Chapter 3: Reading

Chapter 3: Reading

1. Reading

   • Thoreau states that reading is a sort of mission to find the truth. He continues and says that reading is immortal while material things soon expire. He believes that writing is noble, and that writers are superior to speakers. To him, written work is a universal truth, a kind of art that very accurately represents life.

2. People

   • Thoreau once again talks about how people should try to read more (like like his egotistical self). He says how most people don't aim high enough when it comes to reading, or instead sometimes only focus on one book, he uses the Bible as an example (is he mocking religion now?!). He continues to say that by doing this people are actually worsening their moral and intellectual standards/abilities. He then goes on to say something which I can only interpret as him not being satisfied with the people in his life (which are very few) and wished that he knew "better" (probably means smarter or more like him) people. He finishes his thought by saying that he thinks (emphasis on the THINKS part because this is what he believes and not everyone, especially me, agrees with him) that the way to becoming great/achieving spiritual greatness is through reading.

3. Closing Thoughts

   • Thoreau closes the chapter by commenting on places. He says that Concord and places like it have no real importance since, as he states, they are culturally vacant. He continues to say that places like this need to dream/reach for greater achievements. He says that the schools for children in Concord are good enough (I'm honestly surprised, SOMETHING IS ACTUALLY GOOD ENOUGH FOR HIM?!?!). He however says that they need school for adults seeing as how education, in his opinion, is never-ending. He returns to an earlier point made in the book, that is, that people spend too much money on material things and luxuries when they should use it (or perhaps not use it at all) on maintaining a good mental health.