Final answer:
Henry David Thoreau's use of figurative language in Walden enhances his rhetorical appeal by providing vivid images and invoking emotional responses, which deepen the reader's engagement with his themes of simplicity and self-reliance.
Step-by-step explanation:
The rhetorical appeal in literature often on the effective use of figurative language, as exemplified by Henry David Thoreau in his work Walden. Thoreau's use of evocative language choices, including metaphors, similes, and descriptive imagery is not merely decorative; it serves to reinforce his themes and ideas, engaging the reader on a sensory and intellectual level.
For instance, when Thoreau describes living simplistically, he does not just inform the reader but uses language that conjures clear, vivid images to evoke an emotional response. This allows readers to visualize his experiences and philosophies, making them more impactful and memorable.
Thoreau's insistence on 'cutting away all but the essential man' is supported by his meticulous detail in rendering daily activities as both simple and profound. These activities set against the backdrop of nature serve as an extended metaphor for the life untouched by the unnecessary complexities of society.
Furthermore, his critique of the 'lives of quiet desperation' leads by many during his time is a poignant hyperbolic way to highlight the plight of people and to question societal norms. Through the use of rhetorical strategies, including repetition and contextual placing, Thoreau's Walden becomes not just a record of his experiment in living but a text appealing to the reader's desire for purity, freedom, and self-reliance.