ENGLISH LITERATURE (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -Thoreau believed that the key to a simple life was simplicity itself. He believed that people should strive for simplicity, not necessarily for minimalism. He thought there was no point in striving for something that makes you miserable in the end.

Detailed explanation-2: -He was a well-known advocate of transcendentalism, or the belief in the inherent goodness of people and nature, making a virtue of self-reliance. In his essay … On the Duty of Civil Disobedience, Thoreau once wrote “That government is best which governs not at all”.

Detailed explanation-3: -Thoreau also believed we should look to nature, which is full of deep spiritual significance. He sought “to be always on the alert to find God in nature.” He thought of animals, forests, and waterfalls as inherently valuable both for their beauty and their role in the ecosystem.

Detailed explanation-4: -In 1845, Thoreau took up residence at Walden Pond and began to write. The result was Walden, which touted simple living, communion with nature, and self-sufficiency.