Transcendental+Mini-essay

1: Rebelliousness Henry David Thoreau is well known transcendentalist author whose inspire many different themes. One major theme his work promotes is rebelliousness, especially towards governments that are not doing well for its people. Thoreau says in one of his more famous essays, “Civil Disobedience”, “Governments are best but an expedient” (Thoreau 412). Thoreau believes that governments should only be a resource of the people and should not interfere with, or exploit the people it serves. Thoreau goes on in the essay to talk about the worries he has for the American government, and how it might take away the liberty of its people. Namely the new Mexican American War. In his essay Thoreau says the war is, “the work of a few individuals using the standing government as a tool; for the outset, the people would not have consented to this measure” (Thoreau 412). As an act of protest, “he objected to paying his taxes to maintain what he called, ‘the unjust government which makes the war’” (Stern 77). In doing so Thoreau uses the civil disobedience he promotes in his essay. He also tries to set an example for other citizens to follow.

2: “Walden”

Henry David Thoreau’s experiences at Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts are very ironic because today the pond is a very different place. Thoreau supposedly moved to the woods to live simply however, some think it was because of his financial situation. In “Walden,” Thoreau claims that, “{he} went to the woods to live deliberately” (Thoreau 406). He wanted to live with care and thought and be more in touch with the nature. He also wanted, “simplicity, simplicity, simplicity!” (Thoreau 406). He believed that nature is the best place to leave behind small details and problems. However, today Walden Pond would not be able to achieve this. Walden Pond has been transformed, “The crystal-clear lake, wood-surrounded, by the shore of which he sought nature and solitude, became a railroad amusement park and now is a reservation in Massachusetts with public baths, water slides, and boats” (Henry 204). It is ironic how different Thoreau’s Walden Pond is from today’s Walden Pond.

3: Henry David Thoreau Henry David Thoreau was a very eccentric person for his time period. Unlike the rest of his society, Thoreau did not mind being different and was constantly in his own little world. It takes a very open minded person to stop everything in their life and move to the woods for two years by themselves. While living in the woods Thoreau “was able to devote the rest of his life to exploring and writing about the spiritual relationship between humanity and nature” (400). The average person would not have just thought about that one day and decide to live in the woods. Other people of his society also knew he was different. His society knew “he was against civilization and wished to return to a primitive life” (Bloom’s BioCritiques). However, as he grew older Thoreau “found he was transcending his senses less and less frequently and thought more realistically” (Bloom’s BioCritiques). Henry David Thoreau lived a very different life, but towards the end he settled down and began to live a normal life. His unconventional life was what sparked a transcendentalist movement in America.

4: Henry David Thoreau In the story "Walden" ,written by Henry David Thoreau, he goes into the woods and lived there for two years. Thoreau says, "I went out the woods to live deliberately" (Thoreau). He goes into the woods to learn what he can not in any other way. The things that he will learn he has to figure out by himself which will cause him to become independent. In //The Journal of Thoreau Volumes I to VII// by Henry Thoreau includes, "Nature is holy and heroic, a mans life is trivial and handselled" (Thoreau). Something he learned in the woods was a man's life is painful in nature. By living in the woods Thoreau learned many ideas that he taught us in the story "Walden". The experiences he has in the journal show how he learned what to teach people in his stories. The affects of the events he did all day caused him to be enlightened by nature. One teaching he learned was, "Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity!" (Thoreau). He learned this since his simple lifestyle caused him to realize life is easier if it is looked at in a simpler way.

5: Be your self A big point of transcendentalism is being your self. You have to be different and not be like everyone else. Being different is a huge part of being yourself. If you were like every other person in the world, no one would have any personality. Transcendentalism shows that following other people is not being true to your self because if you follow some one else you’re destroying the opportunity for your personality and soul to grow. Having a little sense of being different makes the whole world a more interesting and fun place. Transcendentalism has a very good point, be your self, don’t follow the paths others choose because it may be the destruction of who your meant to be.

6: Transcendentalism Mini-Essay Ralph Waldo Emerson was a very complex and influential person of his time. Emerson inspired many thoughts and ideas for others to live by. The //Prentice Hall Literature// biography about Emerson states “Beneath his calm, sober demeanor existed a restless, highly individualistic mind that resisted conformity” (author* 386). Emerson presented himself in a civil way but let his unique ideas run wild in his mind. The biography also explains “Throughout his life, Emerson’s mind was constantly in motion, generating new ideas and defining and redefining his views of the world” (author* 386). Emerson’s ideas of life were ever evolving and always fresh. In //Emerson: A Collection of Critical Essays// it is said, “The more we know him, the less we know him. He can be summed up in a formula only by those who know their own minds better than his” (author* 39). Emerson’s character is very a complicated one to understand and his thought process is all about individualism. One who wishes to comprehend Emerson’s mind must also abide by his ideas and way of life.


 * sorry I don’t know the authors of my two sources*

7: Nature Emerson believed that nature should be treated with individuality, independence, and appreciation. He once quoted “Nature is the symbol of spirit.” He is stating that nature leads always lead to the same lesson. Emerson also means that people that look for the spirit will be able to see God in everything they do. Nature will bring a human to God. Emerson also quotes this in the short story //Nature,// he says “Nature always wears the colors of the spirit’ (Emerson 390). These quotes are relatable because they both talk about how nature will allow a person to be connected to God and/or a spirit. Emerson also says that “The creation of beauty is art; beauty leads men to virtue and heroism.” Emerson is explaining that the beauty of nature is what will lead a man in the right direction. Comparable what he quotes in //Nature,// Emerson tells us that “In the woods, we return to reason and faith” (Emerson 388). Reason, faith, virtue, and heroism are all relatable to each other. They all come back to being a transcendentalist. Emerson had these statements when explaining what he believed in so readers would truly understand his spiritual connection to nature.

