"The Village"

In chapter 8, “The Village,” Thoreau tells his routine of visiting his nearby town, and his discoveries about society. He seems to take on an inquisitive tone towards the townspeople. Thoreau relates the citizens back to nature, which makes Thoreau seem detached from his fellow neighbors, like when he says, “I walked in the woods to see the birds and squirrels, so I walked in the village to see the men and boys.” While describing his town experiences, Thoreau doesn’t seem to fully understand the town, and goes there to “observe their habits.” He relates the gossip to a “news room” where people have “a vast appetite for the former commodity.” He continues to use words relating to hunger such as “appetite” and “digestion” to show how strong and common the townspeople are drawn into something, it also creates a feeling that everyone can relate to. “Signs were hung out on all sides to allure him [a traveler]; some to catch him by the appetite.” Thoreau also says that after hearing all this gossip, he gets to “escape to the woods again.” This gives the feeling that, even though Thoreau was inquisitive about the town, he isn’t comfortable there, or feeling at home with other men. His comfort is found in the woods, with nature.
Thoreau then goes on to tell of his connection with the woods. “Sometimes, after coming home thus late in a dark and muggy night, when my feet felt the path which my eyes could not see, dreaming and absent-minded all the way, until I was aroused by having to raise my hand to lift the latch, I have not been able to recall a single step of my walk.” He knows the woods like the back of his hand. He is comfortable to walk in the pitch black, but he has no fear of ever losing his way. On the contrary, Thoreau feels that “it is a surprising and memorable, as well as valuable experience, to be lost in the woods any time.” The rest of the citizens, unlike him, “go astray even in the village streets.” He is content in the woods, but society will “constrain man to belong to their desperate odd-fellow society.” He then concludes his purpose by stating that he was well respected by many, even though he was different and did not conform to the “desperate odd-fellow society.” Throughout this chapter, he makes it clear that everyone can be different, and still be happy and well liked. He does not understand all the things that society does, so he feels no need to conform to it. He lives his own life, happily in the woods. Thoreau makes it apparent that everyone can be their own person, and choose their own life.