Background: In our literature class we will be reading about Henry David Thoreau’s experience on Walden’s Pond. He went there to test the writer Emerson’s beliefs about self-reliance. Living in self-isolation for over a year changed his viewpoint and mindset about: the importance of self-reliance; the power of simple living; and how human progress is just an illusion. Thoreau chose to live alone, rarely seeing anyone, for over a year. Think about your time in quarantine. This was the first time in about 100 years that we as a society had been asked to “Stay at Home”.
Essential Questions - Think about these questions prior to moving onto the task below as these questions can also be addressed within your response.
- Is there a difference between Self-imposed isolation (Thoreau) and imposed isolation (you)?
- Does CO VID 19 isolation simplify any aspects of your life?
The Task:
1) Consider the following:
â—Ź What kind of positive events/feelings/experiences came out of your social isolation?
â—Ź Did these help you to reflect on the simpler things in life?
â—Ź Did you have to rely more on yourself and not the outside world?
â—Ź Or, did you fall more into technology because of this?
â—Ź What positives can you take away from this experience?
â—Ź Do you have a new outlook on society and what is important?
2) In a paragraph (5-8 sentences) reflect on your own experience in the past year and compare your experience to Thoreau’s experience in Walden. Find at least two quotes from “Walden” (Journeys in Literature pg. 98-106) to show how Thoreau’s isolation experiment compares to your experience.
