Ralph Waldo Emerson invites Thoreau to move in with his family, and Emerson mentors Thoreau to help him improve his writing craft. However, Thoreau begins to bristle at the luxurious lifestyle of the wealthy Emerson family. Personal tragedy strikes both families as Thoreau's brother, John, dies and is followed soon after by Emerson's son, Waldo. These deaths radically impact Thoreau's life.