Thoreau/ Crane Essay Prim Phoolsombat Blue English 1/2/14

Prim Phoolsombat 1/2/14 Blue English

Thoreau/ Crane Outline

Thesis Statement: Henry David Thoreaus Walden: Economy and Stephen Cranes Maggie: A Girl of the Streets both demonstrate strong interpretations of various concepts, including self reliance, to which they disagree on, philanthropy, and material acquisitions, on which they share the same view, throughout the text that correspond to Transcendentalism and Naturalism. I. Introduction II. Self reliance: Throughout history, the significance of self reliance has never failed to rise in prominence in times of change, and with dramatic change occurring in America, self reliance could hardly go uninterpreted by both Crane and Thoreau, who formulated different opinions. A. Thoreau: self reliance and you can live life however you want to 1. man should not waste away with labor for others a. But men labor under a mistake. The better part of the man is soon ploughed into the soil for compost. By a seeming fate, commonly called necessity, they are employed, as it says in an old book, laying up treasures which moth and rust will corrupt and thieves break through and steal. It is a fools life, as they will find when they get to the end of it, if not before. (7) 2. happiness and productivity a. I took particular pleasure in this breaking of ground, for in almost all latitudes men dig into the earth for an equable temperature. (38) b. In short, I am convinced, both by faith and experience, that to maintain ones self on this earth is not a hardship but a pastime, if will live simply and wisely; as the pursuits of the simpler nations are still the sports of the more artificial. It is not necessary that a man should earn his living by the sweat of his brow, unless he sweats easier than I do. (59) B. Crane: you already have a fate chosen, it can be harsh; self reliance doesnt matter 1. self reliance in children does not get them anywhere a.A very little boy stood upon a heap of gravel for the honor of Rum Alley. He was throwing stones at howling urchins from Devils Row who were circling madly about the heap and pelting at him. (36) Pete ends up helping 2. Maggie cannot escape her fate

a. Maggie was pale. From her eyes had been plucked all look of self reliance. She leaned with a dependent air toward her companion. She was timid, as if fearing his anger or displeasure. She seemed to beseech tenderness of him. (73) She was not self reliant b. In a semi-comatose state he conducted her on board an up town car, ostentatiously paid her fare, leered kindly at her through the rear window and fell off the steps. (81) Even after losing Pete she is reliant on another man c. A girl of the painted cohorts of the city went along the street. (87) She becomes self reliant, but dies anyways III. Philanthropy/ philanthropists: Something that Crane and Thoreau can agree on is the subject of philanthropy, and how however well intended it may be, it is often ineffective or disregarded. A. Thoreau 1. philanthropy is not really helpful a. Philanthropy is almost the only virtue which is sufficiently appreciated by mankind. Nay, it is greatly overrated; and it is our selfishness which overrates it. (63) 2. those who give, help ineffectively a. Be sure that you give the poor the aid they most need, though it be your example which leaves them far behind. If you give money, spend yourself with it, and do not merely abandon it to them. (62) 3. philanthropy is more for the person giving and not those in need b. I believe that what so saddens the reformer is not his sympathy with his fellows in distress, but, though he be the holiest son of God, is his private ail. (64) B. Crane 1. those who give, help ineffectively a. He clad his soul in armor by means of happening hilariously in at a mission church where a man composed his sermons of yous. While they got warm at the stove, he told his hearers just where he calculated they stood with the Lord. Many of the sinners were impatient over the pictured depths of their degradation. They were waiting for soup-tickets. (46) The man only talked about those listening and not himself or his own sins b. Suddenly she came upon a stout gentleman in a silk hat and a chaste silk coat, whose decorous row of buttons reached from his chin to his knees. The girl had heard of the Grace of God and she decided to approach this man. His beaming chubby face was a picture of benevolence and kind-heartedness. His eyes shone good-will. But as the girl timidly accosted him, he gave a convulsive movement and saved his respectability

