Thoreau's "Sounds"

Henry David Thoreau spent almost two years at his pond-side transcendental paradise, Walden. He documents his daily life at Walden and his experiences in Walden, and focuses on the auditory experience of Walden in the chapter “Sounds.”

Thoreau’s purpose in writing the chapter entitled “Sounds” is to inform his readers on what his daily life is like through his auditory experiences, as well as discuss his personal beliefs on civilization and technological advances, just as the title allows the reader to assume. The description of his auditory experiences are a direct reflection of his feelings about civilization and how he places a higher value on natural things instead of man made objects. Thoreau expresses a dislike for the trains he hears, which are the ultimate symbol of man’s technological advancement. The train cuts through the woods surrounding Walden Pond and often interrupts Thoreau’s peaceful paradise. Thoreau muses on the benefits of trains, and although he says they are beneficial to farmers, they are “scaring the owl and fox.” Trains and their noises disrupt the natural flow of life, and Thoreau believes that “if the cloud that hangs over the engine were perspiration of heroic deeds…then Nature…would cheerfully accompany men on their errands.” In his transcendental wonderland, Thoreau has little use for the trains, but rather prefers the sounds of his natural surroundings. He expresses great admiration for the sounds of animals that fill his days, and finds peace in the noises of the owls, whippoorwills, and frogs. The noises of nature and the isolation allow Thoreau to be alone in nature with “no path to the civilized world.”

Thoreau’s audience is rather general, though one familiar with transcendentalism. He gives in depth descriptions of what Walden looks like and sounds like, so it can be inferred that his target audience has never been to Walden before. The discussion he provides on civilization makes it seem as if his audience is those who are familiar with transcendental arguments. Thoreau doesn’t try to convince his audience that nature and natural things are better, but rather he only gives evidence on why nature is good and civilization is bad. Thoreau employs few argumentative strategies in “Sounds,” thus making the audience those who are already in accord with transcendentalism.

Thoreau writes “Sounds” in a thoughtful tone, focusing on deep ideas related to transcendentalism and nature. There is no joking in “Sounds,” but rather deep analogies related to death. Thoreau compares the sound of screech owls to “suicide lovers remembering the pangs and delights of supernal love.” His tone conveys his deep feelings on the importance of nature, but he also writes in a very observant tone, especially when describing the actions of certain animals in around his home, such as the whippoorwills. Thoreau implements specific onomatopoeias into the chapter, which allows the selection to become a little lighter in regards to tone. Several times, Thoreau tries to imitate the sounds the animals make. In describing the owls, Thoreau writes that from a distance, the owls sing, “hoo hoo hoo, hoorer hoo” and the frogs say “tr-r-r-oonk, tr-r-r---oonk.” Thoreau is consistent throughout the piece with the imitations of the animals, and it allows the readers to put themselves there and hear what Thoreau hears. It also adds to Thoreau’s observational tone, as well achieving his purpose of informing his readers on the auditory experiences at Walden.

Through the descriptions of his auditory experiences in "Sounds," Thoureau shares his true feelings about the technological advances of civilazation. The only noises that are acceptable are those of nature, and those that remind the listener of nature, and the true values that civilzation should hold. Thoreau's belief in a constant attention to nature contradicts the fast world surrounding him, but Walden and the sounds he hears allow him to be one with his natural surroundings.