Final answer:
The third paragraph of “Economy” in Walden summarized Thoreau's belief in simple living and personal freedom through minimal dependence on society, contrasted with the desperation he saw in the working class.
Step-by-step explanation:
The third paragraph of “Economy” in Henry David Thoreau's Walden can be summarized as an exposition of Thoreau's experiment in simple living. Thoreau wanted to strip life down to its essentials to see what was truly necessary for happiness and fulfillment, an approach encapsulated by his exhortation for simplicity. His time at Walden Pond was aimed at finding the basic elements that constitute life by constructing his own shelter, growing food, and minimizing his reliance on society. He believed this would allow for profound personal freedom and a more deliberate and thoughtful existence. In doing so, Thoreau set an example that confronted the pervasive sense of desperation he observed in the working class of mid-nineteenth-century America.