Creative project responses April 19^th, 2011

Group 6

The presentation that stood out to me the most was done by Group 6.  I liked how their presentation was really involving, and made the class think about the reality of mimicking the experiment done by Henry David Thoreau in present day terms.  They made a PowerPoint, which helped grasp the attention of the audience with interactive pictures and quotes.  This allowed the students to reflect on how revolutionary this experiment was at the time, and how it would be impossible to replicate today. Thoreau didn’t own the land he ‘lived’ on during his ‘Life in the Woods’.  He was squatting, or using land that doesn’t belong to him.  The group looked up laws and proved that he would have gone to jail if he were to conduct his two-year adventure at Walden in today’s society.  He would have violated laws including trespassing, cutting down trees, and poaching.  All of these offenses were necessary for his survival.  To live a self-sustaining life in a natural world, one would need to cut down trees to build living quarters and would need to poach, or violate hunting laws, so that eating meat would be plausible. Laws such as trespassing and loitering would be used against present day squatters if they were found living on a property not belonging to them. If found today, someone would go to jail due to newer U.S. laws.  The group also outlined his grocery list to show what he paid for food/overall expenses in both in mid-1800 and present day inflated prices (USD). This showed, in relative terms, how much someone would need to replicate his experiment in the wild.  The group did a good job presenting Thoreau’s experience in present terms, as well as showing that this test would probably not be plausible in today’s times.

I really enjoyed group one's presentation. They addressed a very true fact about Walden's idea of living peacefully and isolated from the society in the woods without any serious problems and being independent. It just doesn't work! Humans are social creatures. They need to socialize to have a healthy mind and good life. It's the cooperation of humans leads them to a better quality of life. It has been proven that a person cannot satisfy all of his/her own needs. We can't be doctors, carpenters, hunters, cooks, and farmers at the same time. As a result, there is always the need to live as a functioning part of a society, and when society exists, there should be laws and social boundaries to protect our rights. That's why there is no way to have the same experience as Walden in today's world with that small of a budget and as simple as he describes in his book. We would either go to jail for taking over a property that is not ours, get attacked by animals in the woods, or even have psychological problems for lack of social experience and loneliness. I believe group one did a very good job analyzing these issues and explaining the reality in contrast to the dream! They used a good sense of humor and made me laugh several times. This adds to their ability to attract the attention of the audience. PowerPoint slides also had very good comics and were very easy and enjoyable to follow.

The project I enjoyed the most today was group 6's presentation on whether Thoreau's project could work nowadays. I liked how they were very strict with their evaluations knowing that they were not really addressing what Thoreaus was trying to tell in his story "Walden: Or Life in the woods". While Thoreau wrote the book in order to teach people how they can find out more about themselves when withdrawing from society for some time, group 6 made it a very bureaucratic and serious isssue when bringing up laws that that have changed since then and when converting the amounts of money Thoreau used into today's value. Even though they were taking the romantic aspect out of the story, it was very refreshing to listen to their presentation and to look at it from a modern angle and realize how hard it would be to have such an experience these days.

Of the projects presented on the 19th, I think the one that I enjoyed the most would be the project by group 6. I thought their approach to determining whether or not Thoreau could repeat his experience today was quite creatively done, as well as being funny and entertaining to watch. I definitely appreciated the way they made it very humorous and lighthearted, yet still showing a large amount of useful information in demonstrating their findings on Thoreau's experience. The haiku was especially creative, and a great addition to the project. I was also very impressed by how group 8 gave up cell phones for an entire day as part of their project.

The group I found most interesting and connected with the best was group number six.  Part of the reason why I enjoyed their performance so much was the fact that Walden by Henry David Thoreau was my favorite piece thus far in this class. I believe that this group had a very original way of presenting Walden in their own way. The contrast from now and then really helped me to put in perspective what has changed today and what was possible then that is not possible now. In a way I find it sad that back then you could live on 34$ a year and now that wont even buy food for a week, let alone everything else you need to survive. Thoreau was a true pioneer that proved that one could be perfectly happy living in the woods by himself without the modern conveniences of his time. Besides that he only had to work a couple months out of the year. This group did a great job comparing and contrasting Thoreau’s great feat, and proved how back then, living like he did was only slightly rare. Now, no one would ever dream of living like that; one would be deemed an insane sociopath that chose to reject society. They really emphasized how Thoreau was proving a point and making a statement about humanity as a whole, while making himself a far better person. In the end the group did a good job proving that the experience that Thoreau had would be very hard to replicate today.

Group 6 had the most meaningful presentation to me. In thinking over the presentations, I found myself coming back to this group because I disagree with the analysis of Thoreau they shared. Their presentation was thought provoking and I think I got more out of it than the presentations I agreed with. In analyzing Thoreau's project for it's applicability today, they came to the conclusion that due to inflation, laws, and property tax, Thoreau would not be able to repeat his two years in the woods in modern times. Looking at it from this perspective misses the point of Thoreau's project. Yes, the raw goods are more expensive today--but the point is that the total still came to less than $2000 for eight months. That is much less than the average person spends in that amount of time, and Thoreau's essential argument that it is possible to live simply could still be accomplished (check out the "On a Dollar a Day" Project). In addition, part of the purpose of Thoreau's experiment was to live outside the reach of the government and in fact he wrote an essay titled Civil Disobedience. The laws they cited would probably be actively ignored by Thoreau. In conclusion, this group's presentation caused me to research more about Thoreau and look back at the text and I appreciate that.

Group 6, the first group to present, had the most meaningful presentation to me. Their presentation centered around a concern that I also held when reading Thoreau's Walden: sure, rejecting society entirely to move out into the forest sounds great, but is that do-able today? Not really. It is amazing that Thoreau was able to squat on a piece of land miles away from any neighbor for two years without any interferences during his time, but that's something so far removed from our own world today that it's hard to relate. With all the reliance on technology, music, fashion and consumerism at the scale that it exists today, I often wish I could be rid of it all. But even when I venture out into the closest thing that resembles wilderness, I angrily stare at the power lines which still obstruct my view. The likes of a Walden are not easily found in today's world of urban sprawl and the hundreds of laws that come along with it. After all of the critical seriousness of Walden's practicality today, they ended with a very memorable "Prison Haiku" which I found to be a tasteful element of satire amongst presentations that only offered praise. I felt that the guys of Group 6 did an awesome job of portraying this side of the Walden experience.

I loved Group 6’s presentation, which explored how feasible Henry David Thoreau’s 2-year experiment would have been in today’s world.  The slideshow pictures were very funny; I like how they took cheesy stock clip-art and slapped Thoreau’s refined and contemplative countenance on every one of them.  Thoreau would have certainly found it harder to live in the woods today.  As mentioned in the presentation, he would have almost certainly gone to prison for trespassing, and poaching.  Most people don’t take kindly to squatters.  In a way, Thoreau would be even more iconoclastic if he conducted his woods-living experiment today.  I believe that the technology-obsessed and work-obsessed society that he criticized in the 19^th century is even more technology-obsessed and work-obsessed today.  However, there was certainly a period in the past 50 years when Thoreau’s lifestyle would be even more accepted than it was in his time, as evidenced by Professor Marx’s (and his friends’) own attempt to live life more in harmony with nature in the 1960s and 1970s.  I wonder if we will see a resurgence of this trend in the future.  Already there has been increased effort and interest in the past five to eight years to be eco-friendly, organic, natural and sustainable.  It’s like we are increasingly trying to bring the natural world into our modern society, instead of fleeing modern society to live in the natural world.  I prefer this new school of thought to the old one.  I enjoy the convenience and power of modern technology, but I am also a fan of organic and eco-friendly practices.

I think that group 6 was the most interesting and persuasive presentation on tuesday. I was really amused by their overall theme of "could Thoreau do what he did today?" As I was reading Thoreau's text I was wondering the same thing myself, so it was nice that they explored all the reasons why it wouldn't be as easy today as it was for him back then. They made several legitimate points about why it would interfere in today's society, such as property taxes, homesteading, and trespassing. All of these violations would have gotten him either tickets or he would be put in jail. Also, Thoreau makes it seem like anybody can live on just about no money, but in reality, all of the materials and supplies he bought would be much more expensive today. He wouldn't have been able to just cut down trees or hunt animals the way he did, which is another reason his plan would not work. Overall, I very much enjoyed their display of this material, as they presented a serious topic, but added comical and entertaining sidenotes to keep the audience attentive. 

In today’s set of presentations, the group that grabbed my attention the most was group 6. It was really different from the presentations that were given last Thursday. It was a thorough analysis of whether it is plausible for Thoreau to live out in the woods in today’s society.  With today’s value of the dollar the cost of doing Thoreau’s experiment would prove to be extremely expensive. Not to mention unlawful because Thoreau was technically squatting in the forest because he didn’t own the property and land that he stayed on. However, I think the important thing for the presentation to recognize if it was possible for someone in today’s time to find the same conclusions that Thoreau did in his time. Although it would seem difficult to do this experiment today, I don’t feel it necessary for one to realize that food, fuel, shelter and clothing is essential to life. If technologies and frivolous things like fancy clothes, big houses, and fast cars are taken away, it is true that we can still survive. However if we all lived in a world where we lived on just the bare essentials, society cannot progress like it has been in the like 2000 years. Without progress, there would be no modern medicine to keep us from falling ill and dying. Thoreau’s Walden was an interesting experiment to make the point that living simply is superior then living in the city. Also, it would be relatively difficult to pull off “living simply” because of the restrictions presented in group six’s presentation.

