... particular disturbed some readers: "First, by what one reviewer called "Pantheistic egoism" or an unchristian outlook bothered them. Passages such as: "It is necessary not to be Christian to appreciate the beauty and significance of the life of Christ," were offensive to Christian readers. The second problem concerned digressions. Poet and critic James Russell Lowell complained in the Massachusetts Quarterly Review: ... is not completely detached (Schneider 47-48)." Thoreau tells us that his purpose in writing the book was to answer questions about his own life, and as Schneider tells u...

• Word Count: 2638
• Approx Pages: 11
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... are great works of literature and even "central to understanding the human race."" They applied appropriately to the times when they were written and apply appropriately as well to modern times. They contain all the answers to the questions that one could possibly have, but according to Thoreau, to obtain these answers one must devote their self to understanding these "oracles."" He also stresses that ... young readers. "I do think there's things in Shakespeare When I was young, the girls used to show me passages that weren't all that nice."" George Babbitt then expresses that reading Sh...

• Word Count: 3576
• Approx Pages: 14
• Grade Level: High School