This week, we are reading the chapter, “Winter Animals.” I really love how Thoreau is such a pacifist, preferring to observer animals rather than hunting and eating them. When you look up words, see how many synonyms you can find for the animals he sees. I especially enjoyed his description of the squirrels on page 148. Above my window, two squirrels have built a nest. They are making so much noise! I think they enjoy tormenting my cat.
He’s observing winter animals, but have any of you noticed that there seem to be more birds since the lockdown, like the blue jays he describes on page 149? On page 150, he writes about the hunters and their dogs. Back then, fox hunting was a thing. I feel so bad for the poor fox! It’s incredible to me that he notices so many details about the tiniest creatures, such as the mouse in the pine tree on page 152. I suspect he has more affection for these animal neighbors than the human ones. What do you think? On page 153, we start the chapter, “The Pond in Winter.” He describes the challenges of getting water when everything is frozen over. He says the ice is so thick that it could support the “heaviest teams,” by which he means horses that are harnessed to a wagon. He uses a simile to compare the pond to a hibernating animal. Even though he doesn’t eat much meat, we know by this point that he loves fishing. On page 154, he describes how fisherman make holes in the ice. He describes the amazing colors of the “pickerel.” There’s a beautiful metaphor in this paragraph where he compares the pickerel to Walden itself. He makes a joke about its biological classification,saying the fish’s classification is “Walden” and is part of the larger classification of Waldenses.” On the bottom of page 154, he describes his attempts at figuring out how deep the pond is with his own “sounding line.” He’s conducting his own research, gathering evidence, and discussing it with his peers, just like we do in the university. In this way, he’s able to create a map of the bottom and shape of the pond. On page 157, he talks about making inferences based on the evidence he’s collected. Then he does his thing in the middle of the page—taking all this scientific observation and turning it into a metaphor! He compares his mapping of the pond to how we “map” another person, how we make inferences based on their behavior about what kind of person they are inside. On page 158, he surveys the ice, measuring its thickness, noting is surface details. On page 159, the ice cutters arrive. Remember—back then there were no refrigerators, so people had icehouses. They were like sheds with thick walls. These ice cutters would sell these big blocks of ice to put inside the icehouses for storing food and keeping it fresh. He personifies the pond on page 159, comparing it to a Native American woman gets her revenge by almost freezing a man to death. On page 160, he describes the colors of the ice, and near the bottom of the page, uses a metaphor to compare “putrid” water to a person who is a poser (“affections”) and ice, which can be preserved “forever,” to person who uses their mind (“intellect”). The chapter, “Spring,” starts on 161. Even if we can’t spend much time outside, this chapter should still resonate with you. The ice starts to melt, and he continues to measure its thickness. As the temperature fluctuates, the ice melts and then refreezes, and he describes all the interesting things that happen to it as it does so. On page 163, he’s glad that he has the time to observe the arrival of Spring.
1 Comment
Ana c Regalado
1/29/2021 03:50:12 pm
This is a wonderful story. I personally enjoy the arrival of Spring,
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