Abstract
This paper discusses Henry David Thoreau's essay "Autumnal Tints," which deals with the observation of Nature, a genre that made Henry Thoreau quite famous. The writer explains how, on what appears to be a rather "innocent" text praising the wonders of Mother Nature, and teaching us how to appreciate them, Thoreau is able to layer multiple levels of meaning. First there is the idea that if we only find the world that we are looking for, then stepping out of our habitual paths may be an opportunity for discovery, along with self-culture, reading, and discipline. The writer notes that in the background, the text within the text, Thoreau may be warning us about passiveness. If we do not use our mind, if we are not on the "lookout", then all sorts of things will be hidden from us. Finally, the writer explains that, through the decoding of the Brocken spectre allusion, the whole text itself stands as an argument for Thoreau's reasoning.

From the Paper
"It is interesting to note that Thoreau is both a poet and a naturalist. Here, through his rendering, the poet gets to explain his own theory of perception - we only find the world that we are looking for. He is obviously trying to make us want to see/look for something else. Although, as a result of our previous readings, we cannot say that Thoreau has expressed that much faith in men, for most of his political texts aim to denounce our ways and underline our nonsense. But assuredly, he believes in Nature. If we want to go further with this argument, we might want to refer to the essay "Slavery in Massachusetts," in which, after having defined a quantity of flaws and injustices that reside in our society, Thoreau implies, through the symbol of the white water-lily, that there could be regeneration through nature..."

Tags:Walden, symbolic, glory, narrative, philosopher, regeneration, environment, subjectivity, transcendentalist, Fiji

Abstract
This paper explains that the character of Ichabod Crane, in Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", represents the intrusion of the outsider upon an isolated and static community. The author points out that Crane threatens to bring disastrous changes to an environment. The paper relates that Crane's itinerant lifestyle, which he maintains even within this settled agrarian community, identifies him as one who does not seek the integration demanded by this environment. The author underscores that the character's tendency toward endless consumption and the perception that all he encounters should somehow be transformed into a means to benefit himself escalates the hostility of his environment. The paper concludes that his attempt to court the character of Katrina solely for the purpose of satisfying his mercenary desires creates a threat to the Hollow, which can only be eliminated by his permanent expulsion.

From the Paper
"The figure of Ichabod Crane emerges as one that devours without nourishment, consuming and then moving on, which directly threatens the carefully balanced stasis of the environment of Sleepy Hollow. He is presented as one who eats large amounts of food, yet appears "tall and exceedingly lank" and is compared to a crane or scarecrow, implying an inability to absorb nourishment from his consumption. Even as he makes his way through the countryside, Crane transforms the landscape's autumnal bounty into feasts to be devoured: apples become ciders, corn becomes cakes, and pumpkins".

Tags:scarecrow, autumnal, courtship, culinary, migration