transcendentalism !!

henry david thoreau

a friend of emerson that became famous for his work walden and civil disobedience which detailed his resistance to the government. also one of the large figures in the transcendentalist movement.

transcendentalism

a philosophical movement that placed a heavy emphasis on spiritualism over materialism. pioneers of this movement were ralph waldo emerson and henry david thoreau. simplicity in nature was valued over the complexity of daily life in society at the time. people came to nature to find meaning

rationalism

a philosophical movement that stressed the importance of logic and reason. opinions and actions should be guided by reason and knowledge rather than emotional response or religious beliefs. logic is formed by observing nature.

self reliance

a set of essays which discussed the importance of self reliance, self reliance for the individual, and self reliance within society.

puritanism

a theocratic movement that stressed the importance of following god's word and living by the roles delegated by the scripture. the belief that nature was given to the people of god for their use. meaning in life was dictated by following god's word and living a pious life.

the night thoreau spent in jail

a̶ ̶t̶e̶r̶r̶i̶b̶l̶e̶ ̶p̶l̶a̶y̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶m̶a̶k̶e̶s̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶q̶u̶e̶s̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶w̶h̶y̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶'̶r̶e̶ ̶r̶e̶a̶d̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶w̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶r̶e̶a̶l̶l̶y̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶g̶o̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶o̶n̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶b̶o̶o̶k̶ ̶?̶?̶ ̶ ( okay but for real ) a play written by robert e lee and jerome lawrence that explores themes of civil disobedience, the independence of man, nature, education, the role of the government, and the role of the governed through the perspective of henry david thoreau.

walden

book written by thoreau that reflects on the simplicity of living in nature. the book encompasses commentary on independence and spiritual discovery almost serving as a guide for self reliance. the four seasons represent stages of human growth.

sr: why is emerson's use of the adjective " foolish " in his discussion of consistency appropriate ?? do you think any instances in which emerson would advocate the benefits of consistency ??

consistency results in a lack of growth. emerson would not advocate for consistency because consistency does not benefit the individual due to the lack of spiritual growth it provides.

nature

emerson addresses the issue with humans not fully accepting nature and its natural beauty. the essay is separated into eight aspects : nature, commodity, beauty, language, discipline, idealism, spirit, and prospects. emerson states that humans are distracted by the complexities of society and while nature gives meaning but humans fail to reciprocate in their relationship with nature. major theme of the essay is that of spirituality. also marks the appearance of the transparent eyeball. nature is expressed in the spirit of the individual

difference between the two

emerson believed that the government should have power but not enough to control our lives. thoreau believed that acting against the government was wrong but the government should not interfere with it's people. emerson believed that true individualism was found in nature. thoreau believed that individualism is attained through personal happiness.

ralph waldo emerson

emerson was an american essayist,lecturer, and former pastor that became dissatisfied with his life and became regarded as one of the pioneers of the transcendentalist movement.

civil disobedience

essay written by thoreau that states that individuals should not let their lives be governed by the by the government and that their conscience shouldn't be influenced by others. thoreau states that governments are are more harmful than helpful and that democracy does not provided a solution to this. justice lies in the individual and the government is a primary force responsible for the corruption of justice. " the government is best which governs not at all " is a large representation of the themes presented in the essay.

brahma

poem written by emerson that is written in the perspective of the brahma which draws parallels with the transcendentalist oversoul. the brahma is regarded as omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent. the poem reveals its absolute nature but also its sustaining power upon the existence of entire universe. all occurrences are dictated by the brahma.

sr: what does self reliance express in its belief in the importance of the individual ??

self reliance expresses the importance of individualism because of the values placed on nonconformity and growth through variety.

sr: what is society's main purpose ?? what way should people be affected by the ways others perceive the ??

society is meant to pit others against each other. people should be regarded as blameless and without fault for sticking to their beliefs.

universal mind

the collective consciousness of the human race. ( tbh i don't really understand it either let's hope we don't get a question on this !! )

sr: what role does the divine have in determining each persona circumstances ?? what would emerson say is a person's reason for living ??

the divine allows each person to live up to their full potential. each person's reason for living is to determine one's own outcome and to find god's purpose for them.

transparent eyeball

the transparent eyeball is a representation of an individual that is absorbent of knowledge rather than reflective, and takes in all that nature has to offer. emerson intends for the individual to become one with nature, and the transparent eyeball serves as a gateway for that individual.

w: what does thoreau suggest about the definition of true wealth ??

thoreau implies that true wealth is that of spiritual wealth and that spiritual wealth is attained by fufilling your personal desires and living life to the fullest.

cd: what is thoreau asking readers to do ??

thoreau is asking for individuals to identify their desires and work towards them. thoreau also stresses the importance of following their own beliefs without the influence of others affecting their judgment.

w: what does thoreau suggest by stating " our life is frittered by detail :') " ?? what does thoreau mean by his advice to " simplify, simplify " ??

thoreau states that rather than being burdened by life's complexities and difficulties, the individual should live by their own ideals. thoreau stresses simplicity in nature in order for the individual to truly realize their own desires.

w: what advice does thoreau offer to his " fellows " about the ownership of land or property? what does thoreau mean by his comment, " it makes little difference whether you are committed to a farm or the county jail " ??

thoreau states that the individual should not focus on materialism and live life with variety in order to develop spiritual growth within nature. thoreau expresses that regardless of social status any person can attain spiritual growth.

oversoul

transcendentalist belief in a collective soul that transcends individual conscience and provides meaning in nature. regarded as divine and all knowing and all seeing.