1. Thoreau is often hailed as the most notable progenitor of environmental awareness in this country. Bring forth specific examples from the book that address ideas of ecological relationships and the conservation of natural resources.
2. Flora and fauna figure prominently in the book. Was his botanical eye that of a scientist, or was it more utilitarian? Which creature did Thoreau seem most fond of? Why? What were some spiritual or transcendental aspects of his stance toward nature as expressed in his descriptions of living things?
3. Walking was obviously one of the main pastimes pursued by Thoreau while living at Walden, and one that enabled him to encounter the natural world and to take it all in at a measured pace. What other physical activities did he engage in, and how did these put him in touch with his environment, both literally and metaphorically?
4. Thoreau proclaimed that "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach ..." What do you think Thoreau learned at Walden Pond?
5. Transcribe your favorite quotation from Walden, and explain why you chose this particular passage.