On page 82 of Thoreau’s book “Walden Civil Disobedience”, he writes a passage about the train that regularly passes by his home near Walden Pond. He begins by comparing the passing of the train to a sunrise. Usually, a sunrise is seen as something glorious, such as the start of a new day, or hope for the future. Some would even go as far and call it sublime. But Thoreau’s use of the word was quite the opposite. In his exact words, he stated: “I watched the passage of the morning cars with the same feeling that I do the rising sun, which is hardly more regular.” (Thoreau, p.82). What he means by this is that a sunrise is common, much like the roaring train that disturbs his quiet solitude almost every morning. It’s part of his daily ritual to see the sun rise and watch the train haul by with a cargo of passengers and merchandise.

Continue reading →