Walden Chapter 4: Sounds

Walden Chapter 4: Sounds

1. Thoreau believes that a person should be alert and open to nature.

   • He spends most of his time enjoying his surroundings rather than reading, writing, or working.

2. There is a railroad next to Thoreau's house. Every time it passes by it reminds him that civilization is nearby.

   • He says both that the sound of the train refreshes him and that he is repelled by its smoke and steam and hissing.
   • When it passes him, he is alone again.

3. Thoreau's new lifestyle frees him from any worries and responsibilities in his life.

   • He admires the simplicity of his life and how little belongings he owns.