For Two Years Henry David Thoreau spent his life in seclusion living in the woods with nothing more then a shack for shelter. You would think he was forced to live like this, but he did in his own free will. He was sick of society's ways. Do you think someone that graduated from Harvard University would chose to live in the woods like a barbarian? It was not until later in the 20th century that he came to be known as one of America's major literary thinkers
             Henry David Thoreau was born in Concord, Massachusetts on July 12,1817 ("Thoreau #1") . By Age 16, Henry David Thoreau enrolled at Havard University, during his Havard years he met philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson who later became his chief mentor and friend. After Henry graduated Havard University he moved back with his Father and worked in his pencil shop. He worked for a short period of time there. After realizing that kind of work was not for him, Henry Thoreau and his older brother John Thoreau opened a private school in Concord in 1838 and taught there. On March 11, 1842 John died, and Henry's life long friend and companion was gone ("Thoreau"#2). Henry decided to close the school down because it was a reminder of his now deceased brother and he couldn't handle the school alone.
             In 1843 Still distraught about his brother, Henry was invited by his old friend Ralph Waldo Emerson to live in his house and off Henry went to Staten Island, New York. Ralph Emerson was one of the leaders of the school of Transcendentalism who believed that God is inherent in nature and in human beings and that each individual has to rely on his or her own conscience and intuition for spiritual truths.("Thoreau #2") Henry served as handyman and assistant to Ralph Emerson and also contributing poetry and writing to the transcendentalist magazine, The Dial. He later taught and tutored the children of Emerson's brother, William Emerson.
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