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Thoreau and the Language of Trees$
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Thoreau and the Language of Trees

Richard Higgins and Robert D. Richardson

Print publication date: 2017

Print ISBN-13: 9780520294042

Published to California Scholarship Online: September 2017

DOI: 10.1525/california/9780520294042.001.0001

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PRINTED FROM CALIFORNIA SCHOLARSHIP ONLINE (www.california.universitypressscholarship.com). (c) Copyright University of California Press, 2022. All Rights Reserved. An individual user may print out a PDF of a single chapter of a monograph in CALSO for personal use.date: 21 May 2022

Introduction

Introduction

Speaking the Language of Trees

Chapter:
Introduction
Source:
Thoreau and the Language of Trees
Author(s):

Richard Higgins

Richard Higgins

Publisher:
University of California Press
DOI:10.1525/california/9780520294042.003.0001

Trees played a major role in Thoreau’s life and work. He responded to them with his eye, his heart, his muse, his mind and his soul. He related to trees emotionally and understood them as a naturalist. They fed his creativity and deepened his thought. He wrote of them as if he could see the sap beneath their bark. In short, he spoke their language. He loved their beauty, wildness, patience and persistence. Trees suggested the “ancient rectitude” of nature.” Nothing stands up more free from blame than a pine tree.” Trees also emerge in his writings as special emblems and images of the divine. On his 200th birthday, Thoreau is still helping us see trees in new ways.

Keywords:   Thoreau’s, heart, muse, mind, soul, study, creativity, beauty, wildness, patience, persistence, landscape, big trees, 200th birthday

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