2.24.2008

Early Sap
Thoreau's Journal: 23-Feb-1857

I have seen the signs of spring. I have seen a frog swiftly sinking in a pool, or where he dimpled the surface as he leapt in. I have seen the brilliant spotted tortoises stirring at the bottom of the ditches. I have seen the clear sap trickling from the red maple.

19 comments:

Geraldine said...

What a beautiful idea for a blog, glad I stopped in.

Carly Mathis said...

This shows how attentive Thoreau was to his surroundings. He payed attention to every detail at Walden Pond and tried to experience everything. He noticed the smallest things as something extroidenary. It proves that every detail of nature plays a vital role.

Hannah Pierce said...

this defiantly shows how Thoreau has become one with nature due to his living at Walden. He is judging the season by his surrounding and not simply by a calendar date

Satyam said...

Here is yet another one of Thoreau's more vivid journal entries. He clearly expresses the details as he sees them and make it seem so beautiful. I love how he feels so comfortable with nature and his current surroundings at Walden Pond.

Anonymous said...

Thoreau obviously didn't miss much of nature's beauty. As Hannah said, it is made clear that he is a nonconformist by the way he tells time; the way God intended it to be.

haley said...

this is nature in the raw. it is so relaxing to sit out by a pound or anywhere in the woods and listen and stare into nature. i could do it for hours upon end. you just lose yourself in the true beauty of it all. taking in the majesty of nature is like a release from he busy civilized world that we live in.

JButlerS said...

Thoreau truly is a simple man. He simply descries what he sees- no metaphor, no simile, no complicated syntax. This is what makes the man so great, he does not want anyone to analyze him.

Zach Singletary said...

I agree with Butler, he was a simple man that enjoyed the world around him. He was observant and let nature teacher him.

Number Thirteen said...

Thoreau is indeed an expert on nature. He delved into his surroundings, analyzing the simple details of God's creation. I also enjoy the fact that this entry was simple in accordance with his lifestyle. There is no hidden meaning. He tells it like it is, and he is fascinated with it.

Anonymous said...

I love this journal entry because of the imagery that Thoreau uses to describe this scene. You can very easily picture what he was looking at when he wrote these words.

brad germany said...

Thoreau has adapted well to nature and developed the ability to relate its occurrences with the changing seasons.

ariel maschke said...

The imagery in this quote is really beautiful because it is so simple. Throeau doesn't add dramatic descriptions or use literary devices to convey his message. He calls it like it is seen in nature. Nothing added. Simply nature.

Unknown said...

It's really amazing how he clearly expresses what he's seeing in only a few lines. The animals are described in detail, and you can see them. The fact that he's so in tune with nature is astounding. Well, I would imagine so, seeing as though he went off the live in the woods alone. He pays so close attention.

spratdabrat said...

This quote makes it obvious that Thoreau has gotten to actually know nature, and has become familiar with its tendencies. His observations have improved his writings skills, and has actually changed the way he views things.

Anonymous said...

This journal entry shows Thoreau's devout love of nature. The simplicity yet vividness of his entry clearly depicts his amazing ability of observation.

Devon Gaydos said...

I do like this passage. It's pretty, simple, and straightforward.
However, no offense, if I lived in the woods, I think I could describe a turtle and frog too. I don't see how this passage shows any marvelous aptitude for writing. This is certainly not the best Thoreau can do.

Also, it seems strange to me that it would be spring in Massachusetts in February. My friends in PA were sledding this weekend. I guess it wasn't a long winter.

Ali Rocco said...

I think this is an excellent example of everything Thoreau stood for. I mean, he went into the woods for two years to find himself, and he realized the true beauty in the world. Which is reflected in this passage.

Sam Linhart said...

I really really like this entry because of its simplicity. Thoreau has a way to express nature with words that really gives you a visual of what he was seeing as he was writing and really gets the reader involved with the words.

jakemoore6 said...

Thoreau love nature and enjoyed studying all aspects of it around. He did not just look, but also listened and used all his other senses to get the deepest understanding of his surroundings.