The presentation that I found to be the most interesting was certainly group 6's presentation. This group chose to focus on Henry David Thoreau's, Walden. What I liked about this group was they chose a very creative and different form of presentation compared to those so far. Rather than just interpreting the author's work, the group members tinkered with the idea of whether Thoreau would be able to complete his nature experiment in today's life. In Walden, Thoreau used land that wasn't his for his own use. This land probably was not regulated at the time or enforced in any way. Today, this would never work since trespassing laws prohibit such acts. Also, the group mentioned how neighbors call the police frequently when they believe someone is on their land. Another point of how this would not work deals with property taxes and Thoreau's inability to pay. Some simple acts of survival like cutting down trees for fire wood and poaching animals for food would certainly lead to Thoreau winding up in jail in today's world. Group 6 also calculated Thoreau's total expenses today, adjusted for inflation, which included many more fees and expenses than I'm sure he ever imagined having to pay. Life today in most of the country simply does not allow for the way of life depicted in Walden. According to the group, Thoreau's experiment would not work today, although he would still surely write about his experience. Overall, I really enjoyed this group's presentation because it kept my interest easily the entire time. I appreciated the creativity in the group's interpretation of Walden, and I applaud their work.

The group I found to be the most inspirational and meaningful was group 6. I thought it was very creative and interesting to compare Thoreau’s living off the land project to how it would be executed today. The rules pointed out that would apply to Thoreau I found to be very interesting and a lot of them I was unaware of. The differences discussed from Thoreau’s time to today’s society were particularly interesting. The expenses calculated with inflation were helpful for me to get a better idea of what it would be like for Thoreau to perform this project in today’s society. I had no idea that prices and the value of the dollar had inflated so much; it really helped for me to get a better understanding of what Thoreau was able to live off of for two and a half years and how much money he actually spent. The conclusion the group reached that Thoreau’s project would not work in today’s society did not surprise me in the least bit. I don’t think that most would allow Thoreau to live off land near their house for two and a half years. My favorite part of the presentation was the Haiku at the end; it was both funny and very creative. The presentation as a whole was entertaining and informative and kept my interest the entire time. Their spin on the modern day Thoreau was very clever and stimulating and helped me better to understand what exactly Thoreau’s experiment was all about and what he was really able to live off of compared to today. 

   The two groups presentations I would like to give a response about are Group 6 and Group 8. Both of these groups focused their presentation on Thoreau but took different aspects. Group 6 focused on if Thoreau’s project would work in today’s economy. However with inflation Thoreau’s expenses rose to around 1400 dollars in today’s economy. Also, as societies have grown more laws have made a project like Thoreau’s not possible. The group felt that he would end up in jail if he tried to do his project today. On the other hand, Group 8 focused on Thoreau’s project but without technology. As an example they took away cell phones. This caused drama with friends and problems with getting a hold of people. Again in today’s world, Thoreau’s project proved that it could not compete in today’s lifestyle. I personally agree with both of these presentations and the scenarios they play out. First dealing with Group 6’s theory; a person can not live on 1400 dollars a year today and live the lifestyle Thoreau did. With the price of the basic necessities of life and current laws, a person who attempts Thoreau’s project will end up in jail or on the streets in major trouble. There is no doubt in my mind that this will be the result. Now looking at Group 8’s scenario, I can relate too. Besides being a student, in my line of work a cell phone is a necessity. If a client needs to get a hold of me, my cell phone is the way to do it. My cell phone is also my way of getting in contact with people myself. From banking transactions to driving directions, my cell phone handles all of it. So thanks to Apple’s Iphone I can agree with Group 8 about Thoreau’s project. 

I enjoyed group six’s presentation on Thoreau the most.  The question of whether or not Henry David Thoreau could separate from civilization and live in the woods in today’s world was very interesting to me.  As the group pointed out in their presentation, things have changed dramatically since 1845 including squatter’s rights, state laws, and the cost of living.  It was interesting for them to point out that if you claim land and don’t get evicted after a certain number of years, the property becomes yours.  However in today’s world, it would be mighty difficult to do that.  There are laws nowadays not present in Thoreau’s era that would impede his ability to live in the woods including trespassing, deforestation, and poaching.  But what I found the most intriguing was how much the cost of living, even with inflation calculated, has increased.  The house Thoreau built along Walden Pond was a grand total of seventy dollars which is equivalent to 1,433.48 dollars today.  Good luck finding a house for that amount these days.  Even if you built your own house to cut down on the construction costs, it would still be at least one hundred times more expensive at the minimum.  I agree with their conclusion that it would be extremely difficult to replicate Thoreau’s project in the world today because one may end up in jail.  Thoreau’s Prison Haiku at the end to finish the presentation was very funny and added some humor to the project.

I thought Group 6’s presentation was the most relatable. Group 6 decided to analyze Thoreau’s experience living in the woods and explained Thoreau’s purpose and journey. Thoreau saw the flaws in society and wanted to escape from it and demonstrate how we are all so dependent on luxuries. We spend our lives in routine and not really living life to its fullest. The group also shared an experiment as the second half to their project. The experiment consisted of the four members going a day without their cell phones and the experiences they encountered. The experiences they had were positive, making them realize certain things about themselves and society today. Even though their experience was not to the extent of Thoreau’s, I thought it was a creative representation of Thoreau’s message.  I found their experiences to be insightful, showing that we rely too much on technology and are constantly distracted by it. I am constantly relying on technology to get me through the day. We need to do what we want and live our life the way we want to live it and not conform to society’s enslavement over us.

I found group #6’s presentation regarding Thoreau in the present day the most interesting. I liked how they compared what Walden did to what he would do today. For example, Walden would be violating laws against squatting, poaching, and trespassing. I also found it extremely interesting how they compared Walden’s costs to what they would be today using the inflation rate. Even considering the inflation rate, what the amount of money that he lived on for eight months would still not be doable today. Only spending two hundred dollars on clothes in eight months would definitely not cut it for me in today’s society. The images of Thoreau with edited faces were comical, especially the Monopoly jail card with Thoreau’s face on it, and the Japanese haiku was the perfect finishing touch. Also, they mentioned that today Walden “couldn’t do much but write” which is very true and hysterical as well. Overall, this was my favorite presentation. It was basic yet intriguing and funny, and it accomplished what needed to be discussed.

Of the presentations given on tuesday, I mostly enjoyed group # 6. They gave a realistic representation of Thoreau's project and if it would work in todays world. I thought that the power point slides/pictures were useful and comical which kept my attention throughout. All members spoke equally and contributed useful information that convinced the audience that the project just wouldn't be possible in today's times. Using such categories as the law, budgeting, etc. helped to prove their point.

Group six, I thought, had one of the best presentations. The main topic of their presentation was on if it would be possible in modern times to do to something like Thoreau did and live in a place like Walden Pond. Their presentation helped me understand that Thoreau was actually staying on land that wasn’t his which in reality today would be such a hard thing to do make this dream that Thoreau had a hard thing to accomplish today. I really liked the way the group translated every aspect and detail of Thoreau’s living style into what it would be in modern times because it showed how vastly different things are today and showed me what big changes had come to our society since then. This made me think how disgusted Thoreau would be with what our modern society has come to and all the flaws of society that Thoreau was trying to escape from back then have now been intensified. The group went over such things as his food habits and pointed out to us that he hunted for food off of the land he was squatting on and didn’t just survive on the food products that he bought. I also liked how they went over the grocery list expenses and other cost of living expenses. It was interesting to see how much inflation has occurred since then and how expensive it would be to need such necessities as gas. This made me realize that living the way Thoreau did back then would be impractical and possibly unbearable. The total cost of his livings back then compared to today would be somewhere in the three thousand dollars range according to the group. While this isn’t a lot for 8 months, it still is a lot to get together and you would have to do some serious saving for 5 or 7 months while working and paying other expense. This again leads to the fact that it would be impractical to live like Thoreau did and another thing you would have to take into account is how much you would be giving up to live this lifestyle. This seems to not be worth the misery at least to me.

I felt that Group 6 did a great job of presenting Thoreau. Their power-point was well done and was very interesting. I liked how they compared the prices from when Thoreau did his experiment to todays prices. It was very interesting to how not only prices has increased, but also how much he actually spent in todays prices. It made Thoreau's prices hit home. It was also interesting to hear about the laws he would have broken if it he had done this experiment today, like cutting down trees and poaching. Another interesting insight that the group brought forth was the grocery list they presented and how much Thoreau actually spent in todays prices. It was hard reading the book and believing how small his food prices were but when put in todays prices it makes it more believable. I also liked the Haiku at the end, it was comical and a great way to wrap up the presentation.

Group 6 was definitely the most meaningful and the most creative. It was also funny and I felt like it held the audiences attention adequately. They addressed many issues and explored them with a great depth. I thought this project was the most interesting but not necessarily the most enlightening. It was surprising to hear that even accounting for inflation, he would still not be able to pay for even the food. I thought the poem at the end was a nice touch. Overall, the project was clever, well thought out, unique and well researched. I did feel like there could have been more research done and the project did feel a little short.

The project presented by Group 6 was the most meaningful to me on the second day of presentations.  They took Thoreau’s Walden project and wanted to see if it were still a possibility to pull it off in today’s society.  I especially enjoyed this one because when I had read Walden I always had the thought in the back of my mind that it would never work under today’s standards, so this group helped to prove it wrong or not.  They did well as they took all of Thoreau’s expenditures and valued in inflation to accurately see what those amounts of money would equal today.  Once they found out what their budget would be they checked the prices of the materials, food, clothing, and other things that Thoreau purchased, and found that they would be unable to afford much, if anything at all.  The group also brought up the point that a lot of what he did is now considered illegal, such as squatting and cutting down trees. Thoreau was able to squat on a plot of land back then and build a log cabin, but today it is also much too hard to squat as there are more people and government to evict you and even send you to jail for trespassing.  This group presented all of their evidence for reasons his project could not be copied today and it caught my interest because I myself did not think that it would be as cheap or easy as Thoreau claimed it to be.

