lmost sunshine and shadow were the only inhabitants that varied the scene, overthe tumultuous and varied city, as if it had found its proper nursery" (13-14). It is apparentthat Thoreau associates Walden Pond with his happiest memories.Thoreau was a deeply religious man, but disliked church. He was very serious as a childand loved his solitude (Schneider 4). Thoreau says he was truly happiest when he could beby himself (25). In 1828, Thoreau and his older brother John, to whom he was closest,went to Concord Academy. Henry was the smarter of the two and in 1833, was sent toHarvard University, where he did very well. It was there that Thoreau was first exposed towriting publicly when the Editor of the Dial, which is a periodical for a transcendentalistgroup, gave him a job. In 1837, Thoreau graduated form Harvard and this is where he firstheard Ralph Waldo Emerson speak. It was at this time that he began writing his journal.He started teaching in Concord's Center School for a brief period of two weeks. Thoreauwas told to enforce corporate punishment in the classroom and he resigned. He ended upworking in his father's pencil factory where he improved American pencils. He did this byimproving the method of mixing graphite which he discovered by researching theEuropean methods of making pencils. This made his father's company the leader in theAmerican market. It was also at this time in his life that David Henry had his namechanged to Henry David. In time, Thoreau became good friends with R.W. Emerson andEmerson took on the role of Thoreau's mentor. Thoreau found support in Emerson'sindividualism and philosophies. Both men took a transcendental view of the world. In1839, Thoreau and his brother John reopened the Concord Academy. They then took aboating trip on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers to Hooksett, New Hampshire, and toMount Washington. In 1840, Thoreau published his first piece of poetry in the Dial. Onlya few of his pieces from thes...
