The author and narrator of Walden, Thoreau was a protégé of American writer and Transcendentalist philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson. Though Walden makes no direct allusions to Thoreau’s mentor, scholars have observed that he constructed the Walden Pond cabin on land owned by Emerson. In this sense, Thoreau’s book can simultaneously be read as an ode to independent living and a tribute to the friends who helped him. 

Thoreau was a strong devotee of Transcendentalism—a primary belief of which is that men and nature are inherently pure. Walden supports many tenants of Transcendentalist thought, including the belief that mankind can perfect itself through personal and spiritual exploration. The book also supports the idea that mankind should cast aside material possessions, advocating for simple living and appreciation of nature’s beauty. 

Prior to writing Walden, Thoreau was a teacher, and his work often assumes an educational tone. This book includes references to a wide range of classic literary works and spiritual texts—ranging from The Iliad to The Bhagavad Gita—which demonstrate his devotion to learning from books. Much of Thoreau's book presents information through pedagogical explanations of how humanity should seek to improve itself. Thoreau lectures the reader in addition to many of the people he encounters around Concord, Massachusetts.