Thoreau’s Views on Social Relationships in Walden Abstract  Henry David Thoreau was a famous American transcendentalist and author。 Walden was one of his masterpieces in which he showed his admiration towards nature, due to which he moved to the woods and lived alone by the Walden lake for about two years。 In Walden, Thoreau not only reflected on the relationship between nature and men, but also contemplated on social relationships。 There were all together two general kinds of social relationships mentioned in Walden, which were interpersonal relationships and men-state relationship。 Thoreau criticized money-based interpersonal relationship and autocratic state-men relationship。 Furthermore, he advocated sincere and harmonious interpersonal relationship, and believed that inpidual interests were above institutions in state-men relationship。76280

    Keywords: Walden; social relationships; interpersonal relationship; men-state relationship; harmony; inpiduality 

分析《瓦尔登湖》中梭罗对社会关系的看法

摘要亨利·戴维·梭罗是美国著名作者和超验zhuyi的代表人物，著有瓦尔登湖。在瓦尔登湖一书中， 梭罗表达了他对自然的尊敬与向往，并且记录下了他独立一人生活在瓦尔登湖旁的点点滴滴。梭罗虽然向往自然和孤独，但是他没有完全抛弃社会，而且还对于现存的社会关系进行了批判和反思。瓦尔登湖中主要涉及了两方面，人与人的关系和人与政府的关系。他批判了以金钱为基础的人际关系，对人与政府关系中政府扮演的专制角色持反对意见。他所倡导的人际关系是和谐和真诚的。他所支持的人与政府的关系则是建立在个人的利益和独立性超越政府职能的基础上的。

毕业论文关键词：瓦尔登湖; 社会关系; 人际关系; 政府与人的关系; 和谐; 独立性 

Contents

1。 Introduction 1

1。1 Social Background of Thoreau's Age 1

1。2 Transcendentalism and Thoreau 2

2。 Thoreau’s Views on Interpersonal Relationships 3

    2。1 Abomination of Money- based Relationship 3

2。2 Paradox in Socializing 4

    2。3 Inclination for Sincere and Harmonious Relationship。。。。。。。。。。。5

3。 Thoreau’s Views on Social Relationship Between Men and the State 7

3。1 Objection to the Autocratic Government 7

3。2 Inpidual Interests above Institutionalized Control 8

4。 Conclusion 9

References 10

1。 Introduction

   Walden is a masterpiece of Henry David Thoreau。 It emphasizes the importance of solitude, contemplation, and closeness to nature。 Moreover, it not only focuses on the benefits of living in nature, but also brings about contemplation towards prevailing consumerist and materialist attitudes in Western society。 Thoreau's proximity to Concord society and his admiration for classical literature showed in the work are solid evidences of his concerns towards this society。 He does not simply criticize society, but also provides suggestions for better contemporary culture。 论文网

1。1 Social Background of Thoreau’s Age

   In early nineteenth century, the U。S。 went through the Second Industrial Revolution, which has inevitably given rise to a series of economic changes。 After the revolution, the market played a significant role in both economic and social fields in that lifestyle changed from making-a-living style to profiting-in-market style。 Some historians deemed this remarkable change the Market Revolution。 In the revolution, economic transformation prompted cultural and political changes, and thus exerted great influence on the society during that time。 First of all, manufacturing boom in the early 19th century promoted the establishment of many factories。 The relationship based on employment was on the upswing, and workers sustained their lives by salaries。 At that time, with labor force as commodity, economic relationships penetrated into all social relationships。 The consequences coming after were class pisions and conflicts。 With the affluent owning most wealth, poor workers only taking slender wages as payments for more than ten hours’ working, strikes occurred from time to time。 Some historians compared workers with slaves in proslavery society, which revealed the true oppression hidden in the prosperously developing economy and inequality in economic relationships。 Secondly, the Market Revolution also led to a series of changes in the ideological field。 “Inpidualism and competition gained their popularity in society because of the long distance trade and expansion of urbanization。 The decline of original neighborhood and mutually beneficial patterns led to the indifference within interpersonal relationships。”(许静,2008) Thoreau saw clearly the problems and criticized those in his writing of Walden。 Furthermore, he introduced the harmonious relationship he appreciated and its additional conditions。