Henry David Thoreau s The Wilderness Of Walden Pond ...

Though the reasons for their pilgrimages were different, transcendentalists emphasized journeys into nature. Henry David Thoreau, perhaps the most famous transcendentalist, wrote Walden on his time spent in the wilderness of Walden pond. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote Nature on his walks into the woods. Much of Emerson’s works were on intuition and self-reliance. Jeremiah Johnson is a modern movie that seemingly adopts the ideas of these transcendentalist authors into a narrative about a man who leaves civilisation for the mountain. All three characters had different stated motivations. Thoreau left to â€Å"live simply† (Thoreau). Emerson left for solitude. Though it never was stated directly, Jeremiah Johnson left to â€Å"Leave his troubles far behind†, with later hints to him being a deserter of the Mexican American War. But why is nature a staple of transcendentalism? Transcendentalism, unlike rationalism or empiricism, is founded on the belief that one can †Å"transcend the data that we intake via our senses† using intuition (Dwinell). For Transcendentalists, nature is the path to truth, because it is there intuition rules above all. Nature and Transcendentalism are intrinsically connected. Transcendentalism is a form of Romanticism, which emerged as a response to growing civilization and, more specifically, the Industrial Revolution. The romantics endorsed trips away from this, into the wilderness, where one could experience nature undiluted. Moby Dick, by Herman Melville, forShow MoreRelatedComparing Henry David Thoreau and Herman Melvilles Writings1739 Words   |  7 PagesComparing Henry David Thoreau and Herman Melvilles Writings Henry David Thoreau and Herman Melville focused their writings on how man was affected by nature. They translated their philosophies though both the portrayal of their protagonist and their own self exploration. In Moby Dick, Melville writes about Ahabs physical and metaphysical struggle over the great white whale, Moby Dick, symbolic of mans struggle against the overwhelming forces of nature. Ahabs quest is reported and experiencedRead MoreEssay The Incredible Henry David Thoreau1081 Words   |  5 Pagesthe integrity of their government. Henry David Thoreau was one such man. Henry Thoreau was born in Concord, Massachusetts to a successful pencil manufacturer John Thoreau and a strong-willed, quick-witted mother, Cynthia. Early on Henry enjoyed reading books and observing nature in solitude. He inherited the gift of gab and intellectual inquiry from his mother as well as both Puritan and abolitionist ideals. In 1837 he graduated from Harvard. In 1841 Henry moved into Ralph Waldo Emersons homeRead MoreThe Literary Movement of Transcendentalism Essay examples872 Words   |  4 PagesOver-Soul. When this occurred, one was cleansed of materialistic aims, and was left with a sense of self-reliance and purity. Two authors who were among the leaders of the movement were Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, whose works quot;Naturequot;, quot;Self-Reliancequot;, and quot;Waldenquot; brought America to the forefront of the transcendentalist movement. Their ideas opposed the popular materialist views of life and voiced a desire for freedom of the individual from artificial restraintsRead MoreHuman Nature Vs Transcendentalism883 Words   |  4 Pagesintuition. And yes. there’s another author names Henry David Thoreau, who wroite a book named â€Å"Walden†. â€Å"I have spent many an hour, when I was younger, floating over its surface as the zephyr willed, having paddled my boat to the middle, and lying on my back across the seats, my back across the seats, in a summer forenoon, dreaming awake, until I was aroused by the boat touching the sand, and I arose to see what shore my fates had impelled me to.† (â€Å"Walden, Emerson). In addition to the universal soulRead MoreHenry David Thoreau s On Living The Good Life1537 Words   |  7 PagesHenry David Thoreau philosophized about living the good life. According to him, the good life is reached through what can be interpreted as an ever-evolving soul. The ever-evolving soul matures and begins to tune in to spiritual instinct. Epistemologically, Thoreau argues that spiritual instincts are sentiments or feelings that act as a life compass and distinguish the metaphysical aspect of higher laws from the world of being. In order to live the best life, according to Thoreau, one must avoidRead MoreAnalysis Of Christopher Mccandless s The Great Gatsby 2603 Words   |  11 Pagesabove all, Henry David Thoreau, whose work and path he had both looked up to in fond admiration, as well as quite nearly internalized. Following such similar paths, the characters of two individualists held striking similarities, including their desperate need to escape materialism, willingn ess and longing to engage in solitude, as well as unified craving for change and adventure. ! ! ï ¿ ¼The arguably most apparent aspect in which the personalities of Chris McCandless and Henry David Thoreau truly paralleled