Egoitarianism In Henry David Thoreau - 1662 Words

As one of the most respected and honored writers in all of American literature, millions have idolized Henry David Thoreau for his transcendental ideologies seen throughout many of his works, such as â€Å"Walden†. However is this respect deserved? Thoreau critics describe him as a very conceited, hypocritical, and egotistical individual who had little respect or empathy for humanity. On the other hand, those in praise of Thoreau describe his writing as unparalleled in terms of detailed descriptions, observations, and understanding and explanation of deeper meanings. Through analysis of his writings and the expert opinions of others, evidence exists that Henry David Thoreau was an egotistical and hypocritical person while also one of the most†¦show more content†¦Sandy Stott attempts to refute this in her essay â€Å"A Reply to Pond Scum† when she states, â€Å"Schulz ignores Thoreau’s repeated purpose, awakening his neighbors, as opposed to trumpeting his own life† (Stott). However, this statement is not accurate. Thoreau trumpets his own life by using himself as an example for how people should live their lives. In â€Å"Walden†, undoubtedly Thoreau’s most famous work, he uses examples from his experiences in the woods around Walden Pond as a reference for how people should live. Furthermore, Schultz does not ignore Thoreau’s purpose, she understands that Thoreau wants to awaken his fellow man to his transcendental ideologies. However, she opposes the way that Thoreau egotistically uses his life an the example of what he considers ideal, consequently placing himself on a pedestal above everyone else. Thoreau did not only suffer from unfounded superiority, he was also an extreme hypocrite who failed to live up to the expectations he set for the rest of man. For instance, one of Thoreau’s fundamental ideologies included his belief that in order to live a good life people needed live in nature, fr eeing themselves of everything except the necessities. This fundamental transcendental idea, one that was discussed extensively by Ralph Waldo Emerson and