ENGL 307 - Thoreau’s Cabin

Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)

(Same as ENST 307) Thoreau’s Cabin: an experiential investigation into carpentry, construction and environmental thinking.

This course studies the cabin that Henry David Thoreau designed and built on the shore of Walden Pond in 1845 and completes the interior of a replica of it constructed on the Vassar Farm. We read Thoreau’s Walden, where there is a detailed description of the cabin, and visit Concord, Massachusetts, to see the present reproduction. In addition, we read and discuss Thoreau’s biography and look into the ecological basis of American Transcendentalism. Students are instructed in best practices in building and carpentry and undertake the construction work themselves, including foundation preparation, insulation, wall and ceiling plastering, flooring, and some interior carpentry. No prior building experience required. There are some extra class days on weekends during the semester. Paul Kane.

Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor.

One 3-hour period plus one 75-minute period.

Course Format: CLS