( p . 1059 ). In Thoreau ’ s view , being lost in the dark is not as dangerous as being disorientated regarding our own sense of self ; it is more important to reconnect and find a new direction within yourself than to prioritise social standing .
The aggressiveness in his discussion of society and the village wages a personal war with the world ; it reflects the hostile militance that is seen in ‘ Civil Disobedience ’. Thoreau strengthens the tension between his radical individualism and romantic sensibility . He says that society is the “ desperate party ” that has “ run amock ” of him , yet again showing not an embodiment of a social conscience , but as his own exclusive voice ( p . 1060 ). Through physically subjecting himself to solitude , he withdraws himself from society , suggesting that Thoreau holds himself in a higher regard than he does for others . Vincent Buranelli compounds this argument , calling Thoreau “ an egoist who made the world over in his image ” and claimed that “ he was able to bask pleasurably in a dream world only because he had lost contact with the real world ”. 11 In chapter 11 , ‘ Higher Laws ’, Thoreau reflects on his own dual nature ; he is part noble and spiritual , part dark and savage , yet he values both sides of himself : “ I found in myself , and still find , an instinct toward a higher , or , as it is named , spiritual life , as do most men , and another toward a primitive rank and a savage one , and I reverence them both . I love the wild none less than the good ” ( p . 1079 ). Though he admires both , Thoreau seeks to distinguish his higher nature from his more animalistic tendencies , for example he becomes a vegetarian and avoids the consumption of intoxicating substances .
To a large degree , Thoreau ’ s actions compound Buranelli ’ s argument as he overlooks the fact that what is true and right for him is not necessarily applicable to every individual . As argued by Buranelli , there is a single-mindedness in his approach that disregards the pleasures that other people find in ordinary life , such as being part of a home or community . 12 There is an insurmountable problem with the universality of Thoreau ’ s modelled principles in Walden , and the megalomaniac attitude that Thoreau conveys in his way of living . Even though Thoreau ’ s thinking reflects a need for direction and a concern over the future , it is questionable whether his principles and view of redirection are generalisable , made in respect to a social conscience , and hold universal values and political ideals .
Hannah Arendt builds on Buranelli ’ s view of Thoreau as an egoist , contrasting Thoreau with other civil disobedients , and compellingly accredits his inefficiency to a single-minded concern with personal purity rather than reform . 13 It is the view of the transcendentalist that institutions have corrupted the purity of the individual , as depicted in the machine metaphor . Jeffrey Utzinger states in his commentary on ‘ Slavery in Massachusetts ’ that Thoreau is concerned with “ more innate morality ”, anchored in the belief that people can “ transcend social ills if they reconnect to their innate purity , which is only possible within one ’ s own immediate , natural surroundings ”. 14 This is reflected in use of poetic register as a mode of thinking about how an individual ’ s environment can be connected to a philosophical idea . Thoreau creates a prelapsarian narrative where the sublime allows Thoreau to reconnect with his innate purity .
In chapter 9 , ‘ The Ponds ’, he slips into the particularities of Walden Pond ; he describes the water as being “ of such crystalline purity that the body of the bather appears of an alabaster whiteness ” ( p . 1063 ). The white imagery and reference to religious artist , Michael Angelo , reinforces the idea that Thoreau is trying to reconnect with his own purity and authenticity . He notes that , “ The water is so transparent that
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