I liked group 6's project (I believe) the most. The one that questioned whether Thoreau's experiment would work today. I tend to be very practical and realist, this section of the book really interested me and got me thinking. I am very pleased they had brought it up and created their project out of it. What I thought that they could have improved on was that inflation is just the tendency of the value of money to increase over time, so Thoreau's $62 dollars in his time is literally equal to $1400 our time. So if all else the same and Thoreau used today's money he would have spent $1400. This is something that several groups failed to realize. I liked that they did realize that the prices of things did go up substantially over the years so Thoreau would have to spent more money then before to get the same good. What really puzzled me while reading the book was that Thoreau spent $62 and earned $36.78 leaving him ($25.22) in the whole. He then argued that living simply was indeed sustainable and that it was a better option then trying to produce more and more to make more and more. He was loosing money each eight months... how would that be considered sustainable?

Group 7

Today we listened to a presentation by (un-known) group who gave their interpretation on William Blake’s the Tyger and the Lamb. I felt like the group worked really well together and presented their knowledge and thoughts about Blake’s material. First two of girls apart of the group gave a short description of the poems and how they related to modern events. They wanted the listener to know that his work in a way is timeless and was relevant when he wrote and when we read it.  They gave us really good examples about hard times in the world today, which was related to the Tyger poem. The last part of the presentation was a slide show of the poem. This part of the presentation was my favorite part, although a bit dark and harsh. It was a great interpretation of his work. They decided to show Hitler as a child(lamb) and throughout the slide he became older a man (tyger). I thought how they slowly showed the progression of Hitler was a great addition. My first thought was a cute child and full of innocence. Than you see a picture of Hitler, and now you see the relation of the poem. When I first read these poems I interpreted them the same way. You are born innocent and grow to learn experience, which in this case was a very bad thing to make an understatement.  All in all I felt the group did a great job and worked well together. This showed in the quality of the project.   

Group 7 presented an excellent and well thought out presentation.  First off, two of the group members analyzed two poems by William Blake, "The Chimney Sweeper" and "London."  I enjoyed this analysis of the poems because each of the presenters researched the history and meaning behind the poems.  As such, the audience could get a feel of the time period and events of the poem.  The audience could understand what Blake was seeing around him and maybe how the idea behind his poems began.  I felt that I got a better feel of the two poems presented because I understood its background.  (Also, the parallel between the situation in Libya and the poem "London" was really interesting.)  I think the video brought the presentation home for me.  At the beginning of the video, I was unsure who the poem "The Tyger" was referring to.  Once pictures of Hitler began emerging, I realized how perfect the poem fit Hitler in WWII.  This was a very innovative and creative approach to interpreting the poem.  It made me think about Hitler as a baby.  He looked so innocent! The pondering questions about innocence and experience made me think after the presentation was over.  The somber mood of the audience after proves that the video was effective and impactful.  Good job Group 7!

I really enjoyed how group 7 approached their project. They did a kind of duel analysis of The Lamb and the tyger by William Blake. One thing that always helps a presentation is visuals, and this group did a great job with their powerpoint. Their comparison of the lamb and the tyger to Hitler as a child and as an adult was very interesting and a thought provoking analysis. It was very helpful to see the songs of experience and songs of innocence tied together into one analysis. The two books seem disconnected at times and this presentation was a fun way of seeing them together. Also each member in the group had a part of the presentation to speak about and it was all very well organized which meant no downtime to get bored or move your thoughts elsewhere. All and all it was a very enjoyable presentation to view.

Group 8

I personally thought the presentation done by group 8 was the best.  They compared Walden's experiences in the nature, with their own experiences.  It was a creative idea for them to compose their own experiment of not having a their cell phone for 24 hours.  After they went through a whole day without a cell phone, they learned that we all have great dependence on technology, and we communicate through cell phones more than we do in person.  They also said it impacted relationships in a negative way by having less personal and close encounters.  It's also true that cell phones tend to make us worry and not pay attention to what's going on in the world.  They made the Walden's purpose seem clear, that he believed if we isolate ourselves from the hectic society and go into nature where we can be at peace, we can be free of any distractions and be truly happy.  This society we are living in, tricks us into thinking that we need a great amount of money to buy materials in order to be satisfied.  But Walden actually goes off to live in the forest with very little money to prove he can still be satisfied like others living off tons of cash.  Living a simple life means less distractions and more focus on important things.  I strongly agree with Walden for I believe the advertising industry targets the consumers to buy an immense amount of products that we have no real use for.  I want to dedicate an entire day to being outdoors to enjoy the beauty of nature, and have nobody to listen to but myself.  Group 8 obviously put a lot of dedication and time into this project, and I hope others can see how Walden lived a true life.

I thoroughly enjoyed group 8's presentation on Henry David Thoreau and his writings while at Walden Pond. I enjoyed their focus on not only what Thoreau wrote while he was in isolation, but also why he went into the woods in the first place. Their reference of Thoreau contemplating what it would be life to get to one's deathbed without ever truly living stuck with me because this is one of my greatest fears. I, like Thoreau, am an advocate of not slaving away at a job trying to increase material possessions. As the group explained finding life's essential challenges is crucial. In terms of the presentation I enjoyed how the group related life in the woods to the modern day equivalent of life with technology. Cell phones and computers invade every aspect of our lives these days and it was informative to see how each member of the group experienced being phone-less. I too have trouble not constantly checking my phone and relying on it for most forms of communication. I liked that each member of the group focused on a different aspect of spending the day without their phone and that how each one realized how much having a phone is integrated into their lives. I also enjoyed the slide show they presented to accompany their presentation. Each member of the group did an excellent job analyzing Thoreau's work and relating it back to their own experiences.

Once again, I was very impressed by the group presentations this week, which seemed to focus on Thoreau’s Walden: Or, Life in the Woods.  I appreciated Group 8’s presentation the most and felt as if they really embraced the theme that Thoreau was trying to portray.  I liked how they began with a discussion of how Thoreau appreciated nature and felt the need to experience life away from society’s constraints.  Group 8 respected and admired his decision which was very revolutionary at the time due to the fact that he was going to live alone and attempt to build everything and garden and hunt for himself.  I thought attempting a day without cell phones was an interesting way of paralleling Thoreau’s exclusion from society.  This presentation made me think back to when I have had a similar experience living away from technology while camping last summer.  The camp we were at lacked cell phone service and we did not have access to any other forms of electronics or technology for five days.  After the first day I realized how often I check my cell phone and go on the internet, I always have my phone close at hand.  On the trip however I was able to leave my phone behind and go out and enjoy nature without having to worry about anyone contacting me.  It was also nice to be free from distractions and just be able to enjoy my time with my family and have excursions without interruptions.  Thoreau obviously did not have to escape from the same type of distractions as we do now, but while reading his story I felt connected to him due to our fondness of escaping from the complicated world to do and think as we please for a short time.

The group that stood out most to me and that was the most meaningful was Group 8. I liked how they incorporated an experiment into their presentation. The idea of not having my cell phone for 24 hours made me realize just how dependent I am upon it. The comparison between Thoreau who escaped reality and society by exiling himself to the woods and the exiling of ourselves from society by shutting off our communication devices was an effective way of grabbing my attention. Living the way Thoreau did is almost impossible in our day and age, but if we all sit back and take time to ourselves, without the constant need for approval from the people in our lives, we can sort of understand what Thoreau was trying to say. After reading Thoreau, I try and enjoy just sitting outside in perfect silence and enjoying the beauty of my surroundings. This presentation was the most effective for me because it made me really think about the connection between this modern generation and the thoughts of Thoreau. It was creative and held my attention the whole time. I thoroughly enjoyed Group 8's presentation.

The project that I related to the most was the Group 8 presentation (the second one to go) which presented the experiment of going without a cell phone for a day. Their presentation was based on Henry David Thoreau's book  Walden; or, Life in the Woods. Specifically, they targeted Thoreau's theme in the book of going without the material goods in life in order to achieve a more elevated sense of perspective of the world. The experiment was meant to simulate this relief from material goods by going without the one main material object that is central to a college student's life. I have had a similar experience when, over the summer, I went on a cruise and had my cell phone off and in my room for the entire trip. The whole first two days, and especially the first, I was constantly checking my pocket for my phone to check the time, or play a word in Words With Friends only to find emptiness. This void was very uncomfortable to get used to and showed me just how often I look at my phone. By the end of the trip I was very divided over how I felt about the absence of my phone. One one hand, I felt free from a captor, like I didn't have to answer to anyone and didn't have to constantly be nagged by constant conversation. On the other hand, it was  odd to not have that line of constant communication and knowledge at my fingertips. The stories that this group had seemed to be very similar to my experiences.

While all the presentations were interesting, group number eight’s presentation had the greatest impact on me.  They were the group who examined Thoreau’s Walden; or, Life in the Woods and imagined if the book was written today that it would focus on living a life without technology, especially cell phones.  The group members decided to live without their cell phones for a day and they recounted their experience.  The first admitted problems with arranging her ride to and from a doctor’s appointment without her cell phone.  She took for granted all of the information cell phones provide.  She planned on just using the office phone to call her friend when she was ready to be picked up, but when she was done and went to make the call she realized she did not know her friends cell phone number.  The second discussed her new awareness of her cell phone’s role in her life.  She brought up texting and relationships.  The third was surprised at how many people were either confused or upset with her for not using her phone for just one day.  She talked about how accustomed to instant gratification we have become with mobile phones.  The fourth realized that she was a bad listener, especially while she was in classes listening to lectures.  I liked that this group did an experiment of their own in the spirit of Thoreau.  Listening to their accounts made me think of what my own relationship with my cell phone.  Yesterday I tried to make the conscientious effort to reach for my phone as little as possible.  I do not text or make phone calls very often and thought it would be easy, but it was not.  I did not realize how paranoid I was of people trying to reach me and me not responding, and how much entertainment my phone provides me throughout the day with games and reading the news.  

