Walden
“Stretch the seams”
To what does Thoreau compare his writing? What does it mean when he expresses a hope that some of his readers will not “stretch the seams” of the coat?
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Victoria C #714379
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Aslan
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Answered by
Aslan
Thoreau asks his readers not to distort his statements as they read his work. He wants discussion and understanding rather than conjecture. People must not take his ideas as a "one size fits all" philosophy. He compares his ideas to a coat that must fit each individual rather than "stretch the seams in putting on the coat" forcing it to fit.
