Thoreau's "Essay 1"

While you're writing Essay 1, you might derive inspiration from Thoreau's Walden. It's available free here: Google Books. If you can't read the whole chapter entitled "Where I Lived, and What I Lived For," at least start at "I went to the woods because . . ." on page 87 and read through to just before "Why should . . ." on page 89.