While reading the chapters from Wednesday readings written by Henry David Thoreau, I was fascinated at the level of detail in which Thoreau describes his surroundings. In the chapter, The Bean Field, Thoreau tirelessly describes his field. Beginning with his description of the fields sheer size, which I believe to be an egregious exaggeration at seven miles, all the way to his observation of the rituals of the town. Thoreau leaves nearly nothing up for interpretation. Through his description, Thoreau allows the reader to in a sense to feel as though they are developing a connection to the land which he is describing. While reading, I felt as though I was on his farm in the bean field. I could surround my self with the vast field, which Thoreau describes surrounded by birds and other wild animals. That is until the serenity is interrupted by the gunshots from the direction of the village.
Description is essential to one’s ability to understand and visualize the landscape. One must strike a balance to most effectively interest the reader. While I felt as though Thoereaus’ description was thorough, I felt as if it detracted from my experience because it left nothing up for interpretation. It is, in fact, important to note that not all readers like their content delivered to them in the same way. Some people may appreciate Thoreau’s description as it allows for the reader to not have to think about the setting and simply focus on the words in the text. The benefit of this is in fact what will allow people to experience the world from a different perspective from their own.