The presentation that I felt did the best job with their project was Group 8. They wanted to perform their own take on an in the day of the life of Henry David Thoreau. To execute this plan of action, the group related Thoreau's experiences in the wilderness without basic luxuries, to what their lives would be like without one of today's basic luxuries; a cell phone. For 24 hours, each group member turned off their cell phone and proceeded with their days without it. Each member told the class of the most significant event or realization they came upon during their experiment. Realizations of each group member ranged from finding that removing their cell phone from their day relieved stress and extra things to think about, to realizing how much they depended on their cell phone to store information that could simply be memorized. Also, one group member mentioned how she found how poorly our generation's communication skills are due to texting and a lack of in person conversation. I felt as though their experiment related well to what Thoreau went through because they attempted to make their lives more simplistic by removing something (like a cell phone) that distracts us from the present and what is happening around us. I thought that this comparison was very clever and effective in comparing Thoreau's experience to something modern and easy to relate to. 

I feel that the most influential group project was group 8. Their experiment of turning off their cell phones for a day was very relevant to everyone in our class, definitely including me. It was a very eye-opening experiment and I am very grateful this group performed this and shared their results and experiences. Each member had a different story, however they all tied into Thoreau's own experiment and his purpose. The 3rd and 4th members of the group had positive experiences which opened them to the world around them. They were able to tap into Thoreau's reasonings for separating himself and found simplicity and discovered things about themselves on a more meaningful level. It was also insightful to hear about the negative experiences, too. Just like the hardships faced in the woods away from society, two of the group members also found out the pains of separating themselves. This experiment was a very good interpretation of 'Walden or Life in the Woods' and it definitely had a very lasting impression on me. It is one thing to read about an experience in the woods, but it takes it to a higher, more personal level when that experience is evaluated in today's world.

I felt that Group 8 did a great job of relating Walden's experience to how someone today would experience what he did. Today we are so attached to our mobile devices that we don't have a full sense of what is happening around us. We miss out on some of the pure beauty that surrounds us and it changes how we view the outside world. I have had multiple experiences where I either lose my phone or the battery dies which puts me in a similar situation to that of the presenters and it is not something easy to do. We lose communication with our friends but at the same time, once a few days pass it begins to have a peaceful aspect too. It is stress relieving and enables my mind to think of other concerns. I can enjoy the horses and nature that surrounds me on my way to school. San Luis is a beautiful place if you take a second to enjoy the beauty around you. However when you have your cell phone glued to your hip there is always a sense of distraction. it is also hard to deal with when you are trying to communicate face to face with someone and your phone is buzzing away. This idea of detaching our cell phones is a great way of replicating how Walden escaped from his society back in the day. 

I am responding to the first group that presented on Tuesday, April 19^th.  The title of their presentation was “ Would Walden’s Project Work Today?”.  This group studied Walden’s way of living in the wild and tried to determine whether it would be possible for him to live in the same manner in present day.  Ultimately, they decided it would be impossible for him to do so, figuring that he would end up in jail.  The way Walden acquired his land was by squatting on it.  In modern day, if one squats on someone’s land for 2 years, it becomes the squatters land.  However, the owners can evict the squatter on charges of trespassing or loitering before the two years were up.  So they decided it was unlikely he would be able to squat somewhere for 2 years without being caught.  I believe however, that he would be able to squat for 2 years somewhere if it were rural enough.  Some other charges that could be brought against him were cutting down another persons trees and poaching, both of which are punishable by jail time.  Although this is true, once again, it is unlikely he would be caught doing this if he lived in a rural enough area.  I think financial problems would have made it very difficult for Walden to live like this in modern day.  Inflation would have boosted his food bill to over $200 and his overall bill to over $1400.  It would be very difficult to generate this amount of money without a real job, doing only small time farming by himself. 

After watching all of the presentations on Tuesday, one project stood out in particular. I believe group 8's experiment of the "24 hours without a cellphone" presentation was the best due to its creativity and easy relation to todays modern society. One of my favorite parts of the presentation was when they were first introducing Throeau's idea of "Life in the woods", they made sure to point out his quote in which he says, "Not until we are lost do we truly find ourselves." I believe this fit perfectly for their presentation because they all could relate their experiences with this quote. Many of the girls told stories of how they had trouble going through their day to day lives without a cellphone, and began to realize how dependent we all are on technology. It was not until these girls were "lost" without a phone, did they truly find out that they relied so heavily on technology on a day to day basis. By conducting this experiment and presenting it to the class, I began to get a deeper understanding of Throeau's motives for living in the woods in search of a more simplistic lifestyle. Overalll, I chose group 8 because they did a spectacular job of unraveling Henry David Throeau's ideas and presenting them in a more easily understandable, modern fashion.

For this round of projects, I found Group 8’s presentation the most grabbing.  This group did a project on Thoreau’s Walden, Life in the woods.   In this piece, Thoreau cuts ties with the modern world and stays at Walden Pond.  There, he lives the simple life, where he can stay closely connected with nature.  For their project, the group decided to go 24 hours without a cell phone, and reflect upon the experience.  I thought it was really creative how this group found a way to perform a quick simulation of Thoreau’s experiment, but make it more applicable to modern times.  As it turned out, going a full day without a phone was rather difficult.  It really showed Group 8 how dependent people are on technology.  In today’s world, people are always expected to be reachable immediately in some form of another.  New innovations in technology meant to make communications more convenient have proved to make deadlines shorter and our lives more stressed.  For example, the fax machine and email were meant to speed up and simplify communications.  However, now people expect documents and responses immediately.  These things have made our lives more hectic, rather than more convenient.  I can see how going awhile without a cell phone would be very refreshing.

On Tuesday we had great presentations. I thought all did a great job but the best was group 8. They looked at Henry Thoreau’s poem “life in the woods”. Personally I didn’t care for the poem but after the group presented I took a liking to it. Keeping a journal in the woods is a thought provocative maneuver that one should do. He learned about simplicity and stated “not until we are lost do we understand ourselves”, which I think is a profound quote that explains the truth about finding oneself. I liked how they took the approach to do the same by going 24 hours without a cell phone, which is equivalent to today’s time.  I liked how they did this experiment because it helped relate Thoreau’s experiences to modern day. It also showed how in today’s society we are so heavily reliant on technology when in reality we don’t need to be. I felt group 8 did an exceptional job on their interpretation to “life in the woods”.

Group 8's presentation struck me the most out of all the groups. Although it's easy to argue going without a phone for a day is much less extreme then living for 2 years in the woods, it is a great example of how dependent we are on technology. It was not surprising to hear that all four members had a positive experience not having their cell phone in hand at all times. For our generation, playing with a cell phone has become an instinct in situations of any down time. This is very different than what Thoreau calls for when he says do nothing. He finds it so peaceful to take in nature, but in today's age even when we escape into nature on a hike or camping, our cell phones are a common companion. Cell phone dependency has become so great that people think it is their right to have a phone. There has been a push to get cell phone blockers in movie theaters and other public places, but there much resistance with people saying they need them in case of an emergency. It is sad to think that if cell phone blockers are put in, the theater is most likely going to be sued by someone who was injured and couldn't get to their phone. I think experiments like the one group 8 did would be a very good experience for much of society. It could become something like a monthly retreat where for one weekend a month, everyone goes without a cell phone. As the group stated, this could force people to talk more face to face that weekend, and Thoreau would be thrilled if people did nothing with their down time.

The group that I found most inspirational was group number eight.  This group took Thoreau’s experience in the woods (that he then documented in Walden) and made it their own.  Group eight’s entirely interactive “experiment” should how much dedication this group possessed in to experiencing the simpler aspects of life.  Thoreau expressed in Walden that one should value simplicity, rich and poor are equivalent in nature, and that “not until we are lost, do we begin to understand ourselves.”  I thought that the latter was extremely important.  For myself, I always need at least 15 minutes a day just to myself, without the troubles and worries of everyday life.  Since technology is a great means of communication in today’s society, they decided to go an entire twenty-four hours without their cell phones.  I have actually done this experiment myself and even though it sounds fairly simple, you run into problems along the way that you never realized you were so dependent on your phone for.  This group experienced harmful effects on their relationships with boyfriends (through miscommunication from not having their cell phone), plans and meeting destinations got confused, and they realized how distracted and not in tune they are with their surroundings.  They also pointed out how most people cannot even sit through an entire class period with out texting their friends, playing games on their phone (or even checking for the time), or even going on the Internet instead of paying attention in class.  Coming to this realization I have actually stopped being so dependent on my cell phone for communication (meaning, I have started calling people instead of solely depending on texting).  I really appreciated how this presentation was easily relatable to everyone in today’s society.

I really enjoyed listening to group #8's presentation. It was very brave of them to take a day away from their phone. Thoreau did not have any device even similar to a cell phone but in today's world that is a big step towards a life similar to Thoreau. I really enjoyed the quotes that they said throughout the presentation, they found very inspiring and thought provoking quotes by Thoreau. It was really interesting that all of the girls in this group ad a positive experience not having their cell phones for a day. It makes me wonder what life would be like if I completely disconnected myself and used the power of face to face conversation for all of my communication. I think would have very personable relationships and more alone/me time to meditate in. This group realized that living a life exactly like Thoreau would be nearly impossible in this day and age but it would be very beneficial to make small advancements towards a life similar to it, even just for a day. This group used really beautiful images in there presentation. This was a great way to remind the class to slow down and appreciate the beauty that is right outside our window. Thoreau appreciated this beauty and the nature benefited and aided him in this quest.

