Book Title: Walden Two
Author: B.F. Skinner
Pages: 301
I. SETTING:
A. Time: mid 1940’s (after the end of WWII)
B. Place: Walden Two, R.D. I, Canton
C. Detailed description of the opening scene:
Rogers and Steve just returning from war, and looking for a new beginning read an article on a man named Frazier who was planning to begin an experimental utopian society. They immediately become intrigued by the idea. Their interest brought them to the office of Professor Burris, one their former teachers to ask if he knew anything about Frazier, or about the new society Frazier is trying to build. Burris remembers Frazier as a classmate at his graduate school; he recalls his extremist ideas and his dislike for the institution. He also recalls discussions the two had shared about this "Utopian society." Reluctantly Burris agrees to contact Frazier, and sends him a letter. Immediately and enthusiastically he replies inviting Burris’ and his friends to visit the new community he has developed. Burris meets with the two men to inform them of the invitation, and agrees to take time off, to accompany Rogers and Steve on a visit to "Walden Two," Frazier’s community. Rodger’s girlfriend Barbara, Steve’s girlfriend Mary, and Burris's colleague Castle also accompany them on the visit.
II. THEME: a one-sentence statement of the theme of your novel
Walden Two was Skinner’s attempt to portray what would occur if behaviorism were used to curve our society, he depicted a solution to the problems of modern life that involved a new beginning, an flee from our current society, and a dismissal of our political and econo...
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...cters visiting the Utopian society of Walden Two engage in an abundance of dialogue, in order to discover the spirit and the principles behind this new community of Walden Two. Set speeches by main characters illustrate the points that Skinner wishes to make to the reader.
Don't get me wrong, the ideas are challenging and the reading is not painful; there is even some dramatic tension. The thought of a society like Walden Two is intriguing, and the detail used by Skinner gives the reader a clear picture of what this society may look like, and how it operates. Overall the book was good, it was an enjoyable read, and wasn’t like other novels, it was individual. I would recommend this book to anyone who is open- minded, and is intrigued by the operations and possibility of alternate societies.
In this passage from the famous text Walden, the author Henry David Thoreau, a naturalist and transcendentalist, gives an account of his experience while living in isolation at Walden pond for two years of his life. While in isolation, he sought to enjoy life away from the hustle and bustle of society and live more simplistically without concern of the small things in life.
I would recommend this book to people who love realistic stories. Personally for me it is hard to find books that interest me and this one felt like if I was watching someone else's life while I read it. It has so many interesting points. When you think something might happen
Thoreau found himself at Walden - and lost himself on Ktaadn. Walden, a mile from town, was a benign experience in which he learned what he could do without, what was essential for life. Ktaadn, high and remote, taught him what he could not do without, what was essential life.
Christopher Johnson McCandless was not justified for shunning society and social norms in favor of individualism. McCandless misinterpreted “Walden”, was crazy to shun society, misunderstood “Self Reliance”, and committed actions that contradicted themselves. McCandless was misguided, insane, and had no idea what he was trying to accomplish because he got two simple things like solitude and isolation mixed up.
I loved its tone. Dell seems not to be showing off how smart he is, but is just a man concerned that he hasn't seen these ideas explained clearly, and thinks that a basic understanding of the subject makes life a little more comprehensible. The tone is that of a heart-to-heart talk between friends; he has some concerns he'd like to get off his chest, and thinks perhaps you'll profit from hearing them. I think the down-to-earth yet colorful style of the book attracted me even more than the subject matter. In so many ways I was taught in school that pretension was part of what made writing good; this was a beacon saying that there was integrity in stating things plainly and honestly as you saw them, and admitting that you don't know everything. A hard lesson to learn, and all the harder when your whole youth is about maintaining a false front for your own survival. (I grew up gay in Orange County, California, which at the time was a very homophobic place. Maybe it still is; I don't go back much.) I still reread this book every couple of years, and I wish I had more of its style. But then I'm not Floyd Dell and shouldn't try to be. And I admit after 20 years or so the book seems slighter than it once did.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and believe it to be one of the best books I have ever read. It was extremely well written and challenging for me to understand at times. It conveys that dark side of human ambition very well, and it has given me much to think about.
