Discussion questions on WALDEN - week 3

1. SOLITUDE

Is solitude absolutely necessary for Thoreau’s experiment in living? Could his idea be carried out in a modern urban environment?

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2. VISITORS

Were visitors a good thing, or a bad thing, according to Thoreau?

Was his Canadian friend “wise as Shakespeare” or was he “ignorant as a child”?

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3. THE BEAN-FIELD

What’s the point of Thoreau growing so many beans?

Is some type of manual labor an integral part of a good education? Or can one get a good education without knowing what manual labor is like?

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4. THE VILLAGE

Did Thoreau learn more about life when he was in the woods, or when he was in the village?