Question

summarize: How does Thordeau describe his reasons for moving into the woods in lines 26-40? (will post in comments) How do these lines relate to his purpose in writing Walden?

Answer 1

i went to the woods because i wished to live deliberately, to front only the essectial facts of life, and see if i could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when i came to die, discover that i had not lived. i did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did i wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. i wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave clos, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion. for most men, it appears to me, are in a strange uncertainty about it, whether it is of the devil or God, and have somewhat hastily concluded that it is the chief end of man here to "glorify God and enjoy him forever."

Answer 2

@ParthKohli @Luigi0210 @nincompoop @uri @sammixboo @Zale101 @Awolflover1