Literary reflection on walden

Scott Lee
Mrs. Himes
10/08/07
H.A.L. P.6
Literary Reflection on Walden
In reading the story, “Walden,” written by Henry David Thoreau, I was fascinated by the usages of literary element such as similes in the story.
The writer writes, “To enjoy these advantages I was ready to carry it on; like Atlas, to take the world on my shoulders…” (Thoreau 375). This shows that the simile was used to describe the main character’s feeling about taking adventures. By describing himself as Atlas, he emphasizes his readiness for enjoying his adventure.
Later on, another usage was used, “The life in us is like the water in the river. It may rise this year higher than man has ever known it, and flood the parched uplands; even this may be the eventful year, which will drown out all our muskrats” (Thoreau 379). This basically shows that their life is not on set, like a German Confederacy, it is not united, but in such confusion.
In conclusion, simile, one of the literary elements in the story, is used twice in the story. The writer uses Atlas to describe the feeling the main character has and uses a German Confederacy to describe main character’s life to demonstrate that his life is in such confusion.