Week 6: Literary Response
"I do not know where to find in any literature, whether ancient or modern, any adequate account of that Nature with which I am acquainted."
(Henry David Thoreau, Journal, February 1851)
Henry David Thoreau is one of America's most famous writers. He is known for being an abolitionist, Transcendentalist, and an advocate of civil disobedience. However, he is probably best known for his journey to Walden Pond and the writings that were inspired from his journey. Thoreau made a home for himself alongside Walden Pond and aimed to live a simpler life. Ralph Waldo Emerson, another famous American writer, was one of Thoreau's mentors and friends.
I enjoy this quote from Thoreau's journal because I find it a little bit paradoxical. Reading has always been very powerful for me. I've never traveled much, so I've done most of my traveling via the pages of fantastical books. It has always been my belief that if one cannot travel and get to a particular place, reading about it can be the next best thing. This quote argues that even the most artful and skilled writer cannot completely recreate the feeling of going outside for oneself.
It is important for children to learn about nature via journals, textbooks, and picture books. However, it is arguably much more important for children to go out and experience nature for themselves. I will keep this quote in mind while I am teaching so I remember to get my students into the great outdoors.
I enjoy this quote from Thoreau's journal because I find it a little bit paradoxical. Reading has always been very powerful for me. I've never traveled much, so I've done most of my traveling via the pages of fantastical books. It has always been my belief that if one cannot travel and get to a particular place, reading about it can be the next best thing. This quote argues that even the most artful and skilled writer cannot completely recreate the feeling of going outside for oneself.
It is important for children to learn about nature via journals, textbooks, and picture books. However, it is arguably much more important for children to go out and experience nature for themselves. I will keep this quote in mind while I am teaching so I remember to get my students into the great outdoors.
No comments:
Post a Comment