The presentation that I found most interesting was group #8, the second group to present. Group #8 did a presentation on Thoreau's Walden and started out with a presentation that basically summarized what Thoreau did, included some statistics on how much Thoreau would have really needed to spend with inflation (like the other group) and did a solid job. What I liked most was that they did a "mini" Thoreau experiment by going without cell phones for a day. It's not a monumental undertaking, but was interesting enough how they dedicated to it and their thoughts on the results was enlightening. One girl went without even though she knew that she had a doctor's appointment with no immediate way back and forgot that she didn't know her ride's number without her cell phone, which really elucidates how dependent we have become relying on technology to remember things for us. The other presenters' experiences were interesting too. That's why I liked this one more, the other presentations were too bland and vanilla comparatively. 

I thought that group 8 had the most creative presentation today.  They presented on Thoreau's poem "Life in the Woods".  They began by talking about the poem and how DHT went to live in the wood so that he could live "deliberately".  He wanted to live a life that only consisted of "living" and learn from it all that life could teach.  Group 8 did a small scale experiment similar to Thoreau's by going 24 hours without their cell phones.  This is a more modern way of somewhat living without technology, which we have become so dependent on.  I thought it was a great experiment and helps give them a better view of the life Thoreau was trying to live.

While I really enjoyed all of the projects presented in class on Tuesday, the work done by Group 8 stood out the most.  I thought it was very original, in that they didn’t do a “traditional” PowerPoint or skit, but actually lived their lives as Thoreau would have done.  While only going one day without cell phones may not be overly difficult, it was really cool to hear about how they immediately began to notice things they normally didn’t while using their cell phones.  I’m sure everyone in class has gone a day or two without their phones before, due to one reason or another, and while at first it can create anxiety, after you get over the initial shock, it’s somewhat liberating.  Not having to respond to calls or texts can almost be fun at times, and it makes me jealous thinking about Thoreau just relaxing in the woods doing whatever he pleased.  Group 8’s presentation makes me want to try to reduce technology in my life, and while this doesn’t necessarily mean I’ll be going a few days without my cell phone, I will try to put my iPod away while I’m walking to and from campus, and just enjoy the beautiful San Luis Obispo environment around us.  I’m sure I’m not the only one in class who is thinking about doing this.  While this project wasn’t necessarily conventional, I think it perfectly exemplifies the idea of enjoying the nature around them and not getting caught up in the “rat race,” exactly what Wordsworth and Thoreau were about. 

I personally liked the presentation by Group 8 the best. The presentation was based on Henry David Thoreau’s book, Walden; or, Life in the Woods. It involved a slide shown with pictures illustrating several of Thoreau’s quotes from the book. Then to relate it to themselves the group preformed their own experiment that they felt mirrored Thoreau’s in present day. This experiment was not having their phones for an entire day. Each group member related their experiences to the class. I can really relate to this experiment because when I broke my phone last quarter it made me realize how much I relied on it. The points made by the group members were also how I felt for the two weeks I didn’t have a phone. I felt free from the electronic leash but I also realized how I use my phone for the most basic of needs. This being said I know that many people have had to survive without a phone for periods of time for various reasons so this experiment was very useful for relaying their message.

The presentation that stuck with me the most after Tuesday’s class was group 8. They started out with simple quotes from Henry David Thoreau’s Walden or Life in the Woods, and discussed the meaning as they saw it. This part of the presentation was slightly boring and really was just a summary of the reading we all were supposed to do in the first place. The section that actually got me thinking was when they explained their experiment. Trying to live like Thoreau once did, the girls in the group 8 refrained from using their cell phones for a day. Each member of the group came to a different conclusion about technology in our lives and explained how it was relevant to them. Personally, I related most to the discussion of instant gratification in relation to texting and modern society. This was interesting and got me thinking about other aspects of my life that it can be applied to as well. Although I think this whole experiment was slightly off topic, I enjoyed hearing about it and I feel like everyone in the audience could relate.

Group 8's presentation was the most meaningful to me because they truly gave me a different perspective on life. They portrayed an interesting outlook on Walden: Life in the Woods by Thoreau. The purpose was clearly stated as finding the essential facts of life in nature and live deliberately while removing yourself from the pressures of society. They used beautiful pictures of nature in the background of their power point, therefore emphasizing the main theme of simplicity which paralleled Thoreau's main idea. I enjoyed the soothing classical music they played in the background while they talked and discussed their perspective on the book. My favorite part of their presentation was when they came up with their own way of removing themselves from society by turning off their cell phones for 24 hours. I found it interesting how they shared their experiences and what they learned about themselves or society after going without cell phones for a day. One person concluded that it is important to plan ahead and communication is the key to not having technology. Another examined how cell phones have altered relationships because people put too much value on the response time of text messages ultimately creating weaker relationships. Another person realized she was not a very good listener and did not notice her surroundings as much before. I was very intrigued with their experiment, so I conducted the same experiment on myself and found out similar concepts about myself that I do not think I would have noticed before. I feel like I can cherish my relationships with my peers better and not rely so much on technology in order to live my life. Thanks group 8 for an awesome presentation.

For week four’s presentations I felt that group eight’s was the most meaningful. Their presentation was on Thoreau’s Walden and his experience with nature. They discussed how he wanted to be out by himself and living on his own, surviving. They came up with the question, “can we remove technology from our lives and get by?” They discussed the experiement they did of trying to get through 24 hrs without their cell phones. I liked this idea because it challenged them to do something out of their comfort zone and they gave insight on what they got out of it. It seemed like the all got a positive learning experience from this and it got me thinking of how my phone impacts my own life. I would not want to give up my phone or many of the technologies that I have but I do see how it is affecting peoples ability to do things for themselves which is something one of the girls touched on. Planning ahead is something we don’t do anymore because we can usually just call someone to help us out. I also agree how it has played a large impact on relationships, for the good and bad. I liked how they used powerpoint to show imagery and the background music was a great touch.

Out of all the groups that presented Tuesday, group 8 was my favorite. They started off by talking about Thoreau’s nature experience and why he did it. I really liked how well they displayed his experience making it seem appealing to do. They then decided to not use their cell phones for 24 hours to try and experience a modern Thoreau day. They talked about they’re different experiences with it from being beneficial to not positive at all. My favorite story was the one about the doctor’s appointment and how she had to find another way home because she was counting on calling her roommate for a ride but didn’t have her phone. This showed what it was like for Thoreau not using technologies and how he thinks it’s restricting man kinds thinking. I also enjoyed the story about how one of the group members explained it was about being more direct with people rather than just texting something you can’t explain in person. This personally relates to me because often times i’ve noticed there are more things people say in texts then actually one on one in person.  I also really enjoyed how they showed pictures of the pond and talked about how the quote on the sign related to the their group as a whole.  Overall it was a fun interesting presentation that brought Thoreau’s ideas to life.

I found group eight’s presentation to be the most meaningful. Their initial PowerPoint accompanied with music served to get the audience in a calm and docile mood so they could better understand the point of view Henry David Thoreau was trying to get across. They went through and answered questions like: “why he did it” and “what he learned”. These questions being asked then answered by the group helped me to get under Thoreau’s skin and really get inside of his head. The most interesting part of their presentation, I found, was the experiment they performed. The each turned off their cell phones for a 24 hour period of time and went about their lives. Two of the members talked about problems that the absence of cellular contact to everyone else had, and one member talked about liking the freedom that the lack of constant connection brought. This made me think and reflect on my own life and how I am constantly connected to all the people in my contacts list. They caused me to genuinely wonder what it would be like to live out in the woods by a pond, and just sit still with no one calling me or trying to get in touch. Just to sit and be still. I very much liked there presentation and found their quote at the end very interesting: “How vain is it to sit down to write and not have stood up to live”.

   The two groups presentations I would like to give a response about are Group 6 and Group 8. Both of these groups focused their presentation on Thoreau but took different aspects. Group 6 focused on if Thoreau’s project would work in today’s economy. However with inflation Thoreau’s expenses rose to around 1400 dollars in today’s economy. Also, as societies have grown more laws have made a project like Thoreau’s not possible. The group felt that he would end up in jail if he tried to do his project today. On the other hand, Group 8 focused on Thoreau’s project but without technology. As an example they took away cell phones. This caused drama with friends and problems with getting a hold of people. Again in today’s world, Thoreau’s project proved that it could not compete in today’s lifestyle. I personally agree with both of these presentations and the scenarios they play out. First dealing with Group 6’s theory; a person can not live on 1400 dollars a year today and live the lifestyle Thoreau did. With the price of the basic necessities of life and current laws, a person who attempts Thoreau’s project will end up in jail or on the streets in major trouble. There is no doubt in my mind that this will be the result. Now looking at Group 8’s scenario, I can relate too. Besides being a student, in my line of work a cell phone is a necessity. If a client needs to get a hold of me, my cell phone is the way to do it. My cell phone is also my way of getting in contact with people myself. From banking transactions to driving directions, my cell phone handles all of it. So thanks to Apple’s Iphone I can agree with Group 8 about Thoreau’s project. 

The group that I felt I connected to the most, though all the groups did a good job of discussing Thoreau, was group #8. They made an obvious effort in analyzing and discussing key points in Thoreau’s book, Walden. During their discussion they played classical music that helped put the audience in a thoughtful mood, which helped to digest the ideas that Thoreau brings up in his novel. What also made group #8 appealing was their technological experiment to go a day without cell phones. With the creation of cell phones, and especially texting, the younger generations of people have become reliant on instant gratification and have lost much of their ability to pay attention and truly listen to their surroundings. To truly appreciate nature one needs the exact opposite of these qualities that technology promotes in ourselves. We need patience and understanding to be able to tune into what goes on around us and connect with nature. To live free of society in solitude, and to be independent of its structures and social necessities; in today’s world many may find this feat to be nearly impossible, and to be fair it is indeed quite a difficult task considering how much more humanity has spread out across the countryside and how much more we are entangled in governmental laws, rules, and regulations. But, even today it is still possible to separate oneself from the world we have created for ourselves. A prime example of this would the man know as Eustace Conway, also referred to as the The Last American Man by Elizabeth Gilbert (author of Eat, Pray, Love).  Check it out.

