While strolling through the forests near Walden Pond, Henry David Thoreau stumbled across a man and his family. The father, John Field had moved to America from Ireland with his wife and his son in order to "improve [their] condition one day" (Walden, 139). Henry listened intently to what John had to say about his life in America and his plans for the future, and then he offered up his personal experiences concerning society and life in general. To a reader who hasn't been exposed to the works of Emerson or Throreau, the entire situation might seem perfectly normal, almost mundane, however Thoreau is a transcendentalist who had been living in nature for the past 2 years in an attempt to become divine and righteous.

John has never heard of such a lifestyle and is drawn closer and becomes deeply interested in the argument that Thoreau makes for living simply. Thoreau explains that he "lives in a tight, light, and clean house, which hardly cost him more than the annual rent of such a ruin as [John's] commonly amounts to" (Walden, 140). Thoreau almost makes the identical argument, (although Thoreau is not really "

arguing", he is documenting the costs of his house) and explains that having a shelter that is practical yet functional is an essential step to simplifying one's life, which in turn is an essential step in the process of becoming deified and enlightened.

In more detail Thoreau mentions, " [that] the necessaries of life for man in this climate may, accurately enough be distributed under the several heads of FOOD, SHELTER, CLOTHING, and FUEL" (Walden, 13). Food, one of the several heads mentioned in the statement above is also a necessity of life which "keeps up the internal combustion in the lungs; fuel" (Walden, 13). Thoreau recognized the pattern in which society had contorted the meaning of life into a competition for material possessions, rather than an enlightening experience. Thoreau sought a remedy to counteract the effects of society on the individual. Reduction. Thoreau reduced life down to the bare necessities, which included: Food, Shelter, Clothing, and Fuel. Once Thoreau simplified life, he created a domino effect--because "[he] did not work hard, [he] did [not] have to eat hard, and it cost [him] but a trifle for [his] food" (Walden, 140).

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Approximate Word count = 784
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)