Thoreau

ACT I

EXT. WALDEN POND—DAY

Authentic American Indian Flute Music

Henry David Thoreau is twenty years old and soon will graduate from Harvard College. Trees and bushes border Walden Pond. Thoreau enters a rowboat and rows to the center of Walden Pond. He sets down the oars, leans back and closes his eyes as he drifts over the pond in a soothing breeze.  He listens intently to the sounds of nature around him. A cardinal in a tree sings his rich song as a fish jumps out of the water.

EXT. WALDEN POND—DAY   

American Indian Flute Music

Thoreau is in his row boat drifting aimlessly in the water with his eyes closed. The breeze is blowing softly as the boat drifts across the water. Birds are chirping and nature sounds abound.

INT. BEDROOM—NIGHT

Two young boys  are in a trundle bed. John is asleep. Henry David Thoreau is wide awake looking out the window at the stars.  Cynthia Thoreau, the boys’ mother, comes into the room.

CYNTHIA THOREAU

Why, Henry dear, don’t you go to sleep?

THOREAU

Mother, I have been looking through the stars to see if I could see God behind them.

(Henry continues to look at the stars while his mother smiles.)

EXT. WALDEN POND—DAY

(Henry David Thoreau is in a row boat in the center of Walden Pond. He is leaning back in the boat with his eyes closed listening to all that is around him. Birds are chirping and occasionally fish jump near the boat catching insects.)

EXT. PORCH—DAY

CYNTHIA THOREAU   (concerned)

Henry, aren’t you interested in a regular career like the other graduates of Harvard?

                                                                                                           THOREAU

Mother, there are more important things than a career.

CYNTHIA THOREAU  (pleading)

Won’t a regular career give you exp