Group 8 was my favorite out of the groups that presented. I liked how the current day significance still remains after all of these years since Thoreau experienced this isolation; it also shows how much technologically has advanced and how dependant we are as a society to technology. Group 8’s experiences, like going without  a cell phone for 24 hours is a good way to mildly compare what Thoreau experienced in Walden. Group 9 did well in there efforts to present “I Wandered Lonely on a cloud,” as college life or maybe even  the “SLO” life. The poet is nostalgic and recollects comic and cherished times, so group 9 also shared pictures that related to the poem, of their college experience with their versions of the poem.

Group eights presentation was easily the most creative presentation of the day and in my mind the best one. Applying Thoreau’s teaching to their daily lives is a simple but clear demonstration that the girls got the main message from the reading. That Thoreau wanted poor college students like us to not only read his books but once we put it down to go out and experience the nature around them. I felt as if their stories and direct quotes from the reading were appropriate and relevant and kept my attention a lot longer than the cookie-cutter power-point we see too often in the discussion course. I really liked the idea even though the execution could have been a little bit better.

The first presentation was great. This group analyzed Thoreau’s project that he wrote about in “Walden.” In this book, Thoreau’s spent months in the woods at Walden and kept track of his expenses in order to show how little people can live on, and how unnecessary our consist of constant work for monetary gain is. This group, however, showed how Thoreau’s experiment would not have worked in today’s world. Although the group either missed Thoreau’s thesis, or just decided to neglect it, the presentation humorously displayed the impracticality if such an experiment was to be tried in modern times. As I was reading the “Walden”, I found that I was doing a very similar sort of comparison. I realized, as did this group, that his numbers are quite irrelevant today. There is no way, no matter what sort of self-sustaining strategies one is attempting to employ, that you could live off of 24 dollars for months. However, Thoreau’s ideas are much bigger than numbers, and Thoreau himself would probably not have been concerned with the monetary values if he were not trying to speak to a culture that is obsessed with these numbers. In fact, Thoreau’s thesis is more concerned with the attempt to live a life that is not dependent on technologies and corporations, but finding out what you are capable of on your own, with the aid of nothing but what nature decides to grant you.

My favorite presentation would have to be group that did the experiment of living without cellphones for a day. I personally liked it because I found it really ironic that they would relate living in nature with nothing but your hands and your head (for over 2 years) to living today without *gasp* a cell phone (for one day).  I had to walk away from this presentation half laughing because this is very typical for privileged people. Try living on food you only grow yourself, or living with any type of technology. That would be no cell phones, no "real" phones, no computers, no transportation (cars/buses are computerized now-a-days), and that's not getting into indirect technology such as their clothes that were made by machines or their food harvested by machines. I found this presentation to be really eye opening on how some people can be: stuck up, out of tune to the real world around them, and out of touch with nature. There has been many technology advancements that better our lives but we take them for granted, engross ourselves in them, to never look up from the screen and see the nature world around us. Are all these "advancements" actually doing us good?

Group 8 put the most effort into living Thoreau's thoughts. I appreciated that they took the time out to try and experience more of the natural world. They went beyond a PowerPoint presentation to get a little more insight into a world of solitude. Each had a different experience with their "experiment," which accurately reflects how we'll each have different experiences throughout life. All realized how dependent they were on their phones and how this dependence was affecting their life and relationships. Even though it's convenient, technology isn't always helpful. I really liked their "Food for Thought" quote about standing up to live before writing about experiences. I think too often we sit down to write a paper or give a speech for class, and are so focused on scratching it off our To-Do list that we forget to sit back and reflect a bit about what we're putting on paper. Life is too short, so we should enjoy it with the ones we love and try not to focus on the frivolous things such as responding to roommates' text messages!

From all the presentations given on day two there was one group that stood out in my mind, group 8.  They were the only group to approach Thoreau’s work with creativity that set them apart from the other three groups. They gave us standard background information on Walden and then transitioned into describing their own mini experiment that they performed in honor of Henry David Thoreau. They updated Thoreau’s outdated experiment and made it relevant by involving the use, or nonuse, of their cell phones. Though this is nowhere near as expansive as Thoreau’s work, it is a slight glimpse into living in solitude. What the members of group 8 did was take away their cell phones for one day in order to see how difficult it would be, being that nowadays the general public seems to have an addiction to their cell phones. After only a day without their phones this group experienced many problems. For example, Katie was dropped off at the doctor’s office and was planning on calling her roommate to pick her up when finished. Once she finished she realized that she had no idea what her roommates number was so she couldn’t call. Luckily her roommate realized that she wouldn’t be able to call and was there to get her. This minor experiment that they performed was simple, but it was relatable to our generation. Along with that the connection from this experiment to Thoreau’s extensive work was evident. For me, the creativity of this presentation set it apart from all the rest of the PowerPoint presentations.

I thought each group did a great job with their projects on Tuesday, but I especially like Group Eight’s project. Henry David Thoreau left society and lived a life of solitude on Walden Pond for two years. Group Eight decided to channel Thoreau and experience what life away from society is like. Of course they did not go to the extreme of living off in the woods for two years, but rather they decided to abandon their cell phones for twenty four hours, a simpler but still effective approach. As any college student knows, not having a cell phone is basically leaving society. I connected with their presentation because I recently had a similar experience. I woke up late one morning last week, and was rushing around my house to get to school on time. Since I was rushed, I forgot my cell phone. I was without my phone for the entire day, and it was a very liberating experience. I realized how dependent I was on that tiny box. I realized how many times a day I checked it for really no reason at all. I loved not having my phone with me. I noticed my surrounding more and had a much more productive day. I had this experience before I watched Group Eight’s presentation. So, when I was listening to them, I not only related to what they were saying, but liked that they connected it to Thoreau. Since I had a similar experience, I found a new appreciation for Thoreau and felt connected to his work.

Of all the groups that presented, I particularly enjoyed group 8 the most. They did a discussion and analysis of Thoreau's Walden. All four girls were enthusiastic and participated in some fashion. Because their entire presentation consisted of them talking, they put on some soothing and mood fitting background music. This was particularly helpful in keeping the audience from getting bored because whenever there was a gap in the talking, the music was there to fill it. Walden or Life in the woods is not the easiest book to understand due to Thoreau's way of writing and the group did a very good job of isolating key points of the reading and simplifying them for the class. My favorite part of their presentation however was the discussion of their experiment. To simulate Thoreau's isolation in the woods on a small scale, each of the group members went a day without using their cell phones, which anyone knows is no easy thing to do in this day and age. One girl realized that we don't really remember anyone's phone number nowadays because we program everything into our phones. Another remember realized that their phone leads to distraction most of the day. I thought it was very interesting how each member had an surprising or self-revealing experience because of their experiment. The choice of giving up a cell phone was perfect for simulating Thoreau's isolation from society. Of course all the groups that presented did a good job, but this was the one that stuck out to me.

The project that I could appreciate the most was done by Group 8, who turned off their cell phones for a day to experience the removal that Thoreau talked about in Walden.  I thought that not only was this action extremely pertinent in today's society to the ideas that were stressed in Walden, but turning off your phone for a day is not easy.  We are all so attached to our phones and communicate with them constantly, and to turn them off is isolating.  We all probably consider what Thoreau did to be extreme, but when you actually think about turning off your cell phone for 24 hours, that seems extreme as well.  The experiences that were shared with us are ones that we could all relate to, much better than any of us could relate to Walden.  I had a conversation with my sister about the project that Group 8 presented, and over the course of our discussion, she admitted that she doesn't have a single phone number memorized, she just relies on her cell phone address book.  This type of reliance is scary when you think about what would result if something happened to our phones.  In case of an emergency, my sister would be unable to reach anyone that could help her, including her boyfriend or our parents.  In effect, this presentation accomplished the same results as Walden.  By slightly shocking the audience and creating a degree of discomfort while contemplating the actions decribed, the class was forced to examine, even if only for a few minutes, their habits and what it means to live in society today.

I thought the presentations on Tuesday were well done.  I enjoyed listening to the group that said they gave up their cell phones for a day.  I thought it was an interesting experiment to do.  I realized during their presentation how much I use my phone to keep in contact with my friends, but to also check my email and play games.  It was cool to see a group give this up for a day and see what it is like.  I really like the idea of talking to people face to face more than just by phone.  Our conversations mean more from talking in person and its enjoyable to spend time with people instead of talking to them by text or phone call.  I also enjoyed listening to the group that related their experience at Cal Poly with Wordsworth's poem.  Their presentation brought a new meaning to Wordsworth's poem that I didn't understand before their presentation.  I liked the pictures in the presentation because it brought up memories of my first year in college.

I really enjoyed Group 8’s presentation of Walden by Thoreau. What I really enjoyed about their presentation was how they applied his book to modern life. To really understand what Thoreau was trying to verbalize, they essentially “learned by doing”. I applaud the group for putting themselves in his shoes by means of turning their cell phones off for 24 hours. As a college student of this particular generation, I understand the level of commitment it takes to go without a cell phone for 24 hours. Personally, I find it impossible to get through a 2-hour class without checking my phone at least once. I rely heavily on my cell, not because it appears almost natural today, but because I’m also in a long distance relationship. One of the girl’s had mentioned during their presentation that she had a positive experience because she actually had more things to talk about to other people, face to face. I could really relate to what she experienced in some ways, as I’m sure most people did. This is why I was really interested in their presentation. I believe they really hit the nail on the head when it came to connecting with the audience. It made me realize how heavily influenced I am by today’s technology. As for their PowerPoint, I really enjoyed it because it was kept simple. The music they had in the background was also very relaxing, which made paying attention all the more easy. 

