Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

8-1994

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

English

Major Professor

George Hutchinson

Committee Members

John Nolt, Allen Dunn, Max Oelschlaeger

Abstract

This dissertation examines Thoreau's natural histories ("Natural History of Massachusetts," "A Walk to Wachusett," "A Winter Walk," The Maine Woods, "The Succession of Forest Trees, 11 "Walking, 11 "Autumnal Tints, 11 "Wild Apples") in light of their individual historical contexts, with an emphasis on their evolving narrative methods. Thoreau's natural history writing is essentially an act of naming: a naming which increasingly takes into account more variables of his historical context as well as the historical context of the object (its unique myths, nomenclatures and evolutionary background) in order to approximate a more accurate name for the natural object. Thoreau's multifaceted means of naming, in its desire and yet inability to merge conflicting perspectives, creates a narrative of friction in which Thoreau seeks to create himself as both neutral nomenclator and mimetic participant. As he becomes increasingly aware of his inability to merge these discordant acts of naming and to accurately describe the natural world, the method of narration in each of his natural histories becomes increasingly layered.

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