Henry David Thoreau Case

Henry David Thoreau's Where I lived, and What I Lived For is a great example of an essay seeking to bring out the question, "what is the meaning of life?" Through this piece, Thoreau is able to come to the conclusion that life needs to be simplified in order to live free and uncommitted. This idea is further exemplified when Thoreau expresses that he feels that he works only for himself and has enormous pride for that work. He appears as an optimistic individual as he always looks for the silver line in situations. For example, he explains that his poorly made windows provide fresh air on summer nights. He also declares that he is independent of time and chooses when he wishes to participate in 'the flow' of it. All in all, he concludes with a simple message to the reader: life is simple.

The essay is written in first person and offers Thoreau's personal experience and what lessons he derived from that experience. The occasion of the essay is during a summer of the mid 1850s when Thoreau settles at a pond where he decides to exclude himself from society and lead a simple life. The piece was intended to serve as an alternative to the standard lifestyle and also contrast the life of slaves in the South. It was most likely addressed to abolitionists and idealists as well as Southern slave owners in order to create a sense of perusal of truth. His two years of simple existence in a hut that he built himself gave him the opportunity to reflect upon the fact that study and meditation are extremely important.

The purpose of the essay was to inform people that meditation and study should play key roles in one's life and offer a new outlook on life. The purpose may also be of conveying peace by living in tranquility with one another and not indulging in each other's affairs, with his example of not living near a post office. Thoreau also tries to convey the simplicity of life through words and that everyone should reduce their bodily wants. The subject of the essay is to describe a personal experience of Thoreau living in simple existence at a hut and what he had gained through the experience. The tone is relatively neutral throughout the essay but in some ways is quite didactic in the sense that Thoreau aims to convince the reader of stripping away their wants and living a simple life.