Out of the four Walden essays we were assigned to read, some of my favorite lines came from “The Bean Field”. I drew a lot of connections from this piece and related it to small scale agriculture (something that has come to my attention a lot since I started this class). It also made me think about the whole “bigger is better” epidemic America is facing right now, and how backing off and reducing our growth problem in general is something we should all start focusing on.
About six paragraphs down, Thoreau personified dirt and gave it much more significance than we would ever think to give it.
“As I drew a still fresher soil about the rows with my hoe, I disturbed the ashes of unchronicled nations who in primeval years lived under these heavens, and their small implements of war and hunting were brought to the light of this modern day.”
Thoreau hints at the way people used to live on Earth and how it was sort of primitive. However, going back to our roots isn’t something that should be looked down on. We need to start cutting back more now than ever, and bringing that mindset into “the light of this modern day” is something I find very important. Along with the idea of getting back to the soil and our roots, the second quote that really caught my attention was near the very end:
“It matters little comparatively whether the fields fill the farmer's barns. The true husbandman will cease from anxiety, as the squirrels manifest no concern whether the woods will bear chestnuts this year or not, and finish his labor with every day, relinquishing all claim to the produce of his fields, and sacrificing in his mind not only his first but his last fruits also.”
Animals don’t stress about food production or profit, so why should we? This passage made me think briefly of Ishmael and the idea of wild animals focusing on survival, but caged animals over thinking and becoming depressed. When we spend more time taking care of our land rather than taking from it, not only will our Earth be healthier, but so will we.
I like that you focused on downsizing. I think that it is one of the easiest, and most important actions we can take. Also, great job incorporating the books and ideas that we have discussed in class!!!
ReplyDeleteAgree! I like the connections you made with Ishmael, and the problem that "caged" animals face.
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