Transcending Paradoxes: The Logic Of Thoreau’s Life Experiment

Thoreau was regarded as a minor writer and thinker in the time of AmericanRenaissance. But as the rise of eco-criticism and environmental ethics, critics turnedtheir attention to this long ignored figure, interpreting Walden as a quintessentialmasterpiece that explores the relationship between humanity and nature. As a result,Thoreau has become a worldwide cultural icon. However, excessive emphasis andinterpretation on this aspect has led to the prevalent illusion that Thoreau or Walden isbut another name for nature. His more than two years’ mysterious life in the woodsfurther persuades numerous readers to believe that he is merely a hermit or a humbugdisguised as a hermit. Such misreadings and misconceptions are barriers to an in-depthand comprehensive reception of Thoreau and his book.Therefore, by conducting a comparatively intensive and systematic analysis ofThoreau’s life experiment on Walden Pond, this thesis attempts to settle the followingparadoxes: he endeavored to convince his readers that his life in the woods was happyand divine whereas he finally abandoned this life style with great determination; heidentified himself as a hermit in the woods yet he constantly visited his friends andfamily, even actively involved himself in rebellion against social conventions during hislife in the Pond. The thesis arrives at the conclusion that Thoreau’s life in the woods isnot an experiment trapped in paradoxes or contradictions, but a synthesis beyondparadoxes. He is assumed to be an inactive recluse but turns out to be an activeopponent of the conventional lifestyle and an advocate for a better society; he seems tobe a rebel against the traditional life style of America, yet his action happens to coincidewith the deep American tradition of pursuing a life of freedom, individuality andindependence; moreover, his rebellion is rather his particular way to renew tradition,and his option to live an unconventional life style is an exploration of spiritualpossibilities and diversities of everyday life. The experiment is a quest for transcendingbinary opposition rather than an escape from society or a false hermitage. Herein alsolies the significance of this research, namely, to make some contribution to awell-informed overall understanding of Thoreau, and to cast some light on how to knowourselves, our life and society.Based on a close textual reading of Walden, and drawing upon biographical andhistorical contexts, the present analysis is organized around the paradoxical reasons why Thoreau conducts and terminates his experiment. The main body of the thesis is dividedinto five chapters. The first chapter presents various studies on Thoreau and furtherunfolds the objectives and layout of this thesis, followed by a brief introduction ofThoreau’s life experience and personal inclinations. Chapter two investigates thereasons that drove Thoreau to conduct this experiment. Thoreau was not satisfied, evenindignant, with the contemporary materialism and spiritual slumber, so he challenged itby doing such an experiment. Chapter three further traces the spiritual origins of hisrebellion against the American tradition of his time. It is the cultural tradition both ofthe ancient West and East that provided inspiration for Thoreau. Chapter four focuses onthe new life he re-created in the woods, which can be seen as a personal practice of amixed tradition of both the West and East. His new life during the experiment mainlyconsists of three aspects: a simple life, a spiritually independent life and a natural life.The focus of chapter five is the reason why Thoreau terminated the experiment and leftWalden. In the eyes of Thoreau, only through the constant changing of people’s modesof thinking and living can tradition, established by human beings, become a propellingforce for their development. Otherwise, it will only prove to be a swamp of stagnation.Neither his life experiment is a hermit’s life in the traditional sense, nor is Thoreau ahumbug thirsty for fame. His experiment is a dynamic process of renovating traditionand activating life.