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    WALDEN

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    Lakshmipriya P Santhosh
    Thoreau discusses his reading habits while living at Walden Pond. He summarizes that he read classics like Homer's Iliad frequently, seeing them as providing timeless wisdom. He believes reading true books in the right spirit requires intense training, like an athlete's training. Thoreau also differentiates between spoken and written language, with the latter seen as more refined and permanent. While many could speak Latin and Greek, some could not read the classics written in their "nobler dialects," and thus the texts were useless to them. Thoreau advocates reading the great works of poets and philosophers rather than just for practical convenience, and laments that communities do not support lifelong learning for their citizens.

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    WALDEN

    Uploaded by

    Lakshmipriya P Santhosh
    63 views7 pages
    Thoreau discusses his reading habits while living at Walden Pond. He summarizes that he read classics like Homer's Iliad frequently, seeing them as providing timeless wisdom. He believes reading true books in the right spirit requires intense training, like an athlete's training. Thoreau also differentiates between spoken and written language, with the latter seen as more refined and permanent. While many could speak Latin and Greek, some could not read the classics written in their "nobler dialects," and thus the texts were useless to them. Thoreau advocates reading the great works of poets and philosophers rather than just for practical convenience, and laments that communities do not support lifelong learning for their citizens.

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    Thoreau discusses his reading habits while living at Walden Pond. He summarizes that he read classics like Homer's Iliad frequently, seeing them as providing timeless wisdom. He believes reading true books in the right spirit requires intense training, like an athlete's training. Thoreau also differentiates between spoken and written language, with the latter seen as more refined and permanent. While many could speak Latin and Greek, some could not read the classics written in their "nobler dialects," and thus the texts were useless to them. Thoreau advocates reading the great works of poets and philosophers rather than just for practical convenience, and laments that communities do not support lifelong learning for their citizens.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    63 views7 pages

    WALDEN

    Uploaded by

    Lakshmipriya P Santhosh
    Thoreau discusses his reading habits while living at Walden Pond. He summarizes that he read classics like Homer's Iliad frequently, seeing them as providing timeless wisdom. He believes reading true books in the right spirit requires intense training, like an athlete's training. Thoreau also differentiates between spoken and written language, with the latter seen as more refined and permanent. While many could speak Latin and Greek, some could not read the classics written in their "nobler dialects," and thus the texts were useless to them. Thoreau advocates reading the great works of poets and philosophers rather than just for practical convenience, and laments that communities do not support lifelong learning for their citizens.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    of 7

    WALDEN

    H.D.THOREAU
    Chapter 3
    “READING” (WALDEN:
    CHAPTER 3)
     Accumulating fame, prosperity and property for ourselves or posterity- mortal.
     He considers truth and in a way reading as immortal.
     Homer’s Iliad was his companion throughout the summer- on the table.
     Amidst his busy schedule he read books as much as possible.
     He considers classics as the “ noblest recorded thoughts of man”.
     Classics are regarded as oracles and provide answers to most modern inquiries which Delphi and
    Dodona failed to gave.
     To read true books , in true spirits- is a noble exercise and requires the severe training as athletes.
     Thoreau differentiates between the spoken and written language or the language heard and
    language read.
    THE SPOKEN AND WRITTEN
    LANGUAGE
    Spoken language Written language

     Commonly transitory(not permanent)  Matured and experienced


     Sound, a tongue or even a dialect  Regarded as father tongue( certain
    language used for expressing ideas)
     Mother tongue( vernacular/employed in
    everyday)  A reserved and select expression
     Brutish ( appropriate to the context)  Nobler dialects
     Learnt unconsciously
    DID ALL READ THE CLASSICS?
     Some who merely spoke Greek and Latin were not able to read- since these were written in
    select language
     They were in nobler dialects of Greece and Rome
     These texts were “waste paper to them” and they depended on cheap contemporary literature
     With the acquiring of distinct written languages in several nations of Europe – for their own
    literatures- learning revived
     Scholars discerned( recognized) the treasures of antiquity
     very best speech is not as good as the best writing because the speaker is always trying to
    appeal to those around him
     while the writer, who doesn't have "the event and the crowd" to distract him, is appealing to
    readers of all ages and thus speaks immortal truths.
    “A WRITTEN WORD IS THE
    CHOICEST OF THE RELICS”-
    THOREAU
     Books are something more intimate and universal than any other work of art
     Most nearest to life itself- can be breathed from all human lips
     Unlike a sculpture or canvas art it can be carved out of breath itself
     It stands the test of time unlike the monuments

    “ Books are the treasured wealth of the world and the fit inheritance of generations and nations. Books, the oldest and
    the best, stand naturally and rightfully on the shelves of every cottage. They have no cause of their own to plead, but while they
    enlighten and sustain the reader his common sense will not refuse them.”

     Writers influence the mankind more than kings or emperors


     Many ignore the classics and stick to scriptures like The Bible and the Vedas
     The works of great poets have never yet been read by the mankind-for only great poets can
    read them
    CONTD.
     They are read in the same way as the multitude read stars- astrologically
     Most men have learnt to read – for paltry convenience- for trade
     They vegetate on easy reading- less valued by Thoreau
     The best books are not read even by those who are called good readers
     Book exists for us, perchance, which will explain our miracles and reveal new ones. 
     He says, but there must also be schools for adults, because education must never end.
     He laments that the town spends money on unnecessary luxuries but not on its citizens' mental
    life. He wishes for a noble village
    THANK YOU! 

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