Who can help me to explain some quotes in Walden :(

yung109 · 10-19-2007, 02:03 AM

"Most men, even in this comparatively free country, through mere ignorance and mistake, are so occupied with the factitious cares and superfluously coarse labors of life that its finer fruits cannot be plucked by them"

"There is no odor so bad as that which arises from goodness tainted. It is human, it is divine, carrion. If I knew for a certainly that a man was coming to my house with the conscious design of doing me good, I should run for my life, as from that dry and parching wind of the African deserts called the simoom, which fills the mouth and nose and ears and eyes with dust till you are suffocated, for fear that I should get some of his good done to me,-some of its virus mingled with my blood"

"What is true for one is truer still for a thousand, as a large house is not more expensive than a small one in proportion to its size, since one roof may cover, one cellar underlie, and one wall separate several apartments"

AuntShecky · 10-19-2007, 02:41 PM

"Most men, even in this comparatively free country, through mere ignorance and mistake, are so occupied with the factitious cares and superfluously coarse labors of life that its finer fruits cannot be plucked by them"

Well, this may be "serendipity" as yours truly happens to be re-reading the book now.
This first quotation seems reasonable to me.
I think Thoreau means that we are so preoccupied and busy with acquiring material goods and wealth that we don't take time to appreciate the finer things of live, the beauty and riches of Nature unfolding before our very eyes.
These "finer fruits" (an example of synecdoche as well as a gorgeous metaphor) refer to those features of Nature.

"There is no odor so bad as that which arises from goodness tainted. It is human, it is divine, carrion. If I knew for a certainly that a man was coming to my house with the conscious design of doing me good, I should run for my life, as from that dry and parching wind of the African deserts called the simoom, which fills the mouth and nose and ears and eyes with dust till you are suffocated, for fear that I should get some of his good done to me,-some of its virus mingled with my blood"

Aw, this is Thoreau's under-rated but very acute sense of humor at work here. What wit! Beware of people who tell you things for "your own good." And there was a sarcastic joke flying around not long ago: "We're from the
government and we're here to help you." What that joke--and Thoreau seems to be saying is-- if someone says he wants to "help" you, head for the hills. Think of all the damage that has been done to society by those who think they are doing "good."

"What is true for one is truer still for a thousand, as a large house is not more expensive than a small one in proportion to its size, since one roof may cover, one cellar underlie, and one wall separate several apartments"

This is the most difficult one of the three.
In a broad sense, what he seems to be saying is that the
statements he has been making should hold true no matter what the circumstances.
Or more specifically he might be saying that a large expensive house is just as good as a cheap one -- for the
recurrent theme throughout Walden is a disdain for materialism, how a dependence on acquiring things can be oppressive. "Simplify!" "Simplify!"

Hope these responses help.
Auntie

jakobmuller · 03-31-2009, 11:15 PM

"Most men, even in this comparatively free country, through mere ignorance and mistake, are so occupied with the factitious cares and superfluously coarse labors of life that its finer fruits cannot be plucked by them"

He really contradicted himself with that quote, since later in the book he goes on about the virtues of working on a farm and hard labor.

The Comedian · 04-28-2009, 10:50 AM

Sort of. . . Walden is an experiment at trying to find the best life. And Walden, the book, is Thoreau's documentation of his experiment at living the best life. As a result, many places in Walden where Thoreau appears to be hypocritical, he is merely documenting a failed experiment.

In the passage that you cite "so occupied with the factitious cares and superfluously" (my emphasis) Thoreau identifies that the problem with labor, in this case, is not labor itself, but the intense occupation with it. Thoreau later extols the virtue of labor and farming, yes, but via experiment and failure, he feels that his has discovered the best ways (emotional/spiritual) and the best methods of farming.

You may find that in Walden, Thoreau does nearly everything some one living "normally" would do: he has a garden, he goes to town, he participates in meetings, he goes on fishing excursions, he reads, he writes, he visits friends. . . . . and yet he is critical of the manner in which each one of these activities is conducted in common society.

pagebypage · 05-06-2009, 05:36 PM

This is a bit off the OP but I have to point out that Thoreau left Walden and went into town all the time. While he was there, he still worked in his family's pencil-making business. Indeed, while here he developed a process to so finely mill graphite that the family business expanded into printer's ink. He enabled his family to make a fortune.

He went into the woods to live deliberately but for a reason. He wished to finish his studies. He had two options: the traditional way of work and save for years and then leave for study full time; or cut expenses to the essentials and complete his studies right away. He went to Walden and did the latter. The book was a bonus.

