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Furthermore, in the chapter of “The Ponds”, the descriptions of the pond are metaphor. Here, we are presented with Thoreau’s interior landscape rather than the natural pond: inviting, mystical, refreshing and secluded (see Buell, 1995). The metaphoric description of Walden represents something eternal, sounding the deep bottom of human thought. And all the nature are equal to human beings, the pond is just like a beautiful lady. Thoreau will never feel lonely if the pond accompanies with him. Transcendental Walden affirms that the physical environment can be a guide to inner exploration, and has significance only as a framework for explorations of the self. It also affirms that life on the peaceful and quiet Walden is actually very colorful and lively.
4.2 Simplicity for Spiritual Happiness
As romantic idealism, Thoreau thinks spirit is the most important thing. He believes that both spirit and matter are real but that the reality of spirit is greater than that of matter. So he chooses to lead a simple life in Walden. He holds the view that if people want to find the real truth of life, only to ignore the material benefit. Though life is very simple and poor, it can help people to gain spirit development.
Simplicity is more than a mode of life for Thoreau, a philosophical ideal, and also an ideal way of living that he appreciated. One of the purposes to enter the woods is to conduct an experiment on such a life. Just like James C. McKusick ever said, “As a parable of human experience, it offers an extended meditation on the value of a simple lifestyle.”(2009:93) As for simplicity, there are two aspects, on the one hand, Thoreau urges people to give up their greedy desire for materials; on the other hand, he encourages people to pursue rich spiritual development.
Thoreau had a very clear observation about his society. He thought that Americans were controlled by materialism, although he had broken away from the colony of Britain, yet they were still the slaves in economy and morality. It was materialist that caused people to take the priority of economic benefits and improve their life quality.
At the beginning of Walden, Thoreau claimed that people who owed land had to work hard all day long without any relaxation just like land slaves rather than landowners. In Thoreau’s opinion, this kind of life was complicated. He went to the woods just to find a way curing the social diseases. He entered the woods on the Independence Day, maybe he wanted to show a true independence for his native people. In the first chapter of Walden, Thoreau states that a feeling of dissatisfaction with one’s possessions can be resolved in two ways: one may acquire more, or reduce one’s desires. Thoreau put emphasis on time rather than money that he uses the example of traveling thirty miles, a typical day’s travel in his day to prove this idea. As he walks he enjoys the landscape and people along the way as well. The true value of time does not lie in producing material goods or services such as railroad travel but in producing spiritual and psychological welfare. Thoreau gives several examples of his neighbors such as the young men who inherited farms and John Field, the Irish laborer, they pursue the economy of production and can see no way out of endless round of working, eating, and sleeping. There is no purpose other than physical survival or monetary profit.
In Walden, Thoreau advises us to save our time to make more investment in spiritual self-culture. Economic growth depends upon freedom for individuals to exercise enlightened self-interest, Thoreau shows his fellow travelers that they have choices about how to use their time of which they are unaware, this freedom allows them to seek their full spiritual rather than monetary potential(see Philip, 2004:72). For Thoreau the purpose of life journey is to explore this potential. During his stay of more than two years in the woods, Thoreau lived in his own ways. He grew beans, enjoyed the sounds of birds, chatted with small animals, communicated with ancient sages in the books, and had a bath in the pure water. From these activities he gained greatest spiritual enjoyment, and he thought simplicity is the source of happiness. Though he lived alone, he lived happily.