While there were many great presentations this round, my favorite was the one given by group eight. This group did a modern day version of the experiment Thoreau out lines in the book Walden: Life in the Woods. Instead of giving up civilized life and society, the girls in group eight gave up their cell phones for a day. The stories each of them shared of their experiences without a phone were amusing and thought provoking. Their presentation also made the work of Thoreau more accessible. When I read Walden, I found it rather difficult to relate to his idea to just take off into the woods and give up his former life. The girl’s experiment made it easier to relate to Thoreau’s experience through their modern day version and helped show why he might want to attempt such an adventure since their version had some of the same relaxing, freeing effect that Thoreau felt. Overall I think it was a well done presentation that creatively interpreted Walden.

The most meaningful presentation to me was the one that involved the life experiment.  I thought an experiment was very creative and showed a great deal of understanding of Walden or Life in the Woods.  This group definitely took their project to an entirely different level actually trying to apply the lessons from the book to their lives.  Given how much most college students, myself included, its interesting to think about what it would be like without a cell phone. I appreciated the different perspectives and issues that came up.  It true, college students tend to have a habit or need to check in constantly.  A lot of the social communication and etiquette revolves around texting, which is interesting because unless you know the person very well, there is a strong possibility of miscommunication.  When I lost my cell for a couple days, it was actually a relief to not be obligated to respond.  It also was a temporary adjustment for both me and the people in my life.  In addition, I enjoyed their interpretation of the book.  Their translation to modern life was both informative and quite interesting.  It made me think about how the novel's lessons would be able to translate to our society, given that there have been such vast changes in the economy and technology.

I like how group 8 paralleled Thoreau's experience with our contemporary lifestyles. It is apparent that Thoreau wanted to get away from civilization, but I'm not sure that these girls necessarily wanted to retreat from modern technological communication. It seems as if they found out why Thoreau escaped from society for a little while. Life can be simpler without a cell phone because there is no need to constantly communicate with people that aren't around you. They quickly discovered how dependent they were on their phones when they constantly realized how often they needed them. Even the little things like remembering people's phone numbers is something that we take for granted. I know that I have only memorized a few of the numbers in my phone. Who knows how often I would suffer from the inability to call people who's number I didn't know. I could always write them down, but I wouldn't carry that piece of paper around with me all of the time. If I had never had a phone, I think that going without one would be easier, but I would also be ostracized from society. I have a classmate that doesn't have a cell phone and I have avoided working on a group project with him because I wouldn't be able to find him when I need to. I think that it could be nice to go on vacation and turn off my phone, but living a normal day without it would be disabling.

For the second round of presentations, those from April 19, I found group 8's response to Thoreau's "Walden" to be the most intriguing.  To begin their project, the group explained what Thoreau's purpose was with his writing- detailing exactly what he did and what it meant.  Then, the group went on to describe their own experiment based off of Thoreau's life in the wilderness.  The group members went without cell phones for a whole twenty-four hours, and described their experiences and observations.  The members had a few funny stories to tell, but most had very positive experiences, each describing how refreshing it was to live without technology ("civilization") for a day.  Listening to their experiences made me realize how dependent I am on my cell phone, and caused me to think about my own dependence on technology.  

Group 2 had the greatest impact on me, since I have gone through a similar experience. Last June I went on retreat with Rose Float and when we go to the place it was being held, we all realized that none of us had cell service. It was the best 4 days I had had in a long time. No on was constantly checking their phone or texting in the middle of a conversation. The 40 of us spent day and night together, and actually did things such as play frissbee and hike in stead of worrying about our phones. Because of this, I believe that group 2 had a very good insight on Walden, seeing as the easiest way for us to be thrown for a loop is to get rid of technology for a day.

Group 9

I found that Group 9's Wordsworth parody was the most intriguing. With their application of the poem, "I wander lonely as a cloud" to their college experience, it made it really easy to relate. As a senior, I realize that time is of the essence. I know in the future there will be a time when I will look back at my college experience and just reminisce about all the amazing memories I had and the important people met. Simply put, in the words of Group 9, college is our field of daffodils along the bank. But even so, just as we will look back in the years past our college experiences, we presently look back at our years in high school or even when we were all little kids. Something as simple as seeing old pictures or even listening to a song from the past brings back nostalgia of times when we felt 'so alive' as Wordsworth or even Thoreau would put it. Ultimately, it becomes apparent that like Wordsworth, everyone has their own field of daffodils that dances and changes in the midst of time.

For this week’s presentations, I chose to write a response to Group 9. Their presentation was concerning Wordsworth’s, “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”. I like how the poem was reread to the class as a reminder since it had been a couple weeks since we had been exposed to it. Along with re-reading the poem, the accompanying imagery helped to keep interest sparked and allowed a better understanding of the poem. I also really appreciated the interpretation of Wordsworth’s poem in the form of a poem they wrote themselves. The pictures of all their memories added a very personal touch and helped connect an old poem to today and to each student.  It made me think of my memories here and what I would take on with me after graduating. I hadn’t really thought of Wordsworth’s poem in that sense. The presentation was thought provoking and personal.

From all the presentations on Tuesday, the group that impacted me the most with their interpretations was Group 9.  I liked how they interpreted Wordsworth’s ‘I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud’.  Their presentation consisted of rereading the poem with some pictures through power point and then rereading their version of what the poem meant to them.  I found their interpretation to be endearing as they related it to that of their college experience, referring to the daffodils of the Wordsworth poem as their college experience.  Their presentation impacted me the most because of the photographs they added as they read their rendition of the poem. A lot of the photos were of the group members’ friends and their memories of college, which they thought represented the daffodils in Wordsworth’s poem.   The words in their rendition were also very meaningful because of how I could relate to what they were saying.

I really enjoyed Group 9’s presentation on William Wordsworth’s poem “Daffodils”.  I liked how they analyzed Wordsworth’s poem and related it to fond memories that a Cal Poly student would have.  At first, I hadn’t thought of the daffodils as fond memories, only as pretty things that inspired Wordsworth to write poems.  As a graduating senior, I was happy to remember all the fun times that I’ve had here at school, from the first week of welcome to the friends I’ve made along the way.  Also, I thought that the reading of the original poem was very well done.   I’m so happy I was reminded of these fond memories before I left Cal Poly so I can enjoy my remaining time here with a new perspective.

The presentation that was the most interesting and meaningful was group nine’s presentation on William Wordsworth’s “I Wondered Lonely as a Cloud”. This specific poem is very simple and depicts Wordsworth wandering and finding a field of daffodils near a lake and how he recalls this memory when he feels “lonely” because it comforts him. Wordsworth uses a technique that implies a sense of unity between man and nature (he compares himself to a cloud and the flowers are personified as human beings). This poem is all about good memories and that’s what group nine tried to portray as well. The group rewrote the poem so that it was centered on Cal Poly and the experiences that they have had during their time in college. College is supposed to be one of the best memories that people have so it only seems fitting that they would focus their poem on this. College is also a subject that all of us can relate to and they made the project very personable by including pictures of themselves and their friends in the presentation. 

I thought that Group 9 did a really good job on their presentation. They gave a nice literal view of Wordsworth's poem "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud". I liked how they used pictures and a cloud bubble with the words inside I thought it was a very cute idea. My favorite part was their own version of the poem relating it to their college experience. Since Wordsworth's poem was pretty much a reflection on the "hill of daffodils" he saw before it was great that they made it personal. They did a great job analyzing his poem and interpreting it as a reflection on life. I really related to their version of the poem because it kind of narrates how I felt going through college. I liked how they used their own pictures and experiences to give a visual of the poem. Their version of the poem was very well thought out and it really brought me back to thinking about my college career and what I have done over the 4 years I have been here. Even though I have one more year it really made me look back on the scary times and the fun times. It was a fun way to look at Wordsworth and I really enjoyed how they were able to tie their own experiences in college together to make a great poem. Great Job Group 9! :D

Group 9 was the best and most meaningful presentation today.  In my opinion they did the best job choosing a poem, analyzing it, presenting their findings, and creatively responding to the work.  I agree with their connection that college life can be seen as our "field of daffodils".  Wordsworth uses the field of daffodils as a place for his imagination to wander to when he feels in lesser mood.  Wordsworth spends the majority of the poem illustrating the process of when he first came across the daffodils.  The poem is meant to be happy and upbeat, similar to the feelings he gets from the daffodils.  The poem is not about the misery he may feel that makes him want to remember the flowers, but about the actual happiness they bring instead.  The team did this as well when the focused their poem on the happiness of their college experience.  The team did a good job giving real life examples of how we may act the same way in a few years.  Later down the road, after we graduate, we will look back to our college years, remembering all the good times, and hopefully be cheered up as Wordsworth is when he remembers the daffodils.  I know that after graduating most of us will be looking back at college as the good times in our lives.

Group 9's take on the poem "I wandered lonely as a cloud" by William Wordsworth was my favorite presentation of the day. They began with an interpretive presentation of the poem in which they read it accompanied with pictures representing what it meant to them. The poem shoes how one moment of happiness can stay with us and get us through times that aren't so positive. The best part of the presentation however, was when they then took the original poem and spun it to reflect their lives as college students. It was creative how they found parallels between the daffodils and college. The daffodils bring Wordsworth joy when he is down; college is the time that we will remember as happy ones when we hit the later and tougher times in our own lives. Their poem took us through a college experience  of a Cal Poly student, from WOW to living in the dorms to going to class. It really related to the audience because we all had to go through the same experiences being students here. It rhymed well and was comedic and entertaining. The pictures that went with it were personal and also once again showed things that we all have participated in and are familiar with. It showed us why these are the times in our lives that we will remember.