10-19-2007, 02:03 AM	#1
yung109 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1	Who can help me to explain some quotes in Walden :( "Most men, even in this comparatively free country, through mere ignorance and mistake, are so occupied with the factitious cares and superfluously coarse labors of life that its finer fruits cannot be plucked by them" "There is no odor so bad as that which arises from goodness tainted. It is human, it is divine, carrion. If I knew for a certainly that a man was coming to my house with the conscious design of doing me good, I should run for my life, as from that dry and parching wind of the African deserts called the simoom, which fills the mouth and nose and ears and eyes with dust till you are suffocated, for fear that I should get some of his good done to me,-some of its virus mingled with my blood" "What is true for one is truer still for a thousand, as a large house is not more expensive than a small one in proportion to its size, since one roof may cover, one cellar underlie, and one wall separate several apartments"

10-19-2007, 02:41 PM	#2
AuntShecky Sad Sack Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Upstate New York Posts: 1,587 Blog Entries: 5	"Most men, even in this comparatively free country, through mere ignorance and mistake, are so occupied with the factitious cares and superfluously coarse labors of life that its finer fruits cannot be plucked by them" Well, this may be "serendipity" as yours truly happens to be re-reading the book now. This first quotation seems reasonable to me. I think Thoreau means that we are so preoccupied and busy with acquiring material goods and wealth that we don't take time to appreciate the finer things of live, the beauty and riches of Nature unfolding before our very eyes. These "finer fruits" (an example of synecdoche as well as a gorgeous metaphor) refer to those features of Nature. "There is no odor so bad as that which arises from goodness tainted. It is human, it is divine, carrion. If I knew for a certainly that a man was coming to my house with the conscious design of doing me good, I should run for my life, as from that dry and parching wind of the African deserts called the simoom, which fills the mouth and nose and ears and eyes with dust till you are suffocated, for fear that I should get some of his good done to me,-some of its virus mingled with my blood" Aw, this is Thoreau's under-rated but very acute sense of humor at work here. What wit! Beware of people who tell you things for "your own good." And there was a sarcastic joke flying around not long ago: "We're from the government and we're here to help you." What that joke--and Thoreau seems to be saying is-- if someone says he wants to "help" you, head for the hills. Think of all the damage that has been done to society by those who think they are doing "good." "What is true for one is truer still for a thousand, as a large house is not more expensive than a small one in proportion to its size, since one roof may cover, one cellar underlie, and one wall separate several apartments" This is the most difficult one of the three. In a broad sense, what he seems to be saying is that the statements he has been making should hold true no matter what the circumstances. Or more specifically he might be saying that a large expensive house is just as good as a cheap one -- for the recurrent theme throughout Walden is a disdain for materialism, how a dependence on acquiring things can be oppressive. "Simplify!" "Simplify!" Hope these responses help. Auntie Last edited by AuntShecky; 10-19-2007 at 02:45 PM. Reason: There was no differentiation between the quotes and the responses. It seems okay now.

04-28-2009, 10:50 AM	#4
The Comedian Skol'er of Thinkery Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: in a house in the northern forest Posts: 1,923 Blog Entries: 26	Sort of. . . Walden is an experiment at trying to find the best life. And Walden, the book, is Thoreau's documentation of his experiment at living the best life. As a result, many places in Walden where Thoreau appears to be hypocritical, he is merely documenting a failed experiment. In the passage that you cite "so occupied with the factitious cares and superfluously" (my emphasis) Thoreau identifies that the problem with labor, in this case, is not labor itself, but the intense occupation with it. Thoreau later extols the virtue of labor and farming, yes, but via experiment and failure, he feels that his has discovered the best ways (emotional/spiritual) and the best methods of farming. You may find that in Walden, Thoreau does nearly everything some one living "normally" would do: he has a garden, he goes to town, he participates in meetings, he goes on fishing excursions, he reads, he writes, he visits friends. . . . . and yet he is critical of the manner in which each one of these activities is conducted in common society. __________________ Willie: "Cowboys like smokey old pool rooms and clear mountain mornings" Waylon: "Little warm puppies and children and girls of the night"

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03-31-2009, 11:15 PM	#3
jakobmuller YMCA Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Midwest USA Posts: 48	"Most men, even in this comparatively free country, through mere ignorance and mistake, are so occupied with the factitious cares and superfluously coarse labors of life that its finer fruits cannot be plucked by them" He really contradicted himself with that quote, since later in the book he goes on about the virtues of working on a farm and hard labor.

05-06-2009, 05:36 PM	#5
pagebypage Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: ohio Posts: 77	This is a bit off the OP but I have to point out that Thoreau left Walden and went into town all the time. While he was there, he still worked in his family's pencil-making business. Indeed, while here he developed a process to so finely mill graphite that the family business expanded into printer's ink. He enabled his family to make a fortune. He went into the woods to live deliberately but for a reason. He wished to finish his studies. He had two options: the traditional way of work and save for years and then leave for study full time; or cut expenses to the essentials and complete his studies right away. He went to Walden and did the latter. The book was a bonus.