Walden by Henry David Thoreau | Chapter 3

Summary

In Chapter 3 of Thoreau's *Walden*, he reflects on the importance of great reading, learning classical languages, and the noble pursuit of writing. He argues that reading the classics in their original languages, like Greek and Latin, requires the dedication of an athlete, and that reading inferior books is a waste of time. Thoreau critiques the provincial nature of his town, Concord, for not investing in the arts, and contrasts the average reader with the great reader, emphasizing the need for self-improvement. His move to Walden Pond is driven by the desire to be taken seriously as a writer, while also recognizing the struggles of everyday people who lack the time for such pursuits.

Takeaways

• 😀 Thoreau describes Walden Pond as a better university than traditional schooling for studying the thoughts of great minds.
• 😀 He mentions struggling to find time for reading Homer's Iliad due to his busy manual labor, but hopes to read more classics in the future.
• 😀 Thoreau emphasizes the importance of reading the classics in their original languages, such as Greek and Latin, to truly understand them.
• 😀 He stresses that simply speaking classical languages isn't enough to appreciate great literature; one must train like an athlete to read well.
• 😀 Thoreau believes that writing is more noble than speaking, and that the written word is more influential than the spoken one.
• 😀 He critiques easy reading, like love stories, claiming it only leads to intellectual stagnation and compares inferior books to gingerbread, while great works are like whole wheat.
• 😀 Thoreau aspires to connect with wiser minds than those found in his own town of Concord, which he believes neglects the Fine Arts.
• 😀 He laments that Concord focuses more on farming and infrastructure than funding more noble pursuits like the arts and intellectual growth.
• 😀 Thoreau compares average readers to astrologers and great readers to astronomers, suggesting that most people lack the proper approach to reading and should be challenged to improve.
• 😀 Thoreau reflects on his search for self-improvement and acknowledges his desire to be taken seriously as a writer, which influences his ideas about authors as a natural aristocracy.

Q & A

What is the main theme of Chapter 3 of *Walden* as presented in the transcript?

The main theme of Chapter 3 of *Walden* revolves around Thoreau's views on the importance of reading and studying great works of literature. He contrasts the value of engaging with the classics in their original languages with the shallowness of easy, superficial books.

What is Thoreau’s opinion on the difference between spoken and literary language?

Thoreau believes that simply knowing how to speak classical languages is insufficient for understanding the great works. The difference between spoken language and literary language is vast, and readers need to train like athletes to read well.

What does Thoreau suggest about the nobility of writing compared to speaking?

Thoreau considers writing to be more noble than speaking. He views written words as the choicest relics and sees great writers as more influential than kings.

How does Thoreau feel about the quality of books that average readers typically choose?

Thoreau criticizes easy, inferior books, such as love stories, comparing them to gingerbread in contrast to whole wheat. He believes that such books lead to intellectual stagnation, or vegetating.

Why does Thoreau criticize Concord in the context of the Fine Arts?

Thoreau criticizes Concord for not supporting the Fine Arts. While the town invests heavily in farming and infrastructure, he argues that it neglects more noble pursuits, such as fostering a culture of art and intellectual engagement.

How does Thoreau contrast the average reader with the great reader?

Thoreau contrasts average readers with great readers by likening them to astrologers and astronomers. He argues that great readers, like astronomers, have a deeper understanding and approach to reading, while average readers are more superficial in their engagement.

What does Thoreau mean by stating that people need to be 'provoked, goaded like oxen'?

Thoreau suggests that people need to be pushed into intellectual engagement, much like oxen are prodded into work. He implies that the average person lacks the intrinsic motivation to read deeply and thoughtfully, so they need external encouragement.

How does Thoreau view his own motivation for writing and living at Walden Pond?

Thoreau’s motivation for writing and living at Walden Pond is tied to his desire for self-improvement and to establish himself as a serious writer. He seeks to be taken seriously and to demonstrate that he, too, can contribute meaningful work to the world.

What does Thoreau say about the time constraints on reading the classics?

Thoreau acknowledges that his manual labor at Walden Pond keeps him from reading Homer’s *Iliad* as much as he would like. However, he maintains hope that he will find more time to engage with the classics later.

What critique does Thoreau offer regarding the average person’s ability to read the classics?

Thoreau critiques the average person’s ability to read the classics by suggesting that most people are unlikely to study the classics in their original languages, such as Latin or Greek. He believes that reading the classics requires dedication and intellectual training that the average person does not pursue.