by a vigorous side-step. He did not risk it to save a soul. For how was he to know that there was a soul before him that needed saving? (86-87) Those who are supposed to be merciful still put themselves above others IV. Material acquisitions (possessions): With regards to material acquisitions, both Thoreau and Crane believed that materials do not have a great impact on the result of each persons life or destiny. A. Thoreau 1. inheritance/ possessions are a hindrance a. I see young mean, my townsmen, whose misfortune it is to have inherited farms, houses, barns, cattle, and farming tools; for these are more easily acquired than got rid of. Better if they had been born in the open pasture and suckeld by a wolf, that they might have seen with clearer eyes what field they were called to labor in. Who made them serfs of the soil? What should they eat their sixty acres, when man is condemned to eat only his peck of dirt. (6) b. Many of the luxuries, and many of the so called comforts of life, are not only dispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind. With respect to luxuries and comforts, the wisest have ever lived a more simple and meagre life than the poor. (16) ` 2. there is a limit a. None is so poor that he need sit on a pumpkin. That is shiftlessness. (55) B. Crane 1. despite Maggies efforts, sprucing family possessions does not increase Petes affection to her, and they get destroyed anyways a. She spent some of weeks pay in the purchase of flowered cretonne for a lambrequin. She made it with infinite care and hung it to the slightly careening mantel, over the stove in the kitchen. She studied it with painful anxiety from different points in the room. (53-54) b. Afterward the girl looked at it with a sense of humiliation. She was now convinced that Pete was superior to admiration for lambrequins. (54) V. Conclusion

Throughout the 1800s, transcendentalism and naturalism spread across the United States. One of the biggest impacts both had on the field of art was in literature. Henry David Thoreau, a Transcendentalist, lived by himself for two years at Walden Pond where he sustained himself and lived happily. While there, he wrote a book entitled Walden with a first chapter called Economy that details his various opinions on humans and economy. Stephen Crane, a Naturalist, penned a short story that depicts the struggles of Manhattan tenement residents, specifically Maggie, for which Maggie: A Girl of the Streets is named. Henry David Thoreaus Walden: Economy and Stephen Cranes Maggie: A Girl of the Streets both demonstrate strong interpretations of various concepts, including self reliance, on which they disagree, and philanthropy, and material acquisitions, on which they share the same view. Crane and Thoreau show significantly different opinions on self reliance. Thoreau is an avid believer in independence and devoting the majority of ones time to study rather than self maintenance. He thinks that men should not waste away under their labor for others. Thoreau states, It is a fools life, as they will find when they get to the end of it, if not before (7) when discussing mans mistakes in labor. Thoreau lived satisfactorily on the simplest means, and believed that by relying entirely on oneself, everyone could achieve much pleasantry and productivity. He also described his enjoyment of the little labor he did to support himself where, I took particular pleasure in this breaking of ground, for in almost all latitudes men dig into the earth for an equable temperature (38). He concludes that, It is not necessary that a man should earn his living by the sweat of his brow, unless he sweats easier than I do. (59) Therefore, Thoreau finds it logical for everyone to labor only for themselves, and that it will reap the greatest benefits for each individual.

Stephen Crane, on the other hand, has the opposite opinion on self reliance. He believes that every person has a certain fate that cannot be altered. One such example is in Jimmie, the oldest child of the Johnson household who grows up in their harsh and rough neighborhood. Attempts to lead a better lifestyle through self reliance, even in childhood, prove unfruitful and bring little improvements to the conditions they all live in. Jimmie is introduced as, A very little boy stood upon a heap of gravel for the honor of Rum Alley. He was throwing stones at howling urchins from Devils Row who were circling madly about the heap and pelting at him (36). When his companions abandon him and Jimmie fights for himself, he is about to lose to the opposing children before Pete, a sixteen year old, interferes and helps out Jimmie. As a child, Jimmie could not fulfill his own goals without interference or help. The other child in the Johnson household is the girl, Maggie. After moving in with Pete, ...her eyes had been plucked all look of self reliance. She leaned with a dependent air toward her companion. She was timid, as if fearing his anger or displeasure (73) and Pete leaves her for another woman, Nellie. The companion of Nellie ostentatiously paid her fare (81) and so Maggie is reliant on men at all times for support. She becomes a prostitute after being kicked out of her home and is forced to be self reliant as, A girl of the painted cohorts of the city went along the street (87). However, even when she is forced to be self reliant, she ends up fulfilling her fate and dying, probably by committing suicide. Where Thoreau believes that all people must be self - reliant, Crane shows that some people do not have the resources or strength to be self reliant. Crane and Thoreau agree on the subject of philanthropy, and how however well intended it may be, it is often ineffective or disregarded. Thoreau argues that philanthropy isnt actually helpful and that, Philanthropy is almost the only virtue which is sufficiently appreciated by mankind. Nay, it is greatly overrated; and it is our selfishness which overrates it (63). The few

