--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I wrote the following pages, or…" description: "\"When I wrote the following pages, or rather the bulk of them, I lived alone, in the woods, a mile from any neighbor, in a house which I had built mysel..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b3/henry-david-thoreau-20_great-saying-by-grea_when-i-wrote-the-following-pages-or-rath_553107.jpg" --- # When I wrote the following pages, or rather the bulk of… ![“When I wrote the following pages, or rather the bulk of them, I lived alone, in the woods, a mile from any neighbor, in a house which I had built myself, on the shoreof Walden Pond, in Concord, Massachusetts, and earned myliving by the labor of my hands only. I lived there two years and two…” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b3/henry-david-thoreau-20_great-saying-by-grea_when-i-wrote-the-following-pages-or-rath_553107.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b3/henry-david-thoreau-20_great-saying-by-grea_when-i-wrote-the-following-pages-or-rath_553107.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b3/henry-david-thoreau-20_great-saying-by-grea_when-i-wrote-the-following-pages-or-rath_553107.jpg) > “When I wrote the following pages, or rather the bulk of them, I lived alone, in the woods, a mile from any neighbor, in a house which I had built myself, on the shoreof Walden Pond, in Concord, Massachusetts, and earned myliving by the labor of my hands only. I lived there two years and two months. At present I am a sojourner in civilized life again.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He describes living in self‑built solitude, earning a living through manual labor, and later returning to society, highlighting the value of independence and reflection. **In simple terms:** He lived simply, worked his own, then rejoined society. Key Takeaway Seek solitude, work honestly, reengage wisely. Themes solitude self‑reliance reflection Mood contemplative inspirational Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - writing - philosophy - environmentalism - personal growth Key Concepts transcendentalism minimalism nature self‑sufficiency Questions to Reflect On - What does solitude teach you? - When is it time to return to community? A Different Perspective Isolation can limit social connection and collaboration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Walden pond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walden-pond/) ## Related quotes > [“When I wrote the following pages, or rather the bulk of them, I lived alone, in the woods, a mile from any neighbor, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-i-wrote-the-following-pages-or-rather-the-bulk-of-them-i-lived-2/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The setting sun is reflected from the windows of the alms-house as brightly as from the rich man's abode.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-setting-sun-is-reflected-from-the-windows-of-the-alms-house-as/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [No way of thinking or doing, however ancient, can be trusted without proof.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/no-way-of-thinking-or-doing-however-ancient-can-be-trusted-without-2/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Love your life, poor as it is. You may perhaps have some pleasant, thrilling, glorious hours, even in a poor-house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/love-your-life-poor-as-it-is-you-may-perhaps-have-some-pleasant/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“My purpose in going to Walden Pond was not to live cheaply nor to live dearly there but to transact some private business, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/my-purpose-in-going-to-walden-pond-was-not-to-live-cheaply-nor-to/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am no more lonely than the loon in the pond that laughs so loud, or than Walden Pond itself. What company has that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-no-more-lonely-than-the-loon-in-the-pond-that-laughs-so-loud-or/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [While some men believe in the infinite, some ponds will be thought to be bottomless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/while-some-men-believe-in-the-infinite-some-ponds-will-be-thought-to/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A single gentle rain makes the grass many shades greener.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-single-gentle-rain-makes-the-grass-many-shades-greener/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [It is remarkable how easily and insensibly we fall into a particular route, and make a beaten track for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-is-remarkable-how-easily-and-insensibly-we-fall-into-a-particular/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A field of water betrays the spirit that is in the air. It is continually receiving new life and motion from above. 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I usually go to the village along its causeway,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-fitchburg-railroad-touches-the-pond-about-a-hundred-rods-south-of/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. 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Well, this is the forest of Arden. Touchstone. Ay, now am I in Arden, the more fool I. When I was at home,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/rosalind-well-this-is-the-forest-of-arden-touchstone-ay-now-am-i-in/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Maria. Nay, but say true, doesit work upon him? Sir Toby Belch. 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Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/in-retirement-i-look-for-days-off-from-my-days-off-mason-cooley/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [Popular culture entered my life as Shirley Temple, who was exactly my age and wrotea letter in the newspapers telling how her mother fixed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/popular-culture-entered-my-life-as-shirley-temple-who-was-exactly-my/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [It is only possible to succeed at second-rate pursuitslikebecoming a millionaire or a prime minister, winning a war, seducing beautiful women, flying thought the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-muggeridge/it-is-only-possible-to-succeed-at-second-rate-pursuitslikebecoming-a/) [Malcolm Muggeridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-muggeridge/) > [Here the crow starves, here the patient stag Breeds for the rifle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-stearns-eliot/here-the-crow-starves-here-the-patient-stag-breeds-for-the-rifle/) [Thomas Stearns Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-stearns-eliot/) > [They are not dead! 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If then your body go, what need you a heart?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/various-content-to-your-eyes-ears-and-tongue-and-every-part-if-then/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) Browse all 605 Great saying by great authors quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I wrote the following pages, or rather the bulk of them, I lived alone, in the woods, a mile from any neighbor, in a house which I had built myself, on the shoreof Walden Pond, in Concord, Massachusetts, and earned myliving by the labor of my hands only. I lived there two years and two months. 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