Anna Enright, Avery Wolfe, Fiona Green
Introduction:
Over the course of Thoreau’s extensive revisions of Walden, there is a chance for readers to analyze Thoreau’s thought process as he develops, rewrites, and significantly alters the text. Throughout the entirety of this year we have examined multiple different instances where Thoreau has made changes, both big and small, to his manuscript. Through our project we have chosen to examine a paragraph within the Chapter “Brute Neighbors”. Paragraph 11 from “Brute Neighbors” transforms over time and eventually becomes a symbolic exploration of Thoreau’s connection with nature. We looked at multiple manuscript pages, specifically from versions A and G, while also making some references to version E. Like the rest of his novel, Thoreau hones in on the smaller more insignificant aspects of nature, and creates metaphorical meaning for each small part that many may take for granted. As we watched and analyzed how this paragraph changes over time we noticed how initially, Thoreau was focused on listing observations; animals live unseen around him. Later he changes this observation into a philosophical argument
Process:
Our group went back and forth multiple times on the focus of our project. When looking at the chapters, we knew we wanted to do “Brute Neighbors” as there’s a lot of content and we knew we could make a claim based on the multiple revisions across the chapter. Our original idea was to look at paragraphs 16 and 17, writing about how revisions Thoreau made to better personify animals. However, we quickly found that the lack of revisions in that paragraph would make the project difficult, as we would have to juxtapose the personifications with another part in the book where he also personifies animals. It wasn’t until the second or third day that we decided to focus on paragraph 11 instead, shifting our analysis to how Thoreau turns his observations into a philosophical argument. This direction felt more cohesive and better suited to the revisions we found in the chapter.
One of the biggest challenges we faced while searching for the manuscript pages was locating the “E” revision of our paragraph. The manuscript search tool didn’t return any results for this version, leading us to assume it didn’t exist. It wasn’t until we spoke with Dr. Schacht in class and he looked through the manuscript that he found the image hidden at the bottom of an unlabeled page in the “E” draft. His methodical approach of looking through the unmarked pages made all the difference in uncovering what we needed. Without his guidance, we might have missed it entirely.
Another difficulty arose during encoding. When working on the “G” revision, we encountered a part where Thoreau added text above the middle of a sentence. While the final version of Walden places the addition after the sentence, we weren’t sure whether to encode it based on the manuscript’s surface structure or to adjust it for readability. After discussing the issue with Dr. Schacht, he clarified that either approach was acceptable. Ultimately, we chose to encode the revision in a way that made the changes clear and understandable, prioritizing logical flow over adherence to the manuscript’s visual layout.
Interpretation/Meaning:
Through working closely with Walden, we have been introduced to his descriptions of animals and observations of nature. However, through focusing on several revisions of paragraph 11 in “Brute Neighbors”, we have been able to see how these are deliberate choices with significant meaning, rather than simple observations. Across versions A, E, G, and the published text of Walden, Thoreau changes these observations into a philosophical argument that the natural world exists independently of humans.
In Version A, Thoreau’s earliest version, he focuses mainly on observing nature and life. He notes that animals live “secret” lives in the woods, that parallels human life. At this stage, his writing reads more as a journal entry rather than anything deep and philosophical. He begins with an observation of a raccoon with no clear indication of a deeper meaning. However, by the time he gets to Version E, he revises this by introducing section 11a. This reframes the passage by opening it with a philosophical lens. He makes the statement that creatures live “wild and free though secret in the woods” which shifts the focus from description to interpretation. This introduces the juxtaposition of freedom and secrecy. While he views creatures as having freedom in nature, much of their lives are “hidden” from human life.
Thoreau strengthens this idea through his diction and imagery. Like when emphasizing the otter’s growth “to four feet long”, but simultaneously acknowledging that it remains unseen. He later revises this idea to make it more clear by adding “perhaps without any human being getting a glimpse of him”. This reinforces the distinction between animals and humans. Specifically how animals and nature do not purely exist for human observation.
By the final published version, Thoreau’s revisions clearly transform the passage into an argument rather than simple observation. Section 11a sets up the reader’s understanding of nature’s autonomy. The expansion of the paragraph, growing into multiple sections, shows how Thoreau’s understanding of the natural world developed over time. Over time, his writing mirrors not what he sees, but what he believes. Through this, he is clearly able to express his belief that nature thrives independently, whether or not humans are there to witness it.
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