8: Untitled

When people think of the word Transcendentalists, names like Emerson and Thoreau come to mind however there is one man who is sometimes overlooked. Nathaniel Hawthorne born and raised in Salem Massachusetts was not only known for his transcendental views and beliefs but also his involvement in the Salem witch trials. His experiences throughout his life gave him knowledge of the world around him and having been educated well during childhood helped him in the long run. When Hawthorne heard about Emerson and his movement, Hawthorne did not hesitate to start hanging out at Brook farm where all the Transcendental would gather and talk about their ideas. Here, Hawthorne gained more experience in the movement and became very involved. After finding something he deeply believed in, Hawthorne said “ Every individual has a place to fill in the world and is important in some respect whether he chooses to be so or not.” Hawthorne did not really care if people agreed or disagreed with the movement but he believed in the entitlement to his freedom of decision. He not only believed in freedom of the individual but also agreeing to disagree even with others opposed to him. Hawthorne said “All brave men love; for he only is brave who has affections to fight for, whether in the daily battle of life, or in physical contests.” Meaning he wanted people to stand up and fight for whatever they loved, and if they did that then nothing else matters.

9: Mini-Essay

Transcendentalism in 18th century America was all about making the individual the center of the universe. The importance of the individual was stressed more over the importance of religion in one’s life. Ralph Waldo Emerson, one of the most popular transcendentalists of the time once said “Self-trust is the first secret to success.” He refers to the importance of the individual and how success can be achieved by trust in oneself before trust in a god. Emerson thought that “the individual is the world” and he believed that “the human mind is so powerful it can unlock any mystery” (A growing nation, 384). The work and capabilities of the individual were believed to be able to conquer anything. The influences of Emerson’s ideas as well as the other transcendentalists are still present to this day.

10: Brook Farm

Before 1841 it was believed that all transcendentalists were very individualistic and somewhat of a bunch of loners. However in 1841 George and Sophia Ripley got 10 other investors and purchased Brook Farm. Brook Farm was a place where the Ripley’s and their friends could live out their transcendental lifestyle. The farm was a great example of a social reform community. As all these great thinkers came to discuss how to help fix society. A total of 32 members would join Brook Farm including Nathaniel Hawthorne a famous writer and Transcendentalist. Many people who never actually joined the farm would visit often this included Margaret Fuller, one of the first American feminists, who would use the farm as a place for rest. Although they were a community it focused on the personal growth of the individuals. While many communities were very serious the Brook Farm community focused on enjoyment and pleasure. This was just one of the reasons this wasn’t a normal community, and it gave some Transcendentalists a place to practice their lifestyle in peace. Works Cited

Hankins, Barry. //The Second Great Awakening and the Transcendentalists//. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2004. Print.

11: Self Reliance Transcendentalism is a philosophy made up of several concepts. These concepts make up the idea that the individual must believe in themselves and recognize what lies within them. These transcendental values can be seen in Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay, “Self-Reliance.” In this essay, Emerson states that “we but half express ourselves, and are ashamed of that divine idea which each of us represents” (Emerson 391). By this, he means that people hold themselves back because they are afraid to be different. Emerson later says that “society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members” (Emerson 391). This is saying that society is holding back the self- expression of human kind. Society makes people feel as though they need to fit in perfectly, setting people up to conform before they get the chance to realize divine nature within themselves. Conformity is an easy way out for those who fail to express their ideas. According to the //Critics of Emerson,// “society is a refuge for scoundrel or cowards willing to give up self- reliance for consistency and conformity” (user:kcollins2010 88). This emphasizes the fact that people look towards conformity in order to have a sense of conformity, thus giving up their uniqueness.

12: Henry David Thoreau Throughout Henry David Thoreau's life, he was a wise and complex man of many talents. He was intrigued by other men's writing and wished to write stores as well. He had a special connection to books and he longed to publish one of his own. Thoreau speaks with a positive attitude, "A truly good book teaches me better than to read it. I must soon lay it down, and commence living on its hint. What I began by reading, I must finish by acting."(Thoreau). Thoreau ended up at Walden Pond, where he sought out the beauty of nature. After spending enough time there his thoughts were that he "left the woods for as good a reason as he went there"( Thoreau 407). After returning home to Concord, his book did not interest many people. Although many people thought his ideas was crazy, Thoreau was able to find joy in everyday life unlike most people. Thoreau spoke on life saying that "The life in us is like water in the river. It may rise this year higher than man has ever know it, and flood the parched uplands; even this may be the eventful year, which will drown out all our muskrats"(Thoreau 409). Although Thoreau's ideas were not what people were use to, he found life in nature and by experiences rather then being told by other people how to live life.

WE WILL SPEND THE BULK OF TOMORROW’S CLASS WORKING ON THIS. PLEASE COMPLETE TONIGHT AND EMAIL ME BY 11:59PM KCOLLINS@MEDWAY.K12.MA.US

HOMEWORK:

Using your research, please create a MINI-ESSAY that uses one quote from the library and two quotes from the textbook.

Quality not Quantity. 100 word minimum. Make one clear point.