who give to the needy do not truly dedicate themselves to a cause and never, give the poor the aid they most need, though it be your example which leaves them far behind. If you give money, spend yourself with it, and do not merely abandon it to them (62). Given that philant hropists only give money and abandon the poor with it, this invalidates the whole point of philanthropy, granting it ineffective. Thoreau also believed that the cause of philanthropy ...is more for the person giving and not those in need, I believe that what so saddens the reformer is not his sympathy with his fellows in distress, but, though he be the holiest son of God, is his private ail (64). As philanthropy is built around the givers needs and disregards actually helping the poor, Thoreau finds it to be inadequate. Crane also shares the views of Thoreau on philanthropy in agreeing that those who give, give ineffectively. When Jimmie is grown up, he goes to church and is, happening hilariously in at a mission church where a man composed his sermons of yous....he told his hearers just where he calculated they stood with the Lord. Many of the sinners were impatient over the pictured depths of their degradation. They were waiting for soup-tickets (46). The man speaking is only focused on judging the sins of others, and never including him in the process of purification. When Maggie is kicked out of her home and family, she looks for help and comes across a gentleman whose, ...eyes shone good-will. But as the girl timidly accosted him, he gave a convulsive movement and saved his respectability by a vigorous side-step. He did not risk it to save a soul. For how was he to know that there was a soul before him that needed saving? (86 87) Though the man is a member of the clergy and is supposed to be of good heart and charity, he, like many others, does not see the urgency to truly support a person in need. With regards to material acquisitions, both Thoreau and Crane believe that material possessions do not greatly impact a persons life or destiny. Thoreau specifically stresses that the

inheritance of objects is nothing more than a hindrance as he, ...see[s] young men, my townsmen, whose misfortune it is to have inherited farms, houses, barns, cattle, and farming tools; for these are more easily acquired than got rid of. Who made them serfs of the soil? (6) With the automatic assumption of ownership over property, it limits the choices men can make over how to handle their lives. He also comments on the true meaning of luxury where, Many of the luxuries, and many of the so called comforts of life, are not only dispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind (16). Though Thoreau did believe in living simply, he did have a limit to which he extended that moral and remarked, None is so poor that he need sit on a pumpkin. That is shiftlessness. (55) Thoreau finds the significance of material acquisitions to be less than noteworthy in considering a persons destiny. In Maggie, Crane shows a remarkable amount of instances where material is useless in improving a life course, shown almost entirely with Maggie. While enchanted by Petes power and the chance to escape her dismal life, Maggie attempts to fix her familys furniture to make a better impression on Pete and, ...spent some of weeks pay in the purchase of flowered cretonne for a lambrequin. She made it with infinite care and hung it to the slightly careening mantel, over the stove in the kitchen. She studied it with painful anxiety from different points in the room (53-54). Maggie later feels differently and, Afterward the girl looked at it with a sense of humiliation. She was now convinced that Pete was superior to admiration for lambrequins (54). The lambrequin over which she labored was destroyed in one of her mothers drunken fi ts. After all the time and effort, Pete never notices the lambrequin. This demonstrates Cranes point on the unimportance of material objects in impacting destinies. Both authors agree on the topics of philanthropy and physical possessions. However, they differ on views of the importance of self reliance. Maggie and Jimmie find philanthropy and

acquiring possessions fruitless, as does Thoreau; although, the effectiveness of self reliance for Maggie and Jimmie ends dismally, while Thoreau concludes that self reliance is the key to a happy life. In both Stephen Cranes Maggie: A Girl of the Streets and Henry David Thoreaus Walden: Economy, strong interpretations of concepts such as self reliance, philanthropy, and material acquisitions throughout the books, correspond to Naturalism and Transcendentalism.

Works Cited Crane, Stephen. Maggie: A Girl of the Streets (A Story of New York). Ed. Kevin J. Hayes. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martins, n.d. Print. Thoreau, Henry David. Economy. Walden and Civil Disobedience. New York: Barnes & Noble Classics, 2003. 7-65. Print.