"The Pond in Winter"

Unlike the perspective we often assume transcendentalism to be, chapter 16, "The Pond in Winter" puts on a colder lens, yet helps us to understand what transcendentalism is at a closer level. In this chapter, Thoreau gives his audience a closer look at his home. However, I felt that this chapter had no purpose but to inform his readers the events that took place at his home that winter season and just his views of winter. Although the chapter had no argument to present to the reader, he had his own person purpose during this time of his life; to prove the villagers wrong of the idea that there was no bottom to Walden Pond. "... I was desirious to recover the long lost bottom of Walden Pond" (Thoreau). As usual, Thoreau was able to sneak his arrogance in once more and implies that he is smarter than most people. "I have visited two such Bottomless Ponds in one walk in this neighborhood. Many have believed that Walden reached quite through to the other side of the globe". (Thoreau). He goes on to explain the many mistakes and stupidity of his fellow society members before stating he easily accomplished the mystery of the bottomless pond. "I fathomed it easily with a cod-line and a stone weighing about a pound and a half..." (Thoreau). Compared to other pieces written by Thoreau, this piece had a calmer, more soothing tone to it. It illuminated his passion for nature, one that was absent in other pieces. There was no accusing of the society, but solely his passion for the nature he loved. His diction made the piece seem all the more real, as if I were with him while he was observing the fishermen and the hundred men who came to take the Walden he knew away from him. His use of the words "ice", "cold", "solid", and "snow" caused shivers to run up and down my spine as well as the room to chill and drop down 20 degrees. Not only was it the diction that appealed to me, but also his ability to incorporate his ideas into a public expression. "They possess a quite dazzling and transcendent beauty which separates them by a wide interval from the cadaverous cod and haddock whose fame is trumpeted in our streets" (Thoreau). Thoreau speaks of the pickerels whose beauty is quite uncommon and calls it a "transcendent beauty". He also says that their "fame is trumpted in our streets". His diction in this sentence is really ironic in that the members of society didn't accept Thoreau or his transcendental beliefs, yet they praise the beauty of the pickerel which Thoreau described as transcendent, rare; it is unique and one of a kind. He urges his readers to become independent and more like the pickerels - uncommon. However, although he assumed people would read his book once it was published, it seemed as though Walden was meant more for himself than for anyone else. He was his own audience. His use of details of the events he experienced and his constant use of "I" led to the conclusion that this chapter or this book in general was originally his private journal for his thoughts and occurrences. "As I was desirous to recover the long lost bottom... I surveyed it carefully... I am thankful... What I have observed of the pond is no less true in ethics... I have not discovered..." (Thoreau). Thoreau chases after knowledge not for anyone else but himself, yet he doesn't mind sharing the newly-achieved knowledge with his society so that they may learn, too. "While yet it is cold January, and snow and ice are thick and solid, the prudent landlord comes from the village to get ice to cool his summer drink" (Thoreau). Throughout "The Pond in Winter", Thoreau shows readers that they unknowingly refer to transcendental ideas, but they just have to passion for it.