Modern Urban Life - Essay Example

 Instead of living close to one another and forging closer ties, only separations are enhanced and can be justified by the quote from the narrator, “I lived alone when I wrote the book and miles away from any neighbor.’’ (Thoreau, pg 865-880).In modern urban areas, everyone is for himself, and you have to work if you were to survive. This is demonstrated when Thoreau is living for two and half years while only depending on his work for survival.

The modern urban is crowded due to the influx of population from rural areas. This is the case in iron mills that have even become worse due to their unhealthy conditions as a result of pollution right from smoke, garbage, and sewage. In the book, Davis says, ‘The nature of the city is characterized by smoke everywhere and settles down in black. And from his window, he sees a narrow brickyard that flows slowly into the riverside, and the river is colored.’’ (Davis, pg 1222) This describes how filthy urban are. Thus, life in urban areas is no longer pleasant. The existing industries also do not offer enough jobs as observed by Davis who wakes up just to find so many men idling around the city.

Modern urban life also offers frustration to people. Such is the case of the life of Bartleby the Scrivener where he ends up in a cell, thrown out like no human being, and is stressed up, refusing to eat which culminates in his death. (Melville, pg 1100-1110)  However, there is hope as narrated by Melville where the narrator shows love and care for Bartleby both while in the cell and when chased outside the room. From the story, we are told he bribes the officer so that Bartleby can be offered food, and even invites him to stay in his house.

The three orators are thus more concerned about how individuals are negatively affected in urban areas and even nothing seems to be done to remedy the situation. For instance, all the characters seem to have undergone these urban centers and are now dead. Death should be a symbol of the beginning of a new era, but that does not appear to be the case. Persons will thus continue to suffer under these extreme conditions posed by urban areas.

Iron mills were crowded, noisy, and unhealthy that inhibiting a person from achieving his/her goals the environment does not allow as observed by Davis in the entire story. This corresponds to Thoreau’s moving to Walden Pond. At the pond, he was able to focus on his objectives so that he could achieve her dreams due to little or no interference since the homes were miles apart. In the process, an individual can gain some privacy and reduce exposure to an unhealthy environment which is not the case at the iron mills.

Conclusion

Life in an urban center is not a smooth path and is filled up with various obstacles in an attempt to make both ends meet. However, as individuals, we must always work our way out, and such is the case of Thoreau defying the odds to live by himself, built a house, and achieves his goals with ease. Commitment and hard work, unity and love as portrayed by narrators, are critical to success in urban areas.