Experiencing ‘Walden’
Photo by Christy
“The earth has music for those who listen.” – George Santayana
It’s important some times to stop what you’re doing, and go explore the nature around you. I usually don’t have much need of persuasion to go out into nature, but some times because I’m worried about life, I forget that God has created this amazing beauty for me to enjoy.
As I mentioned previously, I’ve been reading Henry David Thoreau’s Walden, in preparation for the comps exams (basically exit exams for the Masters program), but also because of the web series, Classic Alice. I’ve mentioned this web series before, but I’m very excited for the upcoming new episodes that will start June 9th. So far I know they plan to cover Walden. This web series is a bit different to other literary web series in the fact that they cover more than one classic story. Yet like others, they take a modern twist. What excites me about this amazing web series is the fact that they really promote the reading of classic literature, and find new creative ways to imagine these texts while also creating a unique story. The reason is that they are able take some aspect, or several from the text, and advance the characters stories. The main character literally grows from experiencing these classic texts. When I found out that Classic Alice was planning to cover Walden, I was so excited that my best friend Tabitha couldn’t believe it. She actually didn’t like the novel when she had to read it for class, but then again, she had a tough class to begin with. The reason why I was excited was because the show would be covering a book that I would need to know for the comps exams. So in a way, they are kind of helping me study. Now that I’ve read half way, I kind of see what my best friend was talking about, but at the same time, see why it’s so important for Classic Alice to cover this text. Why? Because it’s not a story per say, but an account of someone’s experience with nature and life. This can seem for some as “dry” because they are used to an interesting narrative with plot that affects the characters and they grow as the story evolves. This text has a different purpose, it’s more personal. The author intends to explain how much nature has impacted him, for others to also go out and explore. He wants personal change for the reader, as well as give us a better appreciation for the nature around us.
Like Alice Rackham, from Classic Alice, who makes life decisions from classic texts. I decided after reading part of the text that I would go explore nature with Tabitha. Don’t worry, I’ll finish the text soon. Anyways, this past Tuesday we went to my favorite beach location, and to a local duck pond. Besides enjoying my time with my friend and taking pictures, I was determined to look at the nature through Thoreau’s perspective. Obviously it’s not going to be the same as his since he lived out there for a period of time, and didn’t have technology with him. As well as being basically on his own most of the time. A way to help you understand his perspective, I’ll let you know two of his best quotes from the text:
“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” “We need the tonic of wildness… At the same time that we are earnest to explore and learn all things we require that all things be mysterious and unexplorable, that land and sea be indefinitely wild, unsurveyed and unfathomed by us because unfathomable. We can never have enough nature.”
This made me look at nature differently. God created the world around us, most importantly nature. We can’t ever forget that. By reminding ourselves of this amazing beauty, should be something we help share with others. We need to do our part to protect the environment for everyone. The only way we can do that is to know what we’re fighting for. At the same time, when you’re out there exploring nature, you’re also exploring yourself. Leave everything of worry behind, and remember who you really are. Yes, it’s just a beach and just a pond with ducks, but if we look at it closely we can see art, wonder, happiness, life, and remind us what’s truly important in our lives.
Earlier this year and recently, I’ve been inspired to write a bit of fanfiction thanks to some of the shows I’ve been watching. It’s not likely I’ll stop any time soon. Besides that, I’ve been recently inspired to write about nature. I haven’t yet, but hope to do so soon (possibly poetry). I think it’s come from reading Walden, as well as exploration of nature this past week with my best friend as well as with my family. This has also reminded me of two professors I used to have that were really drawn to writing about their experiences with nature that they wrote journals, poems & stories. From what I can tell so far from Classic Alice, Alice is inspired to write more as well from her experiences. Which is amazing how much a character, though different, can be similar when you take a simple step as seeing a text from a different perspective.
If you haven’t seen Classic Alice yet, I recommend doing so. From what I’ve experienced of the show so far, it has inspired and given me a new perspective on how to experience literature. If you have, re-watch now before the new episodes start. It’s worth watching, and especially reading along. Additionally, the series is interactive online through trans-media aspects by story telling via Twitter, Tumblr, & podcasting, along with the episodes on YouTube. I can’t wait to see what other books they end up covering this season. I hope you’ll experience the amazing ride along with me.
Photo by Christy
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