Author: Du Haixia

Abstract: This paper tries to analyze Thoreau’s contradictory view of nature: on the one hand, Thoreau admired nature and wanted to be close to nature and opposed against the American consumer culture, on the other hand, he still held hopes on civilization. According to Thoreau, wilderness and refinement were not fatal extremes but equally beneficent influences Americans would do well to blend.

Keywords: Thoreau, nature, civilization, contradictory.

Article Info: Received: 03 Oct 2020; Received in revised form: 25 Jan 2021; Accepted: 19 Feb 2021; Available online: 27 Feb 2021

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.61.53