many different distinct philosophies and beliefs. One would include that, “To be awake is to be alive” (Thoreau, 181). He states that millions are awake for physical labor and effective intelligence, but only one in the hundreds of millions are poetic and lead a divine life (Thoreau, 181). We are awake for the daily tasks needed to be done but we are not truly awake to live our lives the way that we desire. Another philosophy Thoreau spoke about was that, “…all news, as it is called, is gossip, and they edit and read it are old women over their tea” (Thoreau, 184). He believes that all “news” in the newspaper is the same and there isn’t anything memorable or portrayed with sufficient accuracy. We should be observing reality rather than comparing it to things we know of such as the news gossip, the truth wouldn’t be found there.
B. One unorthodox claim that Thoreau makes is to keep accounts small, “Instead of three meals a day, if it be necessary eat but one; instead of hundreds of dishes, five; and reduce other things in proportion” (Thoreau, 182). This is unorthodox because in reality, people always seem to want or need more when it comes to everything. Thoreau says that we need to reduce those things into a smaller size. We are seemed to be, “…ruined by luxury and heedless expense” (Thoreau, 183). In our lives, we don’t