I liked group nine’s presentation centered around the poem, “I wandered lonely as a cloud,” the best. First that is one of my favorite poems out of the ones we have read in class so it already had that going for it. The pictures fit the slideshow very well and the beginning ones were very pretty. I will admit I had expected more analyzing than what showed up, but that’s mostly carryover from the first round. I enjoyed the second part of the presentation with the rewritten version of William Blake’s poem. It stayed true to its source material in remembering college in the same way that Blake remembers the field of daffodils. The single objection I have is that college has been the best but also the worst of times for me. Granted I’m sure that’s true for everybody and in the future I’ll miss it like the poem. I also liked the rhyming and rhythm of the written poem and that the group made an effort to preserve at least part of the poetry of it whereas some people take a few disjointed sentences, slap them together and call them poetry. The poem about college was not in any way that. The pictures also went with the poem very well and even served to evoke memories of good times with friends at college which was a very present example of what Blake experiences when he reminisces about the field of daffodils. Overall the project was quite enjoyable and with two well written poems you can’t really go wrong.

On the second day of presentations, I would have to say that I really enjoyed listening to and watching Group 9 show their piece about the poem, "I wandered Lonely as a cloud," by William Wordsworth. I really like the visual aspect of it. They first brought the poem to life by adding pictures in the powerpoint to illustrate his poem, and then they creatively related his poem to our own college experiences by rewording it all. I think a lot of people in the class could relate to what their version of the poem was saying, because I know I could. I thought overall it was very well presented and very creatively well done!

I felt Group 9 did the best in relating a much older poem to modern times today and therefore appealing to the audience, or at least to myself. I liked how they translated I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud first in the original analysis as it was supposed to be, then went on to add that modern twist to it with a poem and pictures that showed clearly what they interpreted the poem as. They related the poem to looking back on a fond memory as Wordsworth looks back happily on a memory of the field of daffodils, much like what we as college students will do on our experience here at Cal Poly when we graduate. The group went on to compare fond memories of making friends, living in the dorms, the first day of school, not knowing where anything is and WOW week. As a freshman myself, this really struck me as extremely identifiable. When the group was reading the poem, I felt as if each those examples related to me. Here I am in my dorm, making friends that will hopefully last a lifetime, and of course experiencing the terrible dorm food. In this way, I felt Group 9 did an excellent job in appealing to the audience because for most of us these are experiences that we can relate to as we all experienced that first day of school, being lost and scared to now where we have all grown, made friends, and experienced college. Not only was Group 9's presentation relatable, it was also thought provoking because personally I thought back on my own memories and how it'll be like to graduate, so for me this project was the most meaningful.

Of all of the groups that we saw on April 19^th I felt that Group 9 had the project that interested me the most. I thoroughly enjoyed their presentation of the literal interpretation of Wordsworth’s “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud.” The pictures went really well with the passages that they switched off with reading and allowed for some visuals as there were many different slides and it wasn’t just a couple static slides. I enjoyed this rapid change of slides as it emphasized specific points and created a more fluid presentation. The part I really enjoyed however was the second part of their presentation, when they did their own San Luis Obispo version of the poem. I thought it was a really cool idea and it allowed us to relate to the poem on another level. As they said in the presentation, it is something we can all relate to, coming to Cal Poly and all of the experiences that come with it in the end. I felt that also by including personal pictures it helped to prove their point and also add a personal touch that made it feel more real.  Overall it was a great presentation, an interesting way to present it, and was able to keep my interest the entire time.

Group 10

Personally, Group 10’s presentation of Thoreau’s list of life advice was the most meaningful to me. I constantly feel that quitting my job/school and moving to a remote area of the woods what I need to do, or at least the idea of it is attractive to me. Through out my reading of Walden I was enthralled with the calming description of nature combined with the radical and enlightening ideologies Thoreau presented. Perhaps my intake of the material was aided by my reading the book a top a grassy knoll over looking San Luis Obispo. Also the other notions listed by Group 10 like getting the necessities, spending wisely, learn by doing, essentially self-reliance, are very important ideas to me and I feel are a necessary base to leading a proper life; something which I feel I lack as of now.

I enjoyed group ten’s presentation of Thoreau because it really looked into his work and analyzed what he meant in his writings. Their “guide to life” showed that they had stopped to look at not only how Thoreau’s beliefs could be applied to the general public, but also the individual. Their seven point guide displayed an understanding of Thoreau’s main message in Walden: that you need to simplify your life and live freely. However, they didn’t just leave it on a theoretical level, but also explained how his message could be applied to every day life. Their ideas can be split into two main groups: ways to cleanse yourself of the influence of society, and ways to then find yourself and make life meaningful. The cleansing steps include their suggestions to quite your job, move to the woods, secure the four necessities of life, and keep it cheap. These would all help someone avoid prolonged contact with society and decrease the influence that societal norms had on their everyday life. After a person has cleansed their life, they are ready to move on to the second step, finding themself. According to their interpretation of Thoreau, the only true way to live is to discover yourself and what you truly want out of life. Learning by doing, or actually going out and experiencing the world, is the first step in this process.  Doing nothing and being open to nature and inward reflection then lead to finding life within yourself. I found the presentation especially strong because it applies to the fear that many college students, including myself, have. The fear that we will wake up in thirty years and wonder where our life has gone. Group ten perfectly captured both Thoreau's and my own sentiment when they summed up their presentation with the simple statement, "I don't want to survive, I want to live."

The group that I found to be the most influential and memorable was Group 10.  This group focused on Thoreau and his views of his life in the woods and where he went from there.  They showed the class that Thoreau believed one should do whatever pleases them in society by quitting something if you hate it, living in a peaceful and non stressful area, try to spend the least amount of money as possible and always stay on the cheap side and do whatever in life.  They showed the class that Thoreau was a person who believed in experiencing life for ones self and motivating yourself to do the things in life that please you the most.  The group then went into farther detail on how to relate Thoreau's theory to the class by doing their own experiment of not having their cell phones for a whole day.  This allowed us to see that we rely on cell phones a lot and when they are not around, we can see the world more clearly and concise.  Their experiment portrayed Thoreau very well by living in the world for a day as how Thoreau lived his life with no stress or worries and being one with society.  The group helped me understand Thoreau's knowledge and logic a lot more and allowed me to remember his message in a clear way due to their explanations and experiment.  

After taking a day to absorb the presentations that we saw on Tuesday I have come to the conclusion that the presentation that spoke the most to me was that done by Group 10. While I really enjoyed the presentation on if Thoreau’s time in nature would be possible today, a project that caused myself to ponder as to how times have truly changed, I felt that the Guide to Survival was slightly better because they referenced Thoreau at each point through the presentation.  They understood the material they were presenting and showed through use of quotes and modernization that they could humorously relate Thoreau to our world today.  The humor was not overbearing and did not take away from the content of the presentation but rather added a fresh spice to it.  The pictures complemented what they were presented on and I particularly enjoyed when they used the picture of the sign at Walden Pond because it was a picture that everyone should have seen before and was easy to recognize.  Unlike several other presentations that used creativity to alter the original works, this group decided to take the text and apply it in a guide like format.  Despite understanding the work already, the guide helped me to truly see what his life would have been like living alone and what would be required to make it through.  I would have liked if the pictures were slightly larger as it was somewhat difficult to see from the back but overall the presentation was very readable.  Overall, a great job by everyone and an especially good job in my opinion by Group 10.

After listening to all the presentations on Tuesday, I think the group the analyzed the work of Thoreau’s the best was group 10. I liked group 10’s method of presenting Thoreau’s Walden, Or life in the Woods as a Guide to Life. Instead of breaking down Thoreau’s annual spending and computing it to today’s currency rate, they focused on Thoreau’s book as a whole as opposed to group one.  The 7 steps they came up with were funny because of the titles. The first step, quitting your job seems to be a little extreme because now-a-days in American culture everyone wants to work to make lots of money so they can go out and buy a ton of nice things. The second step, move to the woods is something a lot of people would never do because we live in an age where technology keeps everyone connected and living in the woods would be tough. Step 4, Keep it Cheap is extremely unrealistic now when even fast food is expensive. We live in a culture where brand name is important which means spending upwards of 100 dollars for a pair of pants is socially accepted. Step 6 talks about doing nothing, which sounds really dumb, especially when society urges us to go to college to get an education, and make something of yourself.  However this does agree with step 5’s learn by doing, in the book, Thoreau does believe that students should not spend an astronomical amount of money to go to college when they can simply learns things on their own. With that being said, even though Thoreau’s Guide to Life would be impractical, group 10 did a good job interpreting his actions.

No preference

I understand that this response is supposed to highlight our favorite presentation but out of all of the presentations I couldn’t pick one that brought any new meaning or insight into any of the readings that I hadn’t already got in class.  I know this isn’t the response you were looking for and I'm not trying to sound overly critical of the presentations but this is the most honest response I can give.  After looking over all of my notes I attempted to find a favorite.  I thought back to my initial reaction to all the groups performances and presentations and tried to choose the one that stood out the most to me.  This was particularly difficult this week for me.  Out of all of the options you gave us on the guidelines for this project none of the groups had a true performance.  You asked that the project include, “critical insight into works read with creative personal response” and I don’t feel as though any of the presentations were displaying a unique creative personal response.  I enjoyed Group 8’s idea of a technology fast in response to Thoreau’s time spent in the wilderness but I feel as though it would have been more telling to have the fast last longer than 24 hours.  I felt as though all the groups analyzed the readings and then choose to present the analysis, when I though the whole point of the exercise was to gain new understand and present that new insight to the audience in a creative way.  All of the groups had good presentations, as far as public speaking and retaining the audiences attention goes, I just didn’t think they fully meet the requirements set in place.