Thoreau compares himself to a "half-starved hound" as he sinks to "savage primitive rank." Thoreau lives a poetic and spiritual life, however, he longs for a savage being to come and disrupt it for a moment, removing him from his "higher life" down to his "lower life." While Thoreau shifts between his higher and lower self, he recognizes that "Nature is hard to be overcome, but she must be overcome." In the forest Thoreau realizes his own dual-nature; part noble and spiritual, part sinister and savage. .
Thoreau believes that hunting is an essential part of man's savage nature and boys" education. Thoreau also hopes that hunting at an early age will lead to a higher level of spiritual being once the person "leaves the gun and fish-pole behind.".
Such is oftenest the young man's introduction to the forest.
and the most original part of himself. He goes thither at first .
as a hunter and fisher, until at last, if he has the seeds of .
a better life in him, he distinguishes his proper objects, as a .
poet or naturalist it may be, and leaves the gun and fish pole .
behind. The mass of men are still and always young in this .
respect I have been surprised to consider that the only .
obvious employment, except wood-chopping, ice-cutting, or .
the like business, which ever to my knowledge detained at .
Walden Pond for a whole half-day any of my fellow-citizens, .
whether fathers or children of the town, with just one exception, .
was fishing. Commonly they did not think that they were lucky, .
or well paid for their time, unless they got a long string of fish, .
though they had the opportunity of seeing the pond all the while. .
They might go there a thousand times before the sediment of .
fishing would sink to the bottom and leave their purpose pure; .
but no doubt such a clarifying process would be going on all .
the while. .
This passage vividly illustrates Thoreau's dual-personality. He reveals his savage animal self, as well as his higher spiritual self.