henry david thoreau a transcendentalist images courtesy:

Henry David ThoreauHenry David Thoreau

A TranscendentalistA Transcendentalist

Images courtesy: Images courtesy:

http://www.nanosft.com/walden/october/index.htmlhttp://www.nanosft.com/walden/october/index.html

What is Transcendentalism?What is Transcendentalism?

Optimistic view of individualismOptimistic view of individualism

“…“…if one advances in the direction of his if one advances in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success has imagined, he will meet with a success uncommon in his waking hours.”uncommon in his waking hours.”

From WaldenFrom Walden


Based on the following principles:Based on the following principles: A) The individual has meaningful integrityA) The individual has meaningful integrity B) The individual is inherently goodB) The individual is inherently good C) The individual is capable of independent C) The individual is capable of independent

thought and action based on intuitionthought and action based on intuition


Individual has value over societyIndividual has value over society To “transcend” society one must first be able to To “transcend” society one must first be able to

look past and beyond it. One must follow his look past and beyond it. One must follow his instincts and not conform to what society dictates.instincts and not conform to what society dictates.


Centered on the divinity of each individual; Centered on the divinity of each individual; but this divinity could be self-discovered only but this divinity could be self-discovered only if the person had the independence of mind to if the person had the independence of mind to do so.do so. American thought lent itself to this concept of American thought lent itself to this concept of

independence.independence.


There is meaning in everything and that There is meaning in everything and that meaning was good, all connected by and parts meaning was good, all connected by and parts of a divine plan. of a divine plan. Insisted if good was allowed, evil dissipated.Insisted if good was allowed, evil dissipated.

What influenced this movement?What influenced this movement?

Movement away from The Enlightenment…Movement away from The Enlightenment… Rational conclusions about the natural worldRational conclusions about the natural world based on experimentation and logical thinkingbased on experimentation and logical thinking

……and into the Romantic movementand into the Romantic movement Less rational, more intuitive and in touch with Less rational, more intuitive and in touch with

the sensesthe senses Wanted to move beyond logic and use man’s Wanted to move beyond logic and use man’s

intuition and inspiration to gain further insight intuition and inspiration to gain further insight into our worldinto our world

RomanticismRomanticism

individual worthindividual worth goodness of humanitygoodness of humanity glorified pleasures of communion with natureglorified pleasures of communion with nature condemned society for materialismcondemned society for materialism urged individual freedom of expression; urged individual freedom of expression;

freedom freedom from from constraintsconstraints of earlier of earlier philosophies and philosophies and theologies (ei: theologies (ei: Puritanism)Puritanism)

Important TranscendentalistsImportant Transcendentalists

Ralph Waldo EmersonRalph Waldo Emerson ““Self-Reliance” Self-Reliance” ““Nature”Nature”

Henry David ThoreauHenry David Thoreau Greatly influenced by EmersonGreatly influenced by Emerson

Has been called one of the most famous and Has been called one of the most famous and important friendships in history.important friendships in history.


BackgroundBackground Born and raised in ConcordBorn and raised in Concord Harvard GraduateHarvard Graduate Waldon PondWaldon Pond Civil DisobedienceCivil Disobedience


Themes in his worksThemes in his works The RiskThe Risk NatureNature NonconformityNonconformity Believing in oneselfBelieving in oneself IntuitionIntuition

The RiskThe Risk

While pursuing material goals, we risk missing While pursuing material goals, we risk missing what is most essential and rewarding in life.what is most essential and rewarding in life.

““Our life is frittered away by detail”Our life is frittered away by detail” ““Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts”Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts”


NatureNature

By contemplating objects in nature, the By contemplating objects in nature, the individual can transcend this world and individual can transcend this world and discover union with God and the Ideal.discover union with God and the Ideal.

Must rely on and listen to one’s intuitionMust rely on and listen to one’s intuition

NonconformityNonconformity

The satisfaction of living life guided by self The satisfaction of living life guided by self discovered moral principlesdiscovered moral principles

Each person should follow the sway of his Each person should follow the sway of his own beliefs and ideas, however divergent from own beliefs and ideas, however divergent from the social norm they might be. the social norm they might be.

““Insist on yourself; never imitate.”Insist on yourself; never imitate.”

From Civil DisobedienceFrom Civil Disobedience

Believing in oneselfBelieving in oneself

On all questions of right and wrong; personal, On all questions of right and wrong; personal, social and political, conscience must be the social and political, conscience must be the sole determination.sole determination.

““To believe in your own thought, to believe what To believe in your own thought, to believe what is true for you and your private heart is true is true for you and your private heart is true for all men, --that is genius.”for all men, --that is genius.”

IntuitionIntuition

It provides the highest truthsIt provides the highest truths One must follow his instincts and not conform One must follow his instincts and not conform

to what society dictatesto what society dictates The details of life, all the extra The details of life, all the extra stuffstuff, gets in , gets in

man’s way of his intuitionman’s way of his intuition

WaldenWalden

1845 – 18471845 – 1847

Thoreau built a small cabin on the shores of Thoreau built a small cabin on the shores of Walden Pond outside Concord, where he lived Walden Pond outside Concord, where he lived a simple lifestyle studying nature and writing.a simple lifestyle studying nature and writing.


““I went to the woods because I wished to live I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”that I had not lived.”

ThoreauThoreau

Statue of Statue of Thoreau and Thoreau and replica of replica of his little his little househouse

Inside of Inside of Thoreau’s Thoreau’s little houselittle house

Trail on Trail on Walden Walden PondPond

Beach on Walden PondBeach on Walden Pond

Other Beach on Walden PondOther Beach on Walden Pond

ThoreauThoreau

““Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million hundred or a thousand; instead of a million count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumbnail.”your thumbnail.”


Thoreau’s Packing ListThoreau’s Packing List

1 axe1 axe 2 knives2 knives 1 fork1 fork 3 plates3 plates 1 cup1 cup 1 spoon1 spoon A jug for oilA jug for oil A jug for molassesA jug for molasses 1 lamp1 lamp

Your Packing ListYour Packing List

If you could only bring five items, what would If you could only bring five items, what would you bring?you bring?

If forced to simplify, what are your priorities?If forced to simplify, what are your priorities?

Packing ListPacking List

What categories can Thoreau’s items be What categories can Thoreau’s items be grouped into?grouped into?

Class Packing ListClass Packing List

Five items…Five items…

What are our priorities?What are our priorities?

Chris McCandlessChris McCandless

How does McCandless’ packing list compare How does McCandless’ packing list compare with Thoreau’s? Ours?with Thoreau’s? Ours?

Influence on McCandlessInfluence on McCandless

Write a paragraph explaining three ways Write a paragraph explaining three ways McCandless appeared to have been influenced McCandless appeared to have been influenced by the ideas of Transcendentalism and by the ideas of Transcendentalism and Thoreau. Include three concrete details to Thoreau. Include three concrete details to support your response. Use your notes from support your response. Use your notes from the information presented in this PowerPoint.the information presented in this PowerPoint.

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