The Village

In chapter 8 of Walden, “The Village,” Henry Thoreau describes his experiences with the nearby village of Concord and the people who live there. Throughout the chapter, Thoreau frequently compares the villagers to parts of nature, and speaks of them as if they are creatures that he is observing. For example, in line 7 he writes, “As I walked in the woods to see the birds and squirrels, so I walked in the village to see the men and boys.” By referring to the people like this, Thoreau’s chapter takes on a tone of curiosity, and detachment from the human race. This is also evidenced when he says he “went there frequently to observe their habits.” More subtly, Thoreau also has a condescending tone when he speaks of their daily activities. When describing the gossipers, Thoreau says, “to see a row of such worthies, either sitting on a ladder sunning themselves, with their bodies inclined forward and their eyes glancing along the line this way and that, from time to time, with a voluptuous expression.” By describing an unimportant activity like gossiping with such impressive diction, Thoreau seems to be mocking the gossipers. This is shown through use of the words “worthies,” “sunning themselves,” and “voluptuous,” to describe them. In the second part of this chapter, Thoreau describes what it is like to walk in the forest, or anywhere, at night when you can’t use your eyes. He says that he is “dreaming and absent-minded all the way,” and that his “body would find its way home if its master should forsake it.” Thoreau then compares his experience with those of others, whose differ very much so. After two men tried to find their way home one night, Thoreau says he was “obliged to conduct him to the carpath.” Through his diction and use of the word “obliged,” Thoreau portrays his disdainful view of the public’s lack of internal compass, as compared to his private one. Thoreau’s purpose in comparing himself to the villagers is to highlight his own uniqueness, and possible superiority. The second paragraph heavily contrasts Thoreau and the village people, and he also continues to degrade them in the third section, calling them “serious inconveniences.” Thoreau even seems to have written this piece for himself, or other transcendentalists like himself. This is because of the way he writes about people as if they are subjects to be observed and studied, and how he includes information and scenarios to make himself seem more intelligent and important than other humans.