by John Sarkis

Created on: May 18, 2008   Last Updated: January 18, 2012

"Walden" is not only one of the most popular non-fiction books ever written, but it's hands down Thoreau's magnum opus. Most would agree it's a book about individualism, although not nearly as original as Moby Dick, but then again, fiction has always been more flexible to the imagination than non-fiction is. The book asks the question of what and how much capital is really necessary for a person to live on? The reason "Walden" has never been as popular as either "Moby Dick" or "Huckleberry Fin (comparing non-fiction to fiction isn't always easy) is because of "Walden's content; poverty is the one thing this world is too aware of. In Melville's case: for two people of completely different culture to come together, was a very difficult concept as it is even today. Just look around you: many countries have a great deal of dislike towards each other - and if you want to take the topic of religion, well, even an essay won't suffice.  However, "Walden" is considered today one of the great achievements of world literature.

Like many other 19th century great American books/novels (even though Walden is non-fiction - it's still a novel), the book was inspired by Transcendentalism - Melville, Hawthorne, and Thoreau were much influenced by Transcendentalism. The first chapter is about "capital," or rather "lack of." Thoreau says it cost him $28.12 cents to live on Walden for two years. Just think: even if you own a hybrid today, most likely you can't fill it up with this amount...but-in Thoreau's day, this was money. I think if you translate this into our current economy (US anyway), it's safe to say: $2000.00; of course this is nothing today, as it was nothing in Thoreau's day, either.

Other themes the book has are sounds, solitude, visitors, village, ponds, etc. Thoreau really wanted to convey what it was to be in complete absolute with nature (Walden Pound), and a great job he did. He also hunted/fished a great deal, which was probably one of the reasons he was able to survive with such little capital. Fish and game were available to him at Walden Pound, and he took advantage of this to a great extend; not by choice but by cheer necessity.

Thoreau was an individualist, no doubt about it; but he planned his life on Walden very frugally. I have problems giving this book, or Thoreau so much credit, because of this one thing: predictability (again, it's difficult to elaborate when writing non-fiction; non-fiction is much more difficult to write than fiction is for some, believe it or not.) He knew what he was getting into when he decided to live on Walden, and although he was most original by doing this, he wasn't in the same situation as people are today. There isn't one single homeless person on the street who will tell you they want to be on this situation. Thoreau on the other hand, did this willingly. This is where I give him credit. He did something most wouldn't have ever done back then. He stood for what he believed in! This is where his individualism comes in, and this is why Thoreau is considered to be a genius by generations after him, especially motivational thinkers, self-help groups, etc. He took a risk, without having to; and for this people have placed him amongst one of the literary giants of all times.

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