This is my personal reflection about this book. First and foremost, I would like to say that this book is very thick and long to read. There are about nineteen chapters and 278 pages altogether. As a slow reader, it is a quite hard for me to finish reading it within time. It took me weeks to finish reading it as a whole. Furthermore, it is written in English version. My English is just in average so sometimes I need to refer to dictionary for certain words. Sometimes I use google translate and ask my friends to explain the meaning of certain terms.
Criticisms (Unfavourable): Near the end of the book the dialogue becomes more rhetorical than the rest of the book. This isn’t really a problem, but can become slightly confusing at times. The best option would be to read this part slowly and carefully in order to understand what the message is.
Norvell, Candyce. "Critical Essay on Walden." Nonfiction Classics for Students: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Nonfiction Works. Ed. David M. Galens, Jennifer Smith, and Elizabeth Thomason. Vol. 3. Detroit: Gale, 2002. Literature Resource Center. Web. 31 Mar. 2011.
Henry Thoreau uses specific rhetorical strategies in Walden to emanate his attitude towards life. With the use of many strategies Thoreau shows that life should be centered around Nature. People live their lives not ever taking a second glance of what Nature does and has done for humanity and Thoreau is trying to prove his point. Humanity owes Nature everything for without it humans would be nothing.
Walden; Or, Life In The Woods is a self-experiment that provides an ideal opportunity to evaluate the author’s philosophy. The book is an account of Henry David Thoreau’s journey of self-discovery as he attempts to live a life of simplicity and self-reliance in the woods of Massachusetts. His exploration of his two years and two months living in a cabin near Walden Pond is considered a seminal work of early American transcendentalism. Thoreau never explicitly reveals the spiritual truth at the end of his journey. Still, a discerning Christian reader can note the main transcendental themes and ideals that Thoreau demonstrates, separating that which should be applauded from that which should be rejected.
Henry David Thoreau wanted to express his thoughts to the world. He did so by writing Walden a book that gives insights on the world from Thoreau’s point of view. “Walden” gives valuable advice in all types of fields. It shows aspects of Thoreau’s personality and how he views the world. To the best of my knowledge, Henry has many characteristics that he expressed in this book. Most of what he wrote was impressive. Honestly, I was extremely enthusiastic about reading this. Initially, I thought it would be a book like Great Expectations. But my expectations were wrong. I did not think I would actually learn things. Surprisingly, it sparked motivation in me. I wanted to be more in touch with nature. It seemed like Henry David Thoreau had everything figured out. He was calm and thoughtful and he seemed to look at life in a different way. Being in solitude in nature must really get you in touch with your inner self. It allows you to look at your flaws and look at your talents. I was greatly intrigued by every page of Walden.
The opening paragraph is an incredibly vivid account of nights spent by “the stony shore” of Walden Pond. His description of the animals around the pond, the cool temperature, and the gentle sounds of lapping waves and rustling leaves all serve to remove the idea that nature is a wild and unkempt world of its own, and instead makes it seem much more serene and graceful. Any who thought of Thoreau as an insane outdoorsmen may have even found themselves repulsed by the monotony and constant bustle of city life and longing for the serenity felt by Thoreau. This
Walden is written by Henry David Thoreau, an American author, poet, philosopher, and a leading transcendentalist. The Walden is written in 1st person on how the author, Henry David Thoreau, was determined to find out everything he can about human nature. In order to do so, Thoreau moves to the woods because he believes that Society’s Normal concerns like, Money and material goods would block his understanding. Transcendentalism is a philosophy that emphasizes the Importance of the spiritual over the physical. Thoreau’s idea of transcendentalism stressed the importance of nature. Henry David Thoreau uses literary devices such as imagery and metaphors to assist him in getting across his concept of transcendentalism.
There are five main contributors to behaviorism. They are Ivan Pavlov, John Watson, B.F. Skinner, Albert Bandura, and Joseph Wolpe. The beh...