I Think I Read Something Similar to This
And that was Annie Dillard's Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. *twitches* Don't even get me started on that book.
Anyway, I actually kind of enjoyed Thoreau's Walden. My quote is from Chapter 2: Where I Lived, and What I Lived For.
"If we read of one man robbed, or murdered, or killed by accident, or one house burned, or one vessel wrecked, or one steamboat blown up, or one cow run over on the Western Railroad, or one mad dog killed, or one lot of grasshoppers in the winter--we never need read of another" (para. 19).
When I read this quote, I immediately agreed. Our society seems to thrive on bad news. In my high school social studies class, we had to do current events; writing down different news articles. It was pretty pointless and most of the time, people made something up because like the above quote says, we've already seen something like it.
And now for Chapter 4: Sounds
""The rays which stream through the shudder will be no longer remembered when the shutter is wholly removed" (para. 1).
I think this quote fits well with human nature, we tend to forget things or not notice them when they're gone. We just go about our daily lives like nothing changed.
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Katie Lantz on I Think I Read Something Similar to This: AH! Annie Dillard!!! Anyway,
Heather Mourick on I Think I Read Something Similar to This: I had to do current events in
I had to do current events in high school too... and you're right, we usually made them up on the bus, or checked the internet right before school started and jotted down some notes. People always remember bad things and tend to forget the good. I think we lose ourselves in the midst of the hate of every day. It's sad, but generally true.
AH! Annie Dillard!!!
Anyway, past that. I did like Thoreau a bit better, only because he is very quotable. When I read "Walden" as a whole, it left me in the same transcendental trance as "Pilgrim at Tinker Creek" did. I am sure that Thoreau makes some wonderful points about society and nature, but in truth, I think he is WAY TOO DESCRIPTIVE.
It was pretty cool about how bubbles freeze in a pond, but seriously, enough.
Being descriptive is all fine and dandy, but only if the story has plot (at least in my opinion). When something doesn't have a plot, but is very descriptive, it kinda turns into a very LONG reading process.