In Thoreau's passage, the author turns to his surroundings to provide his audience with an insight of life. In the passage, Thoreau analyzes the symbols of rebirth by comparing the rebirth process to a green blade. Thoreau believes that the green blade's characteristics of life are very similar to that of being born again. This non-literal language supports his central message of rebirth . Thoreau's various techniques not only explore the symbols of rebirth, but they also clarify his theme that just as a grass blade can be born again, so can a human.
Thoreau's chronological structure helps to further develop his theme by describing rebirth as a process. His structure discusses the process of rebirth by symbolically using the changing seasons step by step. At first, he brings out the fact of rebirth when he mentions that the marsh hawk is "seeking the first slimy life that awakes. This action occurs in the beginning of spring. Eventually, as the process continues this life becomes the green blade. In order to relate this grass blade to his central idea of rebirth, he finalizes by saying that human life is just like these seasons, it "puts forth its green blade to eternity.".
Thoreau has a very figurative style, and he demonstrates this in his metaphoric passage. With metaphors, Thoreau is able to use the concrete world as a reflection of being born again. The process of a green blade begins as the "ice dissolves" and the snow melts . At this moment, life becomes alive just as the "grass flames up" with a green flame. Green represents the center of youth. One is young when as the green blade "like a long green ribbon, streams from the sod" As time passes by though, a human tends to get old, hereby classifying "last year's hay." Despite this, just as the grass blade can push the hay, a person can get rid of their mental aging.
All together, the passage establishes an invigorating tone. The vivid, insightful descriptions create a harmonious tone that gives a feeling of being born again.