this time was a scarcely populated town of just about two thousand people. He had, “... a boyhood like many boyhoods...” (Derleth, 3); he drove cows to the pasture, fished, ran barefoot, built bonfires at Walden pond during evening fishing episodes, and even hunted a little, though he gave it up pretty quickly. Whereas he may have been known for having a good sense of humor and easy geniality within his family, he was a grave boy. It was this fact that earned him the nick-name “Judge.” He became very interested in books and learning, a trait that would stay with him throughout life. Some of his early writings such as his journal and his first essay, The Seasons, displayed his love for nature and his writing ability, but left no clue to his later mentality. His journal quotes him saying, “My life was ecstasy.” Yet, if looking closer at his ascent into adulthood, it is possible to find more than what his simple quote describes. Thoreau’s nonconformist and rebellious traits, especially his inability to have close friends, go all the way back to his earliest years. It is important to remember “Most behavior grows out of experiences with the environment” (Candland & Campbell, 57). This behavior is known as learned behavior, which classifies almost all behavior besides born natural instincts and physical conditions. Thoreau is no exception to this rule. When he was in his youngest developmental stages his family was very poor, and always on the move, which left him without a stable environment. Lack of a stable environment at early ages puts a child under much stress, and makes it hard for him to distinguish between the traits he should be learning. A child needs a consistent exposure to his surroundings and a stable relationship with people around him in order to learn without confusion. All the different faces Thoreau became acquainted with when he was youngest left him in a state of und...
