Henry David Thoreau American literature during the first half of the
nineteenth century took many forms and ideas that still effect our ever so
changing society today. Henry David Thoreau was among the notable writers during
this time, and his impact of American literature will not soon be forgotten.
His perseverance, love for nature, and humanitarian beliefs helped to mold
the ideas and values of early American history. He was born in Concord,
Massachusetts on July 12 in 1817. His parents, both abolitionists of slavery,
were John and Cynthia Thoreau. During his childhood years his parents, along
with Henry’s older siblings John Jr. and Helen, often took the family on long
walks though the valleys and hills of Concord.
The seeds of Henry’s love for nature were planted during this time. As a
young school boy, at the Concord public school and later at the Concord Academy,
many of his peers sought after him as loner who took everything too serious. In
1833 Henry’s parents had saved enough money to send him off to college at
Harvard University.
Even though he barely passed the entrance exam, he would later become one of
the top students in his graduating class. In 1836 financial and health problems
forced Thoreau to postpone his studies at Harvard and seek a job. He taught
school for a semester in Canton, Massachusetts and returned to Harvard in the
Spring of 1837.
He took a full load of classes that Spring and Summer semesters and graduated
in August of 1837. After graduating Thoreau had no idea what he wanted to do
with his education. After debating over many different careers he finally
concluded that teaching would be his calling. He landed a position at Center
School in 1837 in Concord, however he resigned two weeks later after many
teachers and students complained of his teaching methods and